The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-04-10

mined by careful investigation and trial
That there should be a steady increase,
representing, in measure at least, the
increasing population and business,
there can be no doubt"
docs the new tariff appear as OBJ
jectionable as it did at the time of its
passage?"
''It is too early to determine the full
effect of the new tariff bill. The extent
to which it has increased prices Of arti-
cles on which duties were increased, or
pre- vented the reduction of prices which
would otherwise have resulted, can not
now be definitely determined. and this
is true IS to benefits and burdens in
other directions. Mr.. Blaine said of
that It would not make market for a
bushel of wheat or a barrel of pork, and
in a subsequent letter, written after its
passage, that it was in favor of the east
and against the west-and he has not
hesitated on numerous occasions since,
privately, and yet in such way as to
obtain currency outside, to say that the
bill failed to come up to the proper stand
ard, and that if he had been in congress he
would have spoken and voted againstit
Such differences are not surprising
when the varied provisions of the bill
are taken into account. But Mr.. Blaine
has worked skillfully and hard to ex-
DGu0 inc EEdQG Oh inc country G44LONk3 II
the medium of the reciprocity pro-
visions of the bill; and while it is
true that we cannot sell much
in the way of agricultural products to
the Central and South American people,
for the reason that they produce from
the soil the great bulk of what they eat
and much for export, besides, to COM
pete with us in European markets,
still we shall have important gains, and
n
speedily be followed in other directions.
What we ought to sell to the people
south of US is manufactured products;
but our manufacturers maintain them
selves against foreign competition at
home, and cannot be expected to manu-
facture much for export. Therefore,
whatever balance of trade we are to
have in our favor during the next two
years must arise from the expectation
of agricultural products. The American
farmer is an active, aggressive person,
and cannot only supply the home mar
ket, but can compete with the PauPer
labor of the old world, in outside mar
kets, though he has had but little aid
from invention
Meanwhile, under the impulse Of
higher duties, it is fair to suppose that
additional manufacturing establish
ments will be erected in this country,
and I echo the hope which Senator
Sherman expressed in his speech on the
final passage of the bill, that the man
ufacturers would not substitute com
binatiOn for competition, but will give
the American purchaser a fair chance in
return for the benefits conferred upon
them by the bill. Any great stimulus
given to manufacturing by high duties
will in time be followed by increased
production and lower prices, which
com binatiOn cannot wholly prevent.
The policy of protection is right-the
only ground for difference being the ex-
tent and method of applying it in given
cases There will always be room for
difference of opinion as to the prOpriety
of paying from the treasury a bounty on
maple sugar and the increase of duties
on articles already manufactured as a
profit But It is better to err on the
side of too much rather than too little
protection. The unfortunate phase of
this question is that every four years it
becomes a matter of party division,
leading to acrimonious controversy and
begetting fears which disturb business
and interrupt the natural and useful
course of affairs To avoid these con-
sequences I proposed tariff commits
sion to be composed of mem bers of
both parties, which should from time
to time consider all the subjects inner
ing in the subject of the imposition of
NAuLAS5S Oh 4ttipOELCL LlGECUluCllSt--lL1
such a way that it would have been
taken out OF politics and the American
people would have been fully advised
as to all the elements of price entering
into manufactured articles purchased
by consumers, actually, and relatively
to similar articles purchased abroad.
The commission would have recon-
nended to each congress notifications
OF the tariff, with reasons therefor,
and this would not only have taken the
subject out of the domain of political
discussion, but would have furnished
| the bssis of scientific adjustment of
| the rates of duty. A disinterested and
intelligent commission to examine into
all these questions as they arise would
| give something besides ex-parte testi-
/ mOny to guide congress in deciding
| what duty was absolutely necessary for
| the protection of our industries, and no
| more duty than that ought to be i'm
posed for that purpose, consistently
with the rights of consumers We could
learn through the commission the real