The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-07
GEORGE TIoKNoR CURTIS.

GEORGE IlChNOb COhAlS'
Who has Left tho Democratic Party, on
Tho GIarIng Absurdtty of the Demo
cratic Tarin Plank, Presents Some Unan
SWsrabIo Arguments.
To he Editor Of The American EeOaomis':
sIR.-rhat a protective tariff is I'M
constitutional is NOT genuine Demo
cratic doctrine. 1t is Calhounism, and
rank Calhounism, too. But even Mr.
Calhoun did not at first question the
constitutional authority Of congress
when laying duties on foreign products
to discriminate in favor OF American
industries. He voted for the tariff Of
1916, which was highly protective, and
it was not until 1880 that he adopted
the idea OF protective tariff being I'M
constitutional.
differ entirely from Senator Hill in
regard to the proper method OF inter
preting tho constitution OF the United
States. 1t is true that it does not say
in so many words, "the Congress shall
have power to protect American manu-
faeturers" But it does say in express
terms that "the Congress shall have
power to lay and collect taxes, duties,
imposts and excuses" This is one OF
the express powers OF the constitution,
and it is to be interpreted by the APP
plication OF the rule which is applied to
all the other express powers. The ex-
press power is power to lay taxes,
duties, imposts and excuses to defray
the expenses of the government.
The incidental power is power
to so lay them as to protect
and encourage our own indus
tries. The express power would be use
less without tho incidental power, for
without the exercise of the latter, the
people Of this country could not be in a
condition to meet the expenses OF their
government. Senator Hill, like many
Democrats OF the present day, supposes
that because the constitution does not
say in express terms that 'the Congress
shall have power to protect American
manufactures" protective tariff is not
within its constitutional power. This
is what comes Of interpreting the con-
stitution without having the knowledge
necessary to interpret correctly. Appa-
rently, Senator Hill has never read the
first revenue law OF the United States,
passed in 1889, or the debate in the first
House Of Representatives when 1t was
under discussion.
In the house there were ten members
who had been members of the conyen-
ton which framed the constitution.
Mr.. Madison was the leader on the
floor, and he conducted the first rev.
enue bill through the house. Wash
ington was President of the United
States, Hamilton was secretary OF the
treasury, Jefferson was secretary OF
state, and Edmund Randolph was at
torney general. II those four men did
not know for what purpose the first
revenue law was enacted, and why 1t
was made highly protective tariff, !
beg to ask, Who did know2 The. record
shows.
Let me now place side by side the
anti-protection plank in the Demo:
cratic platform, and the preamble OF
the act OF 1889; and here let me ask my
Democratic readers whether ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland, Senator Hill and other
leaders OF the Democratic party at the
present day are better exponents OF the
constitution than Madison, Washing
ton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Randolph and
the generation Of men who estab-
lished it:
Anti. Protection Pta1t Of Preamble Of he Frs
he DtmoCrdtic Tariff aci, Paced
We deno oG Rcpub whereas s Is 1 Necessary
lIcan protection a afor the support OF the
fraud upon the labor OF government. for the dis.
the great majority ofchArge OF the debts OF
the American peoplethe United States, and
for the benefit Of few. he encouragement ana
We declare II 20 be alpTosct0n OF nadhujGc;
Fundamental. principle fuEes, that duties DO laid
OF the Democratic partylon goods, wares ana
that the federal govern. merchandise import
ment has no conStitu' cd: Be It enacted, &c,
tional power TO impose that from and Aiter the
and coilecttarif duties. first day OF August next
eXcent for the purpose enSuing. the several du.
Of revenue only. We de.ties hereinafter men
mRnd that the collec.ltIoncd shall DO laid on
zion OF such taxes bethe following goods,
limitedto the necessities wares and mercha
Of the government whenimported into the Unit
honestly and econ0mi. ed States from any for.
cally administered. leigh port oTplace,
Requesting my readers to keep this
preamble before them, l shall, in future
Communications show that in every in
stance in which there were already ex-
listing manufactures with which foreign
products came into competition, the
duties were SO laid as to afford proper
encouragement and protection to our
own manufacturers, and that many
duties were laid for the express pur::
pose OF raising up manufactures and
agricultural products that did not then
exist in the United States.
Since the foregoing was written, MIR.
Cleyeland's letter accepting the Demo:
cratic nomination, and planting himself
squareIy on the anti-protection plank
Of the Democratic platform, has been
published. shall speak OF it in my
next
In the mean time
remain, very truly yours,
GEO. TIcKNoR CURTIS,
Richfeld Springs, N y, Sept 10, 1892.