Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1891-04-17
A NORTH W ESTERN VIEW.
HON. J. STERLING MORTON ON THE
TARIFF SITUATION.

was recently I'm New York, ard Will,
there I've was interviewed by member
of the Reform club upon the general sit
uation in the northwestern states in ref
ercnce 10 the tariff question and 10 TN,
political agitation there among farmers
There is u disposition said Mr.. Nor
ton, "among the farmers of the north
west 30 remedy the ills from which they
are now suffering by resorting 10 class
legislation. This class legislation is the
logical result of the class legislation
which has prevailed so long al Washing
ton. The farmers have been in more
or less drowsy condition, intellectually.
ever since the war, but they have gradu.
ally walked up and have observed that
congress has been artIfcially enhancing
| incomes for certain Glasses Of citizens
engaged in tariff protected industries.
/ They have found out at last that protec-
/ ton to American manufacturers means
| the enhancement of incomes by guaran-
/ tecing To these manufacturers "A monopo-
| " of the American markets against all
\ corners.
Mr.. Carnegie is the typical pecuniary
1 individuality which protection has pro-
/ duced in this country. The average
! farmer does not think that any man can
| in thirty short years 10y his own indus
try add S50,OoO,OO0 to the common
wealth lie sees, however, that Mr..
Carnegie has amassed such an amount
in that time, and he concludes, logically
enough. that If Carnegie has not added
that sum 10 the common wealth. he must
have taken from 1t. He sees further
that be has taken IL from the common
wealth under the cover Of law by the
provisions Of the protective tariff, and
that IN fact the tariff was instituted for
the very purpose. under the guise of tax
alton, 20 take away from all of us for
the benefit OF n few Of IL.
The farmer dcnounccs this class leg
islatinn because il taxes his class 10 en-.
rich another class. He sees that incomes
are thus artifcially made greater by leg
islation. but the farmer, not able 10 con-
troll national legislation, concludes that
state legislation can, by a point of
reasoning, Ice used % reduce incomes.
Hence, logically, we have the anti rail
road rate fixing laws i'm thu northwestern
states. The farmer says, II / can re.
ducc the income of the railroads by
lrs>cning the cost Of transportation /
am indirectly enhancing my own II
seems % me fair aud safe % say that all
legislation In the different states inimic1l
10 corporate capital Is logitimat,ly trace
able To the protective tariff, which Is 10
all class legislation in the states the first
parent, as Adam is % mankind"
DO you find that the opinion still
prevails in the northwest that protection
benefits the ltborcrt'
That superstition is dead" said Mr.
Morton. "Citizeus Of ordinary iutelh-
gcnce who have reflected upon the dis
content # labor and the strikes which
result from IL see that this discomfort
and these strikes ara also directly trace
able To the protection system; for when
capital demanded "A protective tariff 10
encourage certain branches Of industry
II struck for higher profits, The capital
lists who demanded from congress the
statutes excluding foreign competition
were the FIRST strikers in the United
States. And so the laborer. seeing that
the capitalist can strike for higher profits
through the law making power of the
government, naturally strikes for high
wages. This Is done sometimes by the
old method of quitting work, and again.
emulatiug capital, an appeal is made To
congress 10 make eight hours day.
Congress has just as much economic
power 60 make forty minutes an hour.
There never was legislative body, ma
tional or state, wise enough To define "a
days labor
And what of the Mckinley tariff
law"
THAT is threadbare subject, but
there is one amusing feature in that law.
The Mckinley tariff differs from the
Morrill, tariff in that it permits nothing
for the use of the United States govern
meut to come in free. Mr.. Mckinley
said in "a speech in Grand Rapids, Mich,
IN October, 1890, that as "A just minded
man it occurred TO him that a govern
ment which enacted IA law should he the
first compelled 10 obey il. Therefore he
had enforced the payment of duties
upon all dutiable goods brought in from
abroad for the use Of the United States.
And a Republican audience cheered this
manifestation of craftsmanship
with great and sustained enthusiasm. The
spectacle of our common Uncle samuel
taking money ont of one pocket and put
ting it into another raised Republican
protective hilarity to the highest in.
tensity.
The Mckinley statecraft which pro-
voked SO much applause is only equaled |
by tine finance of the man who, having |
leased very highly decorated and ex- |
pensive edifce for the purpose of keeping
n saloon therein, was told that the rent |
was too high, and triumphantly replied:
You don't know me. You don't under |
stand my capacity. D-n it, | can drink
enough myself 10 pay the remit Prob
ably Mckinley would have the United
States government import enough for
its own use to pay all the revenues"
''How is the farmer satisfied with the
new duties ON farm products? Do they
help him?'
The tariff being for the protection,
allegedly of American labor, the farmer