New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-11
fed its hearty appreciation by loud and prolonged
applause Here is his speech IN full

fed its hearty appreciation by loud and prolonged
applause. Here is his speech IN full:
Mr.. President Ladies and Gentlemen: / am glad
to Join In the observance Of the eth anniversary OK
The New-York Tribune. Its record is worthy OF TINS
great demonstration II has had career of success OF
usefulness ana Of power enjoyed by few. any OF It's
contemporaries. II has been verable tribune OF te
people-has fought their battles and sustained with
force and courage their cause which was the cause
of freedom and humanity. Its discussion OF pubic
questions has been fair and fearessjust TO Its ad'
versaries, and faithful TO its friends. tCheers.)
II has in a marked degree shaped and moulded
public opinion, and made It's impress upon puphc
policies and public law for half century. II mas IN
strscted boy and man to right political thought IN
nuenced statesman, scholar President and Caoinets
and it always been upon the side OF good morSAs
good citizenship and good government CheersJ
IL will not be expected in the few moments anoeseu
10 me- that can enter upon any extended discussion
OF the subject assigned TO metat OF the tarif' IN
deed I should have preferred, had been left free
to have occupied my brief time In "reminiscences anu
congatulaton rather than In the serfous task OF pre-
senting an economic question although OF great puDhc
interest at this me and perhaps more than any oer
for the moment claiming public attention. Inc tain
is now one Of the chief questions of party division
and represents two schools Of political thought which
have divided the people more or less sharply RON inc
beginning OF the government The one holds 10 INC
doctrine of a revenue tariff and the other To pro-
tecive tariff as the best agency to provide the GOV
eminent with needed revenue Roth have ound
expression In our public statutes Protective tarln
laws extend over longer period OF our natlonai
life than revenue tariff laws. Both have been t1ed
by the seyerest test that Of expeence-the one cur
ing fifty -four years and the other forty-seven years
Of our history.
WHAT EXPERIENCE TEACHES
The revenue tariff savocate find no en-
couragement or support in the experience of our own
country under his system, the protectonst Gun hhu
nowhere stronger argument and support Tor MS system
than the one furnished by our experience ana history
(Cheers The late distinguished Editor and founder
OF The Tribune, whose name lends lustre 10 this
anniversary in 1860 summarized in striking manner
these great lessons OF history 1t has never been
better done. Let me read:
Our years of signal disaster and depression have
been those in which ports were more easily hooded
with foreign goods-those which interviewed DetwAt
the recognition of Independence and the enact
ment OF the tariff Of 1769-those which followed the
close Of our last war with Great Britain ana were
sienalzed by immense importatons OF her iaDrcS-
those of 1s37,42 when the compromise OF 1883 began
to be seriously felt in the reduction OF duties Oh i
poTts--and those Of 1s54'57 when the POLK WaiAer
tariff of 1916 had had time to take full effect
No similarly sweeping revulsions and proStraton'
ever took place. think could take place-under
the sway of efficient protection. Mr.. Clay, in 1857
after promising that the seven years preceding tne
passage of the tariff Of 1924 had been the most as
astrous while the following the passage OF inc
act had been the most prosperous that our country u
ever known, said This transformation OF the con-
dition of the country from gloom and distress to
brightness and prosperity, has been mainly the Work
OF American legislation fostering American INDUSTRY
instead OF allowing it to be controlled by foreign
legislation, cherishing foreign industry
This is the testimony of history. and cannot be con-
troverted The progress Of the country since 1861 in
t,ior nd and
makes the historical argument even stronger and more
conclusive than the periods Of which Mr. greeley
spoke The whole subject is Of practical bust
ness Of National and individual wellbeing (ApplauseJ
Which tariff system will best provide the public
revenues with the least burden upon the people which,
while doing this will promote rather than reard the
welfare of the people and the prosperity OF the
country
Either system will raise the required revenues for
the Government, II properly applied. revenue
tariff will do this for the time at least; protective
tariff has demonstrated what it do in that direction
In the last thirty years. But while revenue tariff
can secure needed revenue, 1t can do nothing else
II proposes to do nothing else. 1t seeks to do moth
ing else. II is unmindful OF everything else III
takes no thought of industrial independence, OF
the employments OF our people, OF the wages OF our
labor of home market for our agriculturists, and.
while processing to be the friend OF the consumer IL
is his concealed foe.
WHAT REVENUE TAX MEANS.
Its sole purpose is to promote imporations that 1t
may increase the revenue. IL has no other ODIect
but to raise revenue and only revenue; when that Is
done its mission ended Its duties must in no case
favor the domestic producer. If they do they are pro
tecve and TO that extent condemned by the reve
me reformer q restraint upon foreign lmportauohs
and free commercial exchanges and check upon the
revenue 1t singles out, first. as subjects for TAXA
tion those articles of foreign produce and manufacture
OF the soil or shop which cannot produce, and upon
itc tay IL a
competing product it must make its tax tariff so low
As to discourage domestic and encourage foreign pro-
duction otherwise IL would fail OF Its purpose Low
tariffs require the largest mportaons TO secure needed
revenue. Their effect is to stimulate foreign manu-
features and foreign productions, stife home manu-
fsctures and home productions, and increase the de-
mand for foreign labor by narrowing the opportunities
OF American labor. revenue tariff is always paid
by the consumer for which the consumer gets no COM
pensation (Applause0
protective tariff places all articles of foreign pro-
duction and manufacture, except luXurieS which we
cannot produce In this country, the free list without
tariff or tax. SO, in 1872 in pursuance of this prnc
pe tea and coffee which had Heretofore been taxed
for revenue purposes were admitted without custom
house charge to our ports and our people, and so In
1900 when the time had that the revenue could
be spared the protective party following the principle
have announced removed the tariff from sugar
(cheers because after hundred years of experience
had demonstrated that able to produce but
per cent of what we consumed And by the same
law we put those hbres and drugs which we are not
capable of growing also upon the free list. The pro
tecve principle imposes its tariffs upon foreign pro
duets which compete with the products Of our Owl
land ana labor Of our own mines and manufactures
1t does not make its tax prohibory, and never has
(Applause) 1t makes the foreign product coming tC
the United States In competition with ours bear tn,
duty and while supplying the needed revenue dscrm
mates in favor Of producers and our own pro
auctions. (Applause.)
LEVY IT on FOREIGNERS
As tariff has to be levied 10 raise revenue w
believe 1t better that 1t should be levied on the foreig
products which compete with those produced by on
own people and TO that extent protect own pro
ducers our labor, and defend them reasonably
and fairly in their own market. The result of thi