The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-02-12
THE OLD PARTIES AND THE
TARIFF.

SiHEo sHe late war Doth the great
political PARTIES have based the pffnci.
pal fight on the tariff .a4estttn, when It
wa not the settlement Of the late war
Issues that were involved. Tho demo
crats. under Horatfo Seymour made the
sseuafest fight for campaign since the
wax Under either of the greatest parties.
Both ignored the labor parties oh much
as possible, and advertised their platform
as little as possible. in fact there
were millions of voters in the
country who were not aware that
more than two parties were In
the field seeking votes: This WIS
no doubt the work Of the m~onopolists,
Tor they We're growing rich off of the
corrupt legislation i%naugurated by tho
republicans during the war and further
carried out during the bitter days OF re.
construction. After the continued agi-
tatien during the, campaigns the country
was something wrong anu the democrats
took up the cry-'It is the tariff too
high" and the republicans yelled back
protection and G home mar
ket." The democrats would CRY
out s'over : production and no
HULL Idli1 duu d UlH
surplus in the treasury" The republi.
cans got the go after q democratic trial,
because the democrats tried to prove
while IN power that a S per cent. differ
ence in the tariff would bring the mil
lenium. Then again the republicans
started o new tune on q higher KEY
and as the string would not make as
high a note they tightened the screw
and busted the fiddle. Now some Of
the democrats want to patch up the old
tariff fiddle and try to play l. new tune
on it for 1899. All this time the people
have been hearing the notes of another
instrument whose tone sounds sweeter
to their cars and though neither
of the great political parties
have yet taken the instrument in
charge the people are going to
go to the call of the player who calls.
The name Of this instrument is s'Free
aid unlimited coinage Of silver and
more money and less interest for the
people," The tariff Question will in the
near future be placed in the hands of a
commission Of experts elected for that
purpose by the people. This commission
will be composed of members Of all ex-
listing parties and will be competent to
fix tariff rates that will bs Just to the
people, for thr good development of the
natural resources Of the country, justto
the capitalists, and sensible for the
government,
Placing the tariff in the hands Of the
congressman politicians is like casting
pearls before swine. They do not know
what to do with it, and in their vain en-
beavers to appear wise they prove to the
intelligent world that they are either
dcmagogues or asses. No doubt the ill.,
telligens statesmen Of foreign countries
get etssusted at the gross ignorance dis
played by the American congress in its
attempt to harmonizc the INTERESTS OF
the capitalists with al appearance OF
looking after the interests of the work
ingmen. This, of course, applies to
co%nspicuously bright follows who are
trying to make records which will re.
turn them to make seme Mors Valient
fights fer 'tthe poor arif-ridden, horny.
handed sons Of toll"
What would a congressman who had
spent all his manhood years trying te
master Blackstone and Kent know how
much tariff was needed to project The
manufacturer of hoopskirts Or the manu-
facture Of zillenite collars, or how much
would d Grand Mountain grammar
school teacher know about how mucl
protection Louisiana sugar needed, OF
Texas and New Mexico canned beef ant
wool2
All this ought to be left to men Wit
do know something of the facts abour
the necessities, and still not be person.
ally nor indirectly interested in any pro
tected article.
Then we. could have a tariff thai
would Suit the country, be stable in it,
character, and would give confidence tt
men who expected to embark in any pro
tected enterprise.
AS matters o stand there is nd std.
bility about the schednie and it is liable
to change with every administration
Whether the people demand it or not.
Such limitations and safeguards car
be thrown around such a commission a!
would guarante honesty, fairness one
Observation-Disclosures {Ia., Ndint
crS' Vidette;