Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-02-27

must derive its revenue mainly from
imports, and hence that free trade is
practically impossible under the con-
stitution, Mr.. McCulloch proceeds as
follows: g. -..-.-
Free trade may be among the things
hoped for, but 1t Is one that never will
be realized by the people of the United
States. Every intelligent man in the
United States knows this, and yet there
are men In high places, and managers
of influential public journals, who speak
of those who favor q reform of the tariff
as being free traders or tariff smashers.
AS, therefore, from absolute necessity
there must be a,tariff, it is, of the last
importance that it should be so framed
as not to be unnecessarily burdensome
upon consumers, nor at war with useful
branches of domestic industry, nor a
bar to free exchanges with foreign coun-
tries. 1t has been clearly shown by the
advocates of tariff reform that the pres
ent tariff is notof this character; that it
is unnecessarily, burdensome to the
great body of the people; that it is at
war with many branches of domestic
industry; that It is q bar to international
trade, It was created as a war measure,
in great national emergency, to
strengthen the credit of the government
and to secure large revenue. These OBJ
|jects having been accomplished, II
should long since have been subject to
thorough revision to accommodate it to
the changed condition of the country.
The question, therefore, which for
years has demanded, and now impera-
lively demands, the attention of con-
gress is not between tariff and free
trade, but whether the tariff should be
mainly for protection or mainly for
revenue; in other words, whether, in
the imposition ofduties, revenue should
be the object and protection the Incl
dent, or whether protection should be
the object and revenue the incident. AS
Imy opinion upon this great point has
been fully and frequently expressed, I
am not disposed to repeat it. l would
only remark in passing that, as large
revenues must be derived from duties
upon imports, it will be very difficult 80
to modify the tariff that it will fail to
1be protective. .sr -.. IT,,
II Mr.. McCulloch then proceeds to the
consderation of the real question at is
sue, whether the present high tariff is
favorable to the people as whole or
whether a somewhat lower tariff, as
proposed by the Democrats, would not
have better effect. Hesays: ~
L A high tariff has been in force since
1852, and according to Mr.. Biainethe
country, and the whole country, under
Its beneficent influence ought to be
lhighly prosperous. The circulating
medium is abundant. Interest is lower
than ever before known. Good rail-
road and municipal 4 per cent bonds
command premium; those of the
United States are in demand at 124,
land yet what is the condition of that
Egreat interest which underlies all other
Interests y the agricultural interest!
What are good farming lands worth in
Mr.. Blaine's own State, in Vermont, in
New Hampshire, in all the Eastern
States? How do prices of farming lands
in the Middle States compare with the
selling prices of such lands when the
tariff was light in comparison with
what it is at the present time? If the
i,condition of the farming interest in
these States is the result of the increase
Of cultivated acres in the new States
and the lessened rates oftransportation of
how happens it that in all these gr cal
grain-producing States the farmers, who
are as we'll offat the close of the year as
they were at the beginning are the ex-
ceptions? If protection is the benefit
policy that it is represented to be by
4 Mr.. Blaine, how happens it that even
manufacturers are not happy? How
happens it that denominations are formed
by them to curtail production and
maintain high prices? Are the con
sumers of manufactured goods benefit
ed by legislation that prevents foreign
competition and enables the favored
few to regulate prices for their own ad
vantage? Is a country really prosper
GUS when cities, which are the consum
ers of wealth, are rapidly growing anC
farming lands are decreasing in value
when rents in cities are enormously
high and excellent farms are not at
tractive to tenants at rentals not equa
to 6 per cent interest on half their ap
praised value? 1' 5 l.ssI.
These are questions intelligent citi
zens should study for themselves. "Iti
the middlemen," says Mr.. McCulloch
"the men who handle the agriculture
productions and the railroads who art
making the money, while theproduc
ers are unable to make both end
meet.n ..'.. ,;;slge4 .