St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-12
Capt. Harries Talks to the
Sturdy Democracy of Wi
mona County.
The Frauds and Iniquities Of
Republican Protection Are
Clearly Shown Up.
The Last Republican Congress
Responsible for the Large
Appropriations.
The People Pay the Tariff
Taxes, and Can No Longer
BE Hoodwinked.
Special TO the Globe

Special to the Globe.
ST. CHARLES. Mimi, Sept. 1.-THE
Democracy of this portion of Winona
county were all in ST. Charles last even
ing to hear Congressman HarrieS and
Hon. Dan w, LAWYER discuss the issues
of the campaign. Both delivered elo-
Quent and convincing speeches, and
made great many votes. Capt. Har-
rieS' address was one OF the clearest and
most complete demonstrations of the
follies and iniquities of a protective
tariff ever heard in the district. lie
said:
The great battle which will decide
the political contest between the parties
made up and the people will have to
decide by their ballots Oh the Sth day of
November next.
One of Il e great issues is the tariff.
The question is hOary with age, but it
will not down until it is settled rightly
by the American people.
The passage Of the Mckinley bill was
the adoption of policy which is con-
trary to all pre-eXisting precedents.
Never before in the history OF the gov
eminent had tariff been formed on the
whose basic principle is prohibtive tax
protection for the sake of protection
tariff made for the benefit of the
classes protected. regardless of
its revenue features. The peo-
pie were fairly shocked at the
enormous greed manifested by
the protected industries Of the country,
and congressman who veted for the
measure fell by the waySide at the No
vember election in 1890 like autumn
leaves. Ii there was ever any juStiti-
cation for a protective tariff it was in
the early days of the government when
we were both young and feeble. If, at
that time, orr protective tariff had been
III accord with the youth and feebleness
of our country then the Mckinley bill
ought to have been. as Representative
White, of Iowa, says, "inaugurated
during George Washington's admins
tration. and Harrison's administration
should content Itself with what Mr..
Blaine in his book calls the moderate
levy of from to y per cent which was
imposed by the first tariff act under the
constitution, and which went into effect
intWashington's first administration"
Viewing the matter from that stand
point, Maj. Mckinley, instead OF coming
into the world ahead Of his time, was
born
4 Century Too Late.
No one has been found who has stated
the protective doctrine with greater
force than Alexander Hamilton. Yet
he, in his report on manufactures in
1871, said: The continuance of boun-
ties on manufactures long established
must always be questionable policy; be-
cause presumption would arise
in every sGch case that there
were natural and inherent impedi-
mentS to success Mr.. Clay said
in 1883: The theory of protection
supposeS. too. that after a certain time
the protected industries Will have ac-
Quired such strength and perfection as
will enable them subsequently unaided
70 stand against foreign competition"
And again il 1910 he said: No one,
Mr.. President. i'll the commencement of
the protection policy ever sup
posed that it was to be perpet-
ual." The average rate of duty under
the Walker tariff OF 1916 was about %
per cent, and the various Industries
under this tariff were so prosperous
that all parties apparently acquieSced
Ill its justice and wisdom. Under this
low rate of duty large surplus of
revenue was accumulated in the treas
ury, and in 1851 the representatives of
the manufacturing states of New Eng
land were SO well pleased with the on
GRAFTON of the low tariff that they voted
almost Solidly in favor of a further re-
duction to 10 per cent, but protection
lists, after the election Of President Har-
rison i'll 1883, raised new conditions.
They insisted on being reimbursed for
the fat that had been fried cut of them
TO carry that election, and they now
argue that infants that could get along
on 10 per cent when they first came into
existence and 20 per cent when they
were children and 25 per cent when
grown 10 manhood, must have 40, so, 60
and even 20 per cent when entering on
their second childhood.
The Democratic party. however does
not advocate the abOlishment OF the
method Of taxation, but we do aim to
reform the
Abuses NoLy Existing
under that system, and which it is in
the power of congress to correct, so
that duties shall be levied solely for the
purpose of raising revenue sufficient to
support the government honestly and
economically administered.
We do not contend for absolute free
trade, as such. in the present condition
OF affairs, bnt reform in the tariff so
as to give us fair trade is not only de-
Sirable. but is essential to the welfare
OF all our people. y system of taxation
which takes from one and gives to an
other is contrary 10 all recognized prin-
ciples OF justice. If ii works this result
i'll practice, then il is entirely proper TO
call it robbery, and it is fittingly char
acterlZed in the dUggerel:
The robDer of CID was simple and bold.
Who never put on any tri!ls;
BIT tie robDer Today has different way.
For the taxpayer paws ali his bills
| Will read the decision OF the United
States supreme court on this point. 20
Wall G57: 10 lay with one hand the
power OF the government on the prop
erty of the citizen. and with the other
to bestow it upon favored in
dividuals, to aid private enter
priSes aud build up private fortunes
Is none the less robbery because it is
done under the forms of law, and is
called taxation. This is not legislation.
it is decree under legislative forms. If
ii be said that a benefit results TO the
local public Of a town by establishing
manufactures, the same may be said Of
ANY Other Business
OF pursuit which employs capital or
labor. The merchant, the mechanic.
the innkeeper, the banker, the builder
the steamboat owner. are equally nro-
motors of the public veal, and equally
deserving the aid Of the citizen by
forced contribution. No line can he
drawn i'll favor of The manufactured
which would not open the Golfers of the
public treasury to the opportunities of