Evening journal., 1889-07-10
WHY NOT REVISE AND REDUCE.

Our foreign neighbors announce and
proclaim that they wish TO and, If they
are allowed, will invade our markets and
ussrp therein the places Of our own
countrymen. We mean no offence what
ever, but we simply odey the first law Of
nature by building a protection wall
about our markets in order that they may
not be invaded and looted by our alien
competitors. Philadelphia Ledger.
Now, If this wall we're built nationally,
and for the purpose proposed there
might possibly be some justification in 1t.
But 1t is built by paid attorneys for rich
corporations-tLe more money the higher
the wall. II commission of honest and
skillful expert Is were appointed who would
investigate each trade and place prohib-
itory tariff on goods that would compete
in our markets, 1t might be sound policy
But what do we sect We see that the
corporations and the interests which
have the money to maintain lobby at
Washington are getting the benefits Of
the protective tariff
The tariff is not laid on the theory Of
the protectionists. It is laid on the
doodle" theory. There are over 1000
articles protected and the percentage is
not governed by any rule known
to God or man. The average is
AZ per cent. but the percentages
range from 10 to 200 per cent. There is
no reason for some Of them whatever. If
the percentages were really adjusted to
cover the differences In wages between
this country and Great Britain there
would not be any tariff whatever on
thousands of articles because the United
States workman turns out more pieces
and more yards, respectively than the
English workman There Is no divining
on what principle the tariff is laid ex.
cept on the principle Of giving every
wealthy or influential industry what il
may ask.
Take the steel industry, representing
capital of 500 coo, 900, as an "infant in
dustry." 1t asks $17 ton on steel rail-
and SOS per ton on structural steel
There is scarcely any labor in this indus
try at all, and 10 per cent would easil,
! cover any fancied difference In wages
} But 12 per cent. will not satisfy an az
! gregated capital Of 2O,00O 900.
, This protective tariff is a plain busi
} ness matter or 1t is simply doodle" |
+ it is plain business matter why are tn
] richest and most influential industrie
r protected" with the highest prohibitor
tariff Why is the Pennsylvania iro,
workman protected" while the million
e Of negro cotton laborers have no ''pro
> lection" but have to pay protection price
for plows, shoes, tin, china, woolen, sal
sl and everything else which enters int
IS their shanty cabins and their simpl
n livesf Why does not sone prophet o
/ protectionism arise to say how muc
It protection" each Justly requires an
II how much should be givenf Why is pr
10 tectiOnism under the ban Of Unite
n States Supreme Court decision whic
d says II is ''legalized robbery
IT Where protection ia not robbery it is
IS sham. If it was ever needed by thes
;, 1000 iAfant industries it iS surely nc
l. needed now II Il is needed nox, it
% not needed to the extent Of an average
J. AZ per cent Let us look this matter
It the face aud II there are evils let us co..
Il rect them. Every man who has e,
e preached the subject with candor admi
d that the tariff should be revised ar
d reduced. Why not revise and reduce i
% Nobody asks more than that. Thr
II Republican Presidents and four Repub
u can Secretaries Of the Treasury ha'
It recommended it. Nobody opposes it 9
t cept demagogues and these who reap Il
% benefits.