The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-25
FRIDAY. APRIL Is, 1872.
PROTECTION. PURE sELrIsHNEss


II may well be a cause for serious specu-
Iation whether the most earnest advocate
and supporter Of our present iarin laws mas
amy strong convictions as 70 the benehciai
character Of their operation, SO far as the
interests Of the whole country are IN
VOWED. No man has argued more iofciDN
in their favor than Blaine, and yet the
general impression left upon the NINA by
All ON this subject which has proceeded
from that ingenious and willy politician Is
that he could argue even more iorclbly on
the other side. And the same can be SAID
Of the various Republican leaders whose
names are intimately associated with the
maintenance Of our tariff system, with the
oxception Of Mckinley, the present chair
man of the Ways and Means Committee
This distinguished Republican is evidently
n supporter Of high protection by profound
conviction. which seems singular in as able
81 man AS he undoubtedly is. He is not
only able but also earnest, and so far as ne
Is known. above the mere arts Of the politi-
clans.
His associates. ON the other hand, are
overwhelmingly in favor Of our tarih laws
because they are led 10 believe that this is
tbe strongest card which their party can
MAY In some instances. special circuni-
stances have modified this belief as in the
case Of senator Allison. who had an oppof-
tunity Of studying the change in public sem
timent in this direction. during the course
Of the last campaign in Iowa. the result Of
the election I'm that State in November. re-
nectinc the general trend ofpoliiical opinion
IN all Of the States.
The great body Of manufacturers give
their warm support to the existing tariil
simply because they are under the influence
of purely selfish reasons, which are alto
oefher disconnected from the general good
Of the country. The change ofiront in New
England in the matter Of raw material -
only one OF many instances of how far the
sentiment Of this class is shaped by their
own individual interests. Convince the
manufacturers. either by argument or by
the force Of altered commercial circum-
stances. that their interests would be bene-
fitted by the radical modification Of the tariff
laws. and their convictions as to what the
best policy for the whole country TO pursue
in this respect would DE exactly reversed
This has been recently illustrated in the
well-known Manufacturers Club Of Phila-
delphia. which was originally composed en-
clusiyely Of protectionists. who were unan-
imous in their views on the tariff, because
they thought it was essential 10 the profit
ableness Of their various forms of business.
A. soon. however, a. the Mckinley bin pro-
posed 20 protect the sheep growers OF the
West nj the expense Of the carpet manu-
facturers Of Philadelphia. many members
of this club repudialcd the tariff system he
cause il would. if the Mckinley bill were
pa-sed. bear most ruinously upon their spe-
ciai interests. All the members of the ciub
have united in inviting Mr.. Carlisle to nd
dress them. which at least shows that their
minds are now in state TO take an inteili-
gent interest in the general subject Of the
tariff. irrespective Of any one phase OF 1t.
The sentiment Of the club seems 70 have
been expressed in recent speech oil one OF
its members. who said: ''1he proper proieC'
tion IL that which places the duty on iinlsh'
ed goods and graduates it down until 1t dis
appears in the raw material If YOU tax
the material you tax the workingman's kil
Of tools, his labor and his ingenuity, anC
YOU prevent him from getting the material
tor bis work. such a tax is opposed to pub
lie policy. and if properly adjudicate'
would be declared unconstitutional
Such will be the general opinion whici
will finally be reached by the overwhelming
majority Of those who are now found III 'n'
ranks of the Republican party.