Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-07-29
A VICIOUS System


made to enc OF leading linen impor-
tiers, said Mr.. HennsssY of No. 81 Frank
lin street, New York, chat Senator Mat
thew S. Quay, IL literally retained, would
prevent the proposed;dutles on linen. r.
H. Ewart, man Of character and the
President of the Linen Importers, Asso-
ciatien, said that he was satisfied that a
proposition had been made, but he did not
know whether abe person making Il could
retain Mr.. Qusy's services or not. BE
did know, however, chat Blocks Of Five
Dudley was behind the effort to raise the
tariff on linen.
That shows that 1t really does mob mat
ter which way the cat lamps" fer some
great Republican statesman viii get big
fees In either case. Qnay Is TO be
retained to secu free trade for the Inn
porters; Dudley to secure . higher tariff
for the benefit Of the American workman
of the linen manufactures.
To show that neither OF these pre-
clous lights Of modern, degenerated
Republicanism are not too good for this
work, it is only necessary to refer TO
President HArrison's opinion Of Colonel
Dudley-after the election by which he
gained Indiana, not beforehand to quote
the American Of Philadelphia on Quay as
followa:
Mr.. Quay would be one OF the very
last of the list of Senators classified as
Republican who would have q claim TO
bring his ill-doings under cover Of any
national issue the tariff not excepted.
He is not national legislator; he Is
private jobber. For protection he has
only nominal regard; he gives the
principle Of protection no real support.
This truth-telling estimate also eomss
after Quay has carried the protsctionism
campaign of Harrison and Plenty"-the
little section of the ticket winning and
after the protectlonists have already
resped the profits OF the schemes they
paid him to advocate before the people.
These facts, without any consideration
of the injustice of the scheme OF protsc-
tionism and its class Legislation In itself
serve as an object lesson Of the evil ten
dency Of making the proats Of trade de-
pendent upon legislation. The legisla-
tors naturally become Interested for or
against certain industries; they
accept re.ainsrs of money or Of
Offices and thus become pledged
TO use their votes and influence at the
demand of the industry to which they
are indebted. Meantime the Government
being an interested party, must try 10 do
the impossible thing of ascertaining If
certain trades beneholarlss Of the people
ARE profitable or improbable. Those
trades will naturally make representa-
tions to convince the Legislators that
they are losing money, that the working.
men under them ara in I'M ninent danger
Of starvation II the duties are not in
creased.
ANY reasonable man can see how moth
Ing but abuses and corruption can spring
from legislation carried on In that way;
any candid man win admit that prOtsc-
tionism Is bearing precisely such fruit
at the present day.
The remedy Is tariff for revenue
only from about twelve articles, which
would take away entirely, or at least re-
duce to a minimum, the hideous injustice
and inequality Of this vulgar tariff
robbery dubbed "protectisn." Protec-
tion Is wrong in theory and unjust in
practice; 1t is conceived In sslnshness
and executed In iniquity. 1t could not
be otherwise when immense fortunes arc
made dependent upon the votes of legls-
lators who owe their places TO the bosses
of the several industries which are 80 be-
made profitable or Improbable thereby.
History does not furnish an instance
where taxes have been farmed out to
political fsvorites which were not sub
ject TO the same abuses. Our protection
laws do not differ in effect from the
Roman custom Of farming out she CON
quered provinces or from the still more
recent special tax grants Of the kings Of
the House of stuart to favorite court
iers
IL has always been pet scheme Of the
unjust ruler or legislator 10 put immense
revenues into the pockets Of favorites
by an indirect method in order TO de-
ceiye the people. If Carnegie had re
cslved $4,000 per annum directly from
the Treasury the people would have exc
Grated him and hurled his party from
power by hasty and inoonsidsrats
methods. He obtains a fortune Of $780,
600, 900 indirectly, and ia hero, though
he costs the people Just two hundred
fold as much as he would have cost
them by the other method. This Is made
possible by the uncomfortable lie that
this country Of magnificent facilities, SO
rich that II was considered Rl Dorado Of
Christendom, has no industries and could
not have had any with these q. 0eO. 900
Of this most ingenious and energetic
people Of any race Of any age, II 1t were
not for the protection laws. This Is TOO
suprenely absurd TO gain credencs, sx.
cspt for the money it brings TO bensio
iaries a. the expense OF the people.
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NEWSPAPER OPINION
hvoidfne tba rae - No..