The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-10-07
Sherman to the Farmers.

Republican Day" at the Ohio State
Fair Sept, 9th and most nobly did he
fulfil the expectations of the thousands
who listened TO him on the subject OF
the tariff. There we're fully 65, 1000 on the
grounds, and Mr.. Sherman was successful
in speaking to and holding an audience
of over 5000 against the attractions of
the racetrack. Mr. Sherman was at his
best, and the comments on the outer cir
Gle were not only complimentary, but the
word went around Old John is renew
ing his youth" Mr.. Sherman began at
the groundwork of the protective tariff,
back in the days Of Calhoun. He laid
down the following as the full text Of the
Republican party and its policy:
First, To repeal all taxes on home pro-
duction, except on spirits, tabaeco and
beer.
Second, To levy the highest rate of
duty that will not encourage Smuggling
on articles of luxury which enter into
the consumption of the rich
Third, To place on imported articles
which compete with articles that can be
manufactured or produced in the United
States such rate Of duty as will secure
to American farmers and laborers fair
prices, fair wages and viii induce our
people to engage in such manufacture and
protection.
Fourth, To repeal all duties on articles
of prime necessity which enter into the
consumption of the American people and
which cannot be produced in sufficient
quantity in this country
Fifth. To grant to foreign nations the
reciprocal right Of free importation into
our ports Of articles we cannot produce
in return for the free introduction into
their ports of articles of American pro-
duction.
All of these principles, said the speaker,
are embodied in substance and detail in
the Mckinley Tariff act, which is now
the law of the land. It is this law that
is referred to in the first plank Of the
Republican platform: First. we reafirm
cur devotion to the patriotic doctrine Of
protection and recognize the Mckinley
bill as the ablest expression Of that prin-
eiple enacted in fulflment Of Republican
promises, and We pledge ourselves TO its
support, always having in view its i'm
proyement as changed conditions or ex-
perience may require" The Senator
continuing his speech, said:
We stand upon that as our declaration
of faith, our creed on National taxation
Not that all the items Of taxation in this
law are unchangeably correct, but that
the policy involved is right and will best
promote the interests of all sections and
all parties in our country. Our Demo-
cratic friends during and siuce the wa
generally contented themselves with
voting against the revenue laws proposed
by the Republican party, but having sue
ceeded in electing Mr.. Cleveland Presi-
dent in 1854 and a Democratic House of
Representatives they were compelled TO
formulate different scheme Of taxation,
and naturally fell back upon that in ex-
istence before the war and which had
been embodied in the Confederate Con-
stitution. Mr.. Cleveland, belonging 20
the New York school of politics, devoted
his annual message Of December, 1887,
entirely to the discussion of the tariff
question and the recommendation of tariff
for revenue only. The result was the
framing and passage in the House Of
what is called the Mills bill, which was
defeated in the Senate. Our Democratic
friends, with less frankness than the
Republican party, adopted in heir re-
cent State Convention in Ohio this reso-
luton:
ave are opposed to all class legislation
and believe in tariff levied for the sole
purpose of producing a revenue sufficient
to defrsy the legitimate expenses Of the
Government economically administered
We accept the issue rendered 10 as by the
Republican party on the subject of the
tariff as represented by the so-called
Mckinley Tariff Act, confident that the
verdict ofthe people Of Ohio viii be re-
corded against the ubiquitous policy ol
sO-called protection champioDed by the
Republican party in the interests of ia
vored classes against the masses"
1t will be perceived that care is taken
not to mention the Mills bill, but it de-
cIares itself opposed to all class legislation
and none is in the favor Of any measure
in the interest of favored classes again s.
the masses. These are mere catch
phrases. What the resolution means
however, is plain enough. Our Demo
cratic friends are in favor Of the prinei
pies and details OF the Mills bill as againsf
the Mckinley bill Ii is the fulles
authentic statement Of what they call 8
revenue tariff. Here, for the first time il
many years, We have q fair and square
issue between the two great parties on
the tariff laws Il is the Mills bill
rejected By the Senate, against the Nc
Kinley bill, now the Law of the land
What propose now is to point out the
chief differences between these two
measures and to state why prefer the
Mckinley bill. And, first, as 20 the free
list. Under the law prior to October ]
last there was admitted free Of duty dur
ing the year ending June 50, 1890, arti
cles valued at $685. ,l03.0is out Of a total
importation of s773 3,674,sl2, or more than
one-third of all imported articles were
admitted free Of duty, q much larger de
gree Of free trade than We ever had IN
der any tariff law prior to 1873. Nearly
every article Of common use that coulC
not be produced in the United States wal
admitted free. By the Mckinley &C
more than fifty articles have been added
to the free list, by far the most important
Of which are sugar and moIasses, o
which We imported in 1890 the value o.
$4,000 600; 90 that now under the Nc
Kinley act, nearly one-half of all th,
: goods imported are free from duty, and
, substantially al imported articles tha
DO not compete with home production,
except articles Of luxury are free Of duty
If you favor free trade, here We have
the largest free trade ever had in th'