The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-16
TIE REPUBLICAN POSITION ON THE TARIFF.


licans are saying that the position of the
party on the tariff question must be re-
vised, that it has gone to an extreme on
the question, and that the result of the
election is popular verdict that should
be accepted as notice to take less adj
vanced position. Those who take this
view assume that the present position of
the party favors protection for protec-
tons sake. whereas they say the true
position and the one on which the party
years is a tariff for revenue adjusted as
far as possible to protect American in
dustries-in other words. tariff for rev.
enue with incidental protection.
This criticism is based on misappre-
heneion of facts. 1t assumes that the
Minneapolis platform took more adj
vanced ground on the tariff question
than any previous platform of the Re-
publican party, and that it Endorsed pro-
lection for projections sake. This is
not the case. The Republican platform
OF 1892 did not go rs far on the tariff
question as that of 1888. If either plat
form declared in favor of protection for
projections sake it was the platform of
1888 and not that of 1892. The latter
says:
We believe that all articles which can
not be produced In the United States, ex-
cept luxurles, should be admitted free of
duty; and that on all imports coming into
composition with the prooucts of Amer
lHnF Inh Hhns 81. In. id a sraa
equal to the difference between wages
abroad and at home. :.
That is the Minneapolis platform and
the present position of the Republican
party on the tariff question. 1t is not
an extreme position. 1t asserts the
true doctrine of protection, and puts it
on strong and defensible ground. 1t
cannot be abandoned without abandon
ing the whole doctrine OF protection.
There may possibly be question as to
whether this doctrine was fairly ap-
piled and expressed in the Mckinley
bill, but there can be no question that
it Is the true doctrine of protection, and
not extreme protection either.
The Journal believes that the McKin-
ley bill was wisely conceived and care
fully framed, and that it is an excellent
law for the protection and promotion of
American interests, but it is not pre-
pared to say that it is the elimination of
human wisdom. The Republican party
is pledged to the doctrine of protection
to American industries and will never
surrender it until it has been shown by
actual experiment that free trade OF a
tariff for revenue only is better than
protection for the interests of the Ameri-
can people; but it is not necessarily
pledged to the Mckinley bill. That law
will have to be modified in the future,
as all tariff laws have been in the past,
and it would have been modified even if
the Republicans had been successful in
the recent election. 1t does not follow
because the Republican party is pledged
to the doctrine and policy of protection
that it should be anchored forever to
the Mckinley law. Indeed, the Journal
is of opinion that it was a serious mis-
take in the recent campaign to have the
Mckinley law made the party platform.
instead of the real platform, adopted at
Minneapolis. 1t is not likely that the
Mckinley law, in its present form, will
ever be an issue in another election. but
protection will be an issue for long
time to come. The Republican party
stands for an idea and policy, not for
any particular measure.
The vitality of protection as policy
and the impossibility of getting away
from it in any plan for raising revenue
are plainly shown in the present efforts
of the Democrats to convince the people
that they have no idea of aboIishing pro-
lection. There could be no stronger
proof of the inherent justice of the doc
trine and the strong hold it has on the
| people than the fact that, after denounc-
| ing it in their platform and during the
entire campaign as utterly vicious and
unconstitutional, and promising to de-
stroy it, root and branch. the leaders of
! the Democratic party are now assuring
the country that they have no intention
of abolishinR protection, or even of re-
pealing the Mckinley law. Their plat
| form says:
We denounce the Mckinley tariff law en-
acted by the Fifty-frst Congress- as the
eliminating arrocity of class legislation,
| and WE promise ITS REPEAL as one of the
benefcent results that will follow the &C.
| tion of the people In intrustinR power to
| the Democratic party.
Yet now half the Democratic leaders
are swearing that they never intended
to repeal the Mckinley law outright,
and Vice-president-elect Stevenson says
mo apprehension need be felt that the
business interests of the country will be
lmperiled."
The policy of the Republican party on
the tariff question is to remain true to
protection-not necessarily to any par
ticular measure, but to protection as a
policy. until it's impolicy and unwisdom
can be demonstrated by experiment.
This can only be done by the repeal of
the Mckinley law by the Democrats
and the enactment of tariff for rev.
enue only. Every day after the 4th of
next March that they fail to do this they
will be playing false with the people.
and proving themselves towards and
tricksters. Furthermore, every day
that they fail to do it they will be
| trifling with the commercial interests OF
A