Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-09-04
For County Surveyor.
CHARLES ]. MADDOX, JR.
TURN ON THE LIGHT,

1t is very evident that national questions
will enter very conspicuously in our ap-
preaching campaign-indeed, the tariff will
he the great central issue, and 1t is safe to
predict that within month all other issues
will be practically lost sight of. Upon this
a square, toed, manly, unequivocal deliver
ance, and states the position of the Mary
land brigade of the National Democracy.
That this issue ia to be the most promi-
nent one placed before the people in the
coming canvass, we have before us as we
write declaration exultantly made by
leading Republican paper that "the country
has not as yet witnessed the universal trade
stagnation which the Democratic and Mug
wump papers prophesied." We have no
recollection of universal trade stagnation"
having been prophesied, nor do we believe
that such prophecy was ever made. What
was said of the odious Mckinley tariff was
that 1t was intended TO make prices higher
to the people. That 1t would do this was
not seriously denied by those who favored
the policy which the Mckinley tariff EN-.
bodied. 1t was openly avowed by Mr..
Harrison, as a candidate for the presidency,
when he in effect objected to the people
having cheap goods, using the famous illus
tration that "a cheap coat implied cheap
man inside the coat" 1t was the burden
of many of the speeches OF authorized rep
resentatives in its favor.
The universal wave of indignation which
swept through the country against this at
tempt TO increase the price of living by
adding to taxation has had the effect com.
pletely to change the tone oil the advocates
of the Mckinley tariff They are now try
ing TO prove that it will do what they framed
it to accomplished. 1t does not raise prices
they say, it does not even prevent importa-
ton. We are obtaining substantially as
many foreign goods, and We are getting
them at the old-iime rates to the American
tariff, In Its protective features, is practically
imperative. That being so, it may well be
asked where was the utility in passing it.
But, of course, it is not so. The Mckinley
lures as the worst anticipations led the pub
lie to believe it would be.
That the odious Mckinley tariff, framed
and passed by the Republican party, has
been success in any way in the ten months
of desperation very few have the hardi-
hood to assert The people fully understand
that it is not only wrong in principle, but
failure already in its effects. The business
of the country is the test on this point. II
the business of the country is not "univer-
sally stagnated," 1t is far from being In that
encouraging state which the advocates of
the tariff promised the public There is
depression in business, and II is depression
which may be distinctly traced TO the tariff
So radical an interference as the Mckinley
bill with business could not fail TO produce
some effect. The effect in this case has been
disastrous. There is not an intelligent bust.
ness man in the country but knows that
business would have been better to day IL
it had been left alone by the Republican
Legislators at Washington.
The absurdity of the claim that this tariff
is not to raise prices is shown, If in nothing
else, by the enormous importation it &C.
casioned because of the certainty among
importers that prices were to be raised. This
has been disturbing element in the mar
ket. When the price Of an article is quoted,
in order to justly estimate the effect of the
tariff on this, it is necessary to know the
extent of the importation of that article in
anticipation of the tariff. Such importa.
tion is keeping the cost of articles down
even now. With q bad market has come
depressed trade and the necessity of crowd.
ing goods into sale at inadequate prices.
Low rates indicate distress in business more
than anything else.
The first ten months of the Mckinley
tariff show that its supporters, in justifying
its effects in operation, dwell chiefly upon
its free trade feature. These months prove
business to be depressed beyond what il
was when the tariff WAS passed or when i
went into operation.