The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-10-08
sena.or plnnle

d =
the following letter TO prominent
manufacturer of Germantown, Pa,
in response to u query. We find it
in the columns of the Philadelphia.
Press, high tariff and subsidized
organ of the administration, and
partly from wonder that the Press
would be fair enough TO its readers
to publish an honest statement from
a tariff reformer, and partly because
the letter is a remarkably good
thing we reproduce it in full.
Senator Plumb is republican and
has, therefore, fought the Mckinley
iniquity in the United States SEN
ate, not for political reasons, but
from conviction that it is an out.
rage on the people. Here is Plumb's
letter and explanation of his course:
UNITED STATES SENATE,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Aug. II, 80.
DEAR SIR:-I have yours of the
Sd. Do not give yourself any con-
Germ about my relations 10 the Re
publican party. Did you never be-
fore hear of a Republican who was
such notwithstanding he did not
believe in the highest possible PRO-
tective tariff, and in giving to the
manufacturers everything they ask
ed for? If all those who believe
with me were driven out of the Re
publican party, / beg you to take
notice that it would not be a very
powerful organization. Itcertainly
would not carry many of the Yves
tern States. How do you account
for the fact that majority of the
farmers of New Jersey, Delaware.
Connecticut and large proportion
of those of Pennsylvania, New York
and OF Ohio are Democrats, not
outstanding they live in the
shadow of the very chimneys for
which extreme protection is invited?
Do you think tie tariff is of more
benefit to the people of Kansas than
it is to those of Pennsylvania and
Connecticut? How does it happen
that majority of the farmers of
lndiana-a great manufacturing
Statc-are Democrats? / am nv
self in favor of protection, but be-
lieve we have gone far, enough, and
whether we have gone far enough
or not / insist that if a manufacture
err wants more protection he must
demonstrate the necessity for it.
This has not even been attempted
to be done, but with an insolence
which in itself calls for rebuke, the
manufacturers and those who repre-
sent them have simply said, we
want it and that is enough. There
has not been an arguement which
was worth the name offered to show
that higher protection was needed.
1t is rather poor comment on the
American manufacturer that, after
having been given the local field
for more than thirty years by high
duties, he is not only still too weak
to stand alone, but too weak to even
exist unless he gets still higher pro.
lection than he has ever had. / am
open to conviction upon this as up.
on. everything else bntI cannot be.
driven, and it happens at the pres
ent time, if the Indications which
multiply on every hand can be relied
upon, that very large majority of
the people of Kansas are with me.
L get letters aud kilograms from
there by the hundreds endorsing
my course, and all from Republicans.
and L also get scores of similar let
tiers from Republicansin the Eastern
aud Middle States. Isn't it onite
possible now that man may be a
good Republican and a good pro.
tectionist without taking the same
view of a particular duty which the
manufacturers do2 Isn't it possible
that q manufactures. who is',to ret
the cash in his pocket direct as the
result of the imposition of a duty is
liable to be warned somewhat by
his self-interest, and isn't it fair for.
the consumers of the United States
to say in a given case that even the
duty may be necessary, the burden
ON them is greater than they think
they ought to bear? My judgment
is the manufacturers are making an
issue which is going to be hurtfnl to
them, as Il also sincerely believe
that the imposition of the duties
which they are asking for will be
hurtfnl to the country. If this sin.
cere belief makes me other than a
Republican, then L have never
known what the Republican party
was. You quote Messrs. Mckinley
and Reed to me. They are two
very eminent men, bat human be-
ings and liable to be mistaken.
May L not, in opposition to that,
quote Mr.. Blaine to yon? May i 4
also not quote to you the thousands
of Republicans in the State of Iowa
who have left the party on account
ofits position on the tariff, whereby
that State, instead of giving 10000
majority, as itedid in 1880, is now in
the doubtful column? 'ip.s
Respectfully yours,
p. b. Plum.