Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-21
The Tarn Question.


"n wishes were horses beggars
might ride" But surely saying this
ls not the Same thing as saying that
wishes are horses. We claim the same
right to use Ifs and ans" This
90 the Petersburg Indez-Appedt, which
takes Ms TO task for saying that
q Mr.. HIRmsos's theory is true that
Che unexampled prosperity OF Eastern
Tennessee Is due TO the fact that we have
no lines Of division between the states
s'surely tho Same good results would fol-
low the abolition Of the lines OF division
betveen us and other nations" We added
ebst Il would be absurd TO claim that
protective tariff between the United States
and Canada benefits both countries as long
as they constitute two countries, but would
;niure both countries il they were to be-
come one.
Our Petersburg contemporary declares
thst the remark repeated above goes as
far In the direction of absolute free trade
as ANYTHING ever uttered by MILLS. WAT
ryHsos. or even HENRY GEORGE. So there
"a not as we have always been taught,
"much virtue in an IT," Our Petersburg
friend cannot be more surprised than we
20 learn that we are IN favor of absolute
free trade.p II is noteworthy, too, that
This charge was brought against US at q
time when we had for week or two been
engaged at intervals in proving from his
inaugural addresses as President OF the
United States that even Mr.. JEFFERSON was
not an "absolute free-trader." We said
week before last that we could conscfen-
tiously claim TO DO just the same sort OF
free trader that Mr.. JEFFERSON was. And yet
we have frequently said that free trade is
theoretically the right policy for every
country. Nevertheless ii there Is any
thing that justifes an "opportunist "
party Il is the tariff. Wemust be practical,
not bound down TO theory.
Our Petersburg contemporary says that
fhe DISPATCH was q protectionist OF the
Sam. RANDALL order no great while ago.
True; but Mr. RANDALL never conceded
that Congress had the power to levy tarih
for protection only. His theory was the
same that Is expressed in the tariff resolu-
Zion adopted last week by the Western
States Commercial Congress, which resolu-
ton reads as follows:
ave favor neither free trade nor the exclusion
of trade, but favor a tariff for revenue, limited
90 the actua, needs OF the Government, economi-
cally administered, but 30 levied as TO cover dif-
Serences In the Industrial conditions between this
and other countries, but not TO create or foster
tnonopolies"
This resolution is, in about the same
sgords, the tariff plank of number OF
Democratic platforms erected year or
\ yo after Senator PAYNE had been chosen
A United States senator by the good Demo
Gratis of the Ohio Legislature. We in Viz
GINA followed suit. In fact there seemed
Co be no one to dispute the truth set forth
On the above resolution. The words so
levied rs to cover differences in the Indus
trial conditions between this and other
countries" are substituted for the words
$50 levied as to cover any differences that
NAV exist in the prices of labor between
this and other countries" But we might go
behind Mr.. RANDAIL's leadership OF the
Democratic party, and add that twenty
years age, the DISPATCH, whilst still under
the control of its founder, offered to Mr..
KELLEY, of Pennsylvania. tosupport tariff
Tor protection on condition that the dis
tinguished Pennsylvania, leader in his
party, would abolish all internal taxes.
We haven't forgotten that manufactured
tobacco was then taxed forty cents per
pound.