Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-18
FACTS ABOUT TIE TARIFF.

ceptionally forcible and convincing
statement Of plain facts. The writer
explains that lavish outlay of public
money is absolutely necessary to the
existence of high protective tariff, in
the following Language;
The spending Of a thousand million dol
lars bv the Fifty-hrst Congress marks the
development of national extravaganza, ana
It's growth from furtive expedlent u
party principle 1t is one OF tue vices OF
hieh protective tariff that lavish eXpendl-
lure of public money is considered neees-
sarv to Its existence In the ethics OF the
protective system plundering the treasury
is patriotism, because 1t calls for higher
tariffs 10 fill the Golfers again. It's theory
is that a sneadthrift Congress is useful 10
increase taxation: and the more taxes the
more tariff On this principle the party or
protection has acted until the evolution OF
its policy is manifested in apprOp riatlous
hv our COngre S, amounting 70 ABOUT
thousand million dollars The Patent OF
flee itself cannot show more ingenious de-
vices for saviog labor than Congress has
discovered for spending money. Ana
chiefly for the preservation OF tue tarl1.
Next he shows that the party Of high
protection denied that taxes are public
burdens; that profus ion is demanded
bv protection TO stimulate the tariff, IN
I'll the last Congress met, when the
leaders of this protection party changed
front altogether, confessed the truth Of
the charges and tried 10 defend their
party's course by preaching that labor
is encouraged by having taxes imposed
upon it which il Itself must pay. He
says:
There were American statesmen who de-
/ clared that all taxes are public burdens,
and that there is no way Of converting
/ them into public benefits; they also charg-
I ed upOn the rapaciOuS genius OF the pro
/ tective system the increase of taxation
/ made necessary to supply tue waste Of the
/ nublic money. They showed that prOfuS
\ sion was demanded by protection to stimu-
+ iate the tariff. The charge was denied I'M
/ tl the meeting of the Fifty first Congress,
/ when il was confessed, and defended on
/ the ground that although the expense was
great. il was insignificant when compared
/ with rs benefits 10 American labor. II
/ was pretended that labor was encouraged by
the Imposition Of taxes which labor Al last
+ must pay.
Here is avery good idea of what con
ironted the Fitty-frst Congress, how it
was disposed of, and what condition Of
affairs that Congress left for the next
one to wreStle with:
/ Tn spite of the most patriotic efforts TO
/ sQuauder tue taxes, the craftsmanship OF
the Fifty-hrst Congress was tested at the
very beginning of the term by the problem
OF a surplus revenue; and the protection
F ists immediately saw that expenses must
+ beincreased, or taxation diminished. They
multiplied expenses. \ new principle Ia
+ sDired the party steal the public money,
+ or sguanler it, for either way makes FOR
the protective SYSTEM and they applied
/ The maxim until they solved the problem
of a surplus. and rendered this opposite
problem 40 worry the Fifty second Con
gress, How will you meet a deficiency :"
Leaders Of the high protection party
have openly said that great calamities,
l like the late war, the Chicago fire and
similar disasters that have fallen upon
the whole country, or some part Of it,
wrought iayorably for the high tariff
idea. Here is reminder.
/ In the philosophy Of theose people all
| national calamitieS that compel the eXpen-
diture of money, and thereby increase tax
alton. are public blessings because they
help he protective system In the per
+ verified logic of protection, even the great
war was political advantage, because II
/ sanctioned an increase OF the tariff Tue
I late William ID Kelley acknowledged this
/ q few wears before his death, in speech
which he made in Brooklyn. In that
I speech ne confessed that, according to the
/ PENNSYLVANIA school of politics, tue great
/ war, So expensive 10 the nation in men and
/ money, was q Cenifcant contribution to the
/ public welfare, bee ,uSe il gave an oppOr-
JuuilV for protection % intrench Itself in
+ the laws Che exact language of Mr.. Kel-
ley was this: Oar foolish brethren OF
/ the South got Up q war IN the South, which
f enabled US 20 put around ourselves a strong
I wall Of protection That was bold,
almost 4 daring thing t. say, but it was
/ honest and entirely consistent, for all wars,
/ bligatS, cOutlagratOns, and other agents OF
/ destruction, loss, ana scarcity, are glOri
fed as allies Of protection by the very iu
/ stiuct Of affinity and friendship. Tne NeiC
/ York Tribune save welcome aud cOngratu-
/ latious to the great Chicago fire, because
that and the tariff, in partnership, would
give employment 10 great many
/ idle men. This, while rather shocking at
the first glance, was entirely in harmony
with its doctrine OF protection.
The idea which has been held out by
the REGISTER frequently, that the re-
action OF the Mckinley tariff will cause
its utter repeal, sooner or later, is clear
ly set forth below, and the predic-
ton that it will fail to accomplish any
good is backed by reference 10 the
history Of tariff in the mother coun-
try.
Not satisfied with emptying the treasury,
the Fiftv-firSt Congress increased the pub
lie burdens by the enormous weight OF the
Mckinley Dill, a legislative sentence by
/ which the people were placed on half-ra-
lions of clothing and many other necessary
/ things; measure to multiply tribute for
the benefit of special interests to the loss
both of the government and the people. 1t
was deiantly proclaimed that the bill was
framed on the principle Of protection to ia
/ vored classes, and If ii gave any revenue TO
the government, that result was to be con-
sidered as purely incidental, q consequence
/ not intended, and for which the men who
passed the bill ShOuld not be held respon-
sible And herein the protective tariff
I overrcached itself, and planted within the
I bill the seeds of retributiOn. 1t will be
here rs il was in EDglard-the increased
expenditure supposed to be essential to the
preservation OF protection will wiring from
/ the government itself ademand for larger
share OF The proceeds of tariff taxation, and