The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-07-09
A NORTHWESTERN VIEW.
HON. J. STERLING MORTON ON THE
TARIFF SITUATION.

OF the REFORM cfuD upon the genesai kaI-
uation in the northwestern states In ref
erence to the tariff question and 10 the
political agitation there among farmers
There is a disposition" said Mr.. Nor
ton, among the farmers of the north
west to remedy the ills from which they
are now suffering by resorting 10 class
legislation. This class legislation 10 the
logical result of the class legislation
which has prevailed SO long mt Washing
ton. The farmers have been in q more
or less drowsy condition. intellectually,
ever since the war. but they have gradu-
ally walked up, and have observed that
congress has been artificially enhancing
incomes for certain classes of citizens
engaged in tariff protected industries
They have found ont at last that protec-
ton to American manufacturers means
the enhancement Of incomes by guaran-
teeing TO these manufacturers q monopo-
ly of the American markets against all
cOmers.
Mr.. Carnegie is the typical pecuniary
individuality which protection has pro-
duced in this country. The average
| farmer does not think that any man can
in thirty short years by his own indus
try add sc, ,OoO, 900 to the common
wealth. He sees, however, that Mr..
| Carnegie has amassed snch an amount
| in that time, and he concludes, logically
| enough, that if Carnegie has not added
that sum to the common wealth, he must
| have taken from it. He sees further
that he has taken it 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, to take away from all of us for
the benefit of few of US.
"The farmer denounces this class leg
islation because it taxes his class to en-.
rich another class. He sees that incomes
are thus artifcially made greater by leg
isiation; but the farmer, not able to con-
troll national legislation, concludes that
state legislation can, by point of
reasoning, be used to reduce incomes.
Hence, logically, we have the anti-rail-
road rate fixing laws in the northwestern
states. The farmer says, If can re-
duce the income of the railroads by
lessening the cost of transportation
am indirectly enhancing my own II
seems to me fair and safe to say that all
lsgisllaassispfRe k slass in tbs aireRt states
narent. as Adam is to mankind"
s.Do you find that the opinion stll
nrevails in the northwest that protection
benefits the laborer.
THAT superstition is dead" said MI
r Morton. s.Citizens of ordinary intelll
!, oence who have reflected upon the dis
Content of labor and the strikes whIc
O result from it see that this disconten
and these strikes are also directly tracf
6 able 30 the protection system; for vine
e canital demanded protective tariff I
'e encourage certain branches OF lndustr
% it struck for higher profits The capita
t; ists who demanded from congress Il
ie statntes excluding foreign competlne
10 were the first strikers In the Unitt
ae States. And so the laborer, seeing Tn
OF the cauitalist can strike for higher prom
ty through the law making power OF e
W government, naturally strikes for MI
wages. This is done sometimes by Z
&c old method of quitting work, and agar
emulating capital, an appeal is made
Oh congress to make eight hours da
lly Congress has just as much econon
siy mower to make forty minutes an ho'
Or. There never was legislative body,
lch tional or state, wise enough to define
days labor"
~ lawr .,,;.ct ,
ur- there is one amusing feature In that u
ow The Mckinley tariff differs from
ohn Morrill, tariff in that it permits notn
ap- for the use Of the United States goy'
it. ment to come in free. MT. MckM
han said in q speech in Grand Rapids, Nj
eat in October, 1890, that rs just min
her man it occurred to him that gov
at ment which enacted law should be
ing frst compelled to obey 1t. Therefor
near had enforced the payment OF on
q Of mon all dutiable goods brought In I
bel abroad for the use of the United ST
Thei And q Republican audience cheereo
thai massive manifestation OF statesman
NTH with great and sustained enthunasm.
next snectacle of our common Uncle Sal
.tant taking money out of one pocket and
sight tino It into another raised Repuo
nrotectiye hilarity to the mghes
been tensity.
and .sThe Mckinley statecraft which
erfulf voked so much applause Is only eq'
mise. hy the finance of the man who, n
crate leased very highly decorated an
sud- pengive edifice for the purpose of ke
? vio- a saloon therein, was told that INT
entail vas too high, and triumphantiy re
arded .You don't know me. You don't q
le had atand my capacity. D-n 1t, can
mar enough myself. to pay the rent.
'eared ably Mckinley would have the '
For states government import enous
9 con its oxn use to pay all the revenues
for itt aHow IL the farmer satisfied WI
Of iii nev duties on farm pgoducts Ds
70 she help him"
Mt foais .s4he tariff Icing fOr the prote
aIleeedly, Of American labor. the
o post wnders why csbbages are taxed
possess .,.,tz n head and saneTkraut put
tier OF fr.e LIST. He IL afraid that m comp
s were with the ignorant 'pauper krant
arriage OF Canada the skilled labor ana Z, =
ion for required 10 the manufacture OF "a
,er the icacy may be lost TO rs. Again, !
l been ON sheep, mules and horses. WI
the ar loena sausages on the free list,
" hadl hi1n Five cents dozen on eggs
Phyihs vent the panper pallets OF drea' =
plans. aero.,denc;ee from competing VI
d. 80 American hen pleases him about
10 hrt when incubation ID completed
:, &C from bantam eggs do not pre
impor- bigger tnan . ,oa. -. 80 20 on
motion; not encourage .ns o. 49, - ;,sln "a
ould be larger. anu % 10 :0:-aJ 20 ii.
edge OF mains very ne'le - ..nnot or.
: :. 49, plymouth rocks under protece
,rr;nesa more that bantam statesmen ~
n.s in ana develop into Tar seeing and .