The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-20
THE M,KINLEY LAW.
Practical Results of Its 0perstion-What POr-
tion of 1t Would Democrats Repeal?

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
A striking feature of the interviews in the
Journal with the various merchants of In
dianapolis recently was the agreed fact, by
both Republicans and Democrats, that
domestic goods are no higher. but in some
cases are lower this year than they were
last year. This disproves the statement
reiterated by ex-President Cleveland in
his recent letter to some club. that domes-
tic goods are advanced in price in proportion
to the tariff duties levied npon a like article
that is imported. Make it once clear to our
people that a tariff for protection, that is.
a tariff levied upon articles that can be
raised or manufactured in large quantities
in the United States, not only does not
raise the prices of such domestic articles
but in nearly every case lowers the
prices by building up competition within.
and the "tariff-for-revenue party" would
have but few adherents. 1t is only by mis-
representing the results that flow from
protective tariff that the Democratic party
is kept in existenre. The Mckinley law
placed higher duty on some articles that
We can raise or manufacture In the United
States In order to encourage the con-
sumption of the domestic article and stlmu-
late manufacturing enterprises, but IT those
who prefer continue TO use the foreign arti-
Gle i'll spite of the increased cost. and thus
help TO swell the revenues of the government.
who caresi Results tell. If a farmer taxes
himself to ditch his land he does not do 1t
to favor the tile-maker, but he does 1t so as
to make his land more productive. which
finally yields handsomely on what first ap
peared TO be a tax upon him. The Demo
cratic and mugwump press denOunce the
Mckinley law as though 1t were an origi.
which free trade prevailed. while, in fact,
the Mckinley law only amended the exist
ing tariff law, and. SO far from increasing
the number of articles to be taxed, it act
ually increased the free list. The item of
free sugar alone saves to the people an
nually S60.000.0O0. 1t also reduced the
tariff on quite number of articles, prom-
nent among which is bInding-twine. which
was reduced from PA cents per pound to
7Il0 of a cent. Here We have articles of
our people have already realized.
The Mckinley law being the only tariff
law upon our statutes repeal OF The act
would leave free trade pure and simple; SO
Democrats deny that they favor free trade,
that they would repeal only certain parts
of the Mckinley tariff act. Now let us see
as to what part of the Mckinley law they
would repeal Will they restore the tariff
on sugarG Will they restore the tariff on
binding twIne from mo to 2l4 cents per
poundP Will they repeal the browning
part of the Mckinley law. the reciprocity
featured Will they repsa! the tariff on tim
plate and give the Welsh moGopolsts
another chance to control our maTket2 Or
perhaps they will repeal the tariff on but
ter, eggs cheese. hay, beans, horses. cattle.
ETC., which was increased by the Mckinley
law. Our farmers are not asleep. though
demagogues blinded some of them I'm 1890.
Opposition to the Mckinley law will re-
Quire specific details as to what part of 1t
needs to be changed. Take the tariff on
tin-plate. If, as is asserted by the
Democrat and mugwump press, we
cannot manufacture tin-plate in this
country then the tariff on tin-plate
is strictly "a tariff for revenue only" OF in
other words. a Democratic tariff Surely
the Democrats would not go back on their
own teachings. But If the tariff on tin
plate should result, as it undoubtedly will.
in the establishment of tin plate manufac-
tories in the United States. and cheaper
that article, as it has done in nearly every
case before. would the Democrats repeal
that part of the Mckinley tariff actf The
Mckinley law misrepresented caused tenn
porary Repu blIcan defeat; the Mckinley
law as exemplified by its workings will
bring permanent Republican victories
N. ID. LEyINSoN.
Nom Ind Julv