The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-10-15
Tariff Laws Are Constitutional.
A late number of the Morning Lee

A late number of the Morning Lead
er contained a very good editorial o
the tariff question, consisting in tn
main in briefly stating matters Of his
tory which the average voter viii no
look up for himself. In the hope tina
it will aid in clearing the mist from
the eyes Of many who want to be RICH
Oh this question, we give the articI
herewith;
about two weeks ago Grover Cleyo
i land put forth his letter OF acceptance
/ In it, following the lead of the creates
/ political blGnderbus of the age, VIM
F. Villas, lie soleinily pronounced til
tariff, except tor revenue only. uncon
| StitutionHl.
! The truth of history is that the pres
] eat constitution Is the direct ont
! growth and result OF and based upon
/ the vital need OF Il tariff
| America WAS formerly a British de
tendency. But its people We're indus
| trious and enterpris!ng and began t,
make goods for themselves instead o
buying everything III London and Liv
erpoul. Therefore i'll 1881 the house o.
commons called upon the Board Of
Trade and Plantations the colJnie:
were sometimes called plantations
! for Il close report with respect to an.
laws made, manufactures set mp OIL
trade carried on in the colonies, detri
mental TO the trade, navigation ant
manufactures of Great Britain"
The report, when filed, was of such Z
nature that IN act WAS passed III l13.
forbidding hats OF felts TO be exported
from the colonies, or even ito be load
ed on a horse, a cart or other carriage
for transportation from one colony tt
another"
But this law Was not comprehensive
enough. The c0lonists continued to en-
gage III rude manufacture and to in
crease the output In 1850 Gee
Report on Trade" appeared-a stand
ard British authority In It, quoted
on p. 393 OF The Tariff" is this sig
nilicant statement:
..Manufactorie$ in our American colonies
should De discouraged, prohibitc We ough:
always 20 keep Il watchful eye over our colo
:Iie~, to restrain them from setting UP any OF
the manufactures which are carried on il
Great Britain; any and any such attempt
~hUEld be crushed in the beginning. There
fore. to stop the progress of any such manu-
fa:'ture. II Is p opposed that no weaver have
liberty to set up any lro'n,. without at frs.
registering at an Ollie KEPT for that purpose;
that all Sitting mills AMI engines for draw
inc ire or weaving stockings he pat down;
that all negroes Br prohibited from weaving
either linen or woni.n, or spinning or comb
Ing wool, or working II any manufacture OF
iron. further than making into pig or ban
iron; that they also b" prohibited from man
ufacturing hats. stockings or leather of any
kind.
In accordance with these suggest
ions, before the close of 1850, an act
was passed which prohibited the cree,
ton or continuance of any mill or 9th
CT engine fer Sitting or rolling iron,
OF any plating forge to work with a
tilt hammer, or any furnace for max
ing steel in the colonies, under Il pen
atty of $3.50 line.'
Every such mill, engine, forge or
furnace WAS declared to be "a com
mon nuisance, which the governors OF
the provinces, Oh information, wore
pound - ibate, under penalty of $500,
within thirty days
The Revolution disturbed CONNER
cial relations generally, and destroyed
those that, greatly to our aetriment,
had subaistal between the colonies
ard Great Britain. But peace brought
with it the former difficulties and not
less hGrtlensoine oppression by the
British. Congress; had no power TO lay
Il tariff and the several states LEVIED
such duties against the old world and
against each other as would best sub
serve their various interests.
England then prohibited orr trade
with the West Indies and by Il merci-
less enforcement OF her general navI-
GO tion acts oar commerce was nearly
destroyed. Our manufactures were
paralyZed and Our markets were flood
ed Will! English goods, while the fee.
BE stream OF coin that had circulated
among our citizens passed rapidly int
the pockets of British masters and
merchants
The outlook was indeed gloomy The
merchants and factorymen began tc
clain0r for seine change in the articles
Of confederation that would enable
congress to lay Il protective duty. This
clamur increased IN earneStnpSS ana
ychemcnCe until 1t resulted in framing
the present constitution, which Wa:
adopted by the states in place OF til,
old articles OF confederation.
As soon rs a quorum of the house OF
representative was formed under the
new constitution, James Madison
brought forward the subject of duties
Petitions were pouring in from TIN
! merchants, tradesmcH. mechanics ans
manufacturers III all parts of tht
| tnion, and III response TO their earn
est demands, congress set to work a
| once ana framed the first general i'm
post law recorded i'll the history OF tn
! American republic. 1t was signed b.
George ashlngton and became q lay
! on July 1, l1o9.
Its passage was greeted by public re
! joicings in the leading communities
and from that day the condition o
! American workmen began TO improve,
says the authority above quoted, Q,
| page ~.
| This is history-facts which may b
verified by any one who Will take tn
pains to examine authorities in til
! public library, and which cannot b
disputed
The necessity for uniform tariff
| q protective tariif-made the conStlt'1
ton. Tie first law ever passed afte
the constitution WAS adopted was OH
levying tariffs. Where, then, do \ liza
and Cleveland stand III their blind "a:
sertionS that the Tariff is unconsti:l
tional: Is even one word of commeN
necessary:
Spoone- and Koch