Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-07-23
Protective Tarlns Are Unjust and UnOOn-
stitutiOBal.
10 ths Editor az ths REGISTER:

Protective Tarins Are Unjust and UnOOn-
stitutiOBal.
TO ths Editor or tie REGISTER:
SIR:-Congress shall have power to lay
and collect taxes, duties, imposts and ex-
cises to pay the debts and provide FOR
the common defense and general well
fare of the United States; but oil duties'
imposts and excuses shall be uniform
throughout the United States.
/. Sec. viii, Article 1, Constitution
of United States, Justice Story, In MS
work on the Constitution, says that
these indirect taxes were required TO De
uniform, because it would "cut OH all
undue preferences of one State over
another:' "the agriculture, commerce
or manufactures of one State
might be built upon the
ruins of those of another; and comoi-
nation of few State in congress might
secure a monopoly of certain branches OF
trade and business to themselves to the
injury, If not to the destruction OF their
less favored neighbors.
The Mckinley tariff is building up
the manufacturing States upon the
ruins OF the agricultural States. Some
of the States have not fuel, ores, &c. In
sufficient abundance to compete with
others more favored in these respects.
Hence, the Mckinley law fostering the
manufacturers of some States at the
expense of some other States is not
inst. is not uniform, and therefore I'M
constitutional.
>. The taxes are to be laid for the pUr-
pose of providing for the general well
fare, not for the special welfare OF a
few; for the welfare Of the nation as
contra -distinguished from any locality.
The avowed object Of protective tariffs
is to assist manufacturers, &c; and as
manufacturers constitute but a small
portion of the people, the purpose of
such a tariff is not provision for the
general welfare of all the people, but a
special law for the benefit of q telO, and
is hence unconstitutional and unjust.
The Mckinley tariff compels each
family to pay GO or 20 cents to the
sugar planters of Louisiana and Kan
sas. Is this a law for the benefit of a
locality, or for the benefit Of the nation?
Clearly it is for the benefit Of those To-
calities, and is hence unconstitutional
and unjust.
3. 1t is conceded by all able jurists,
and has been repeatedly decided by the
Supreme Court of the United States
that the general government can right
fully exercise only the powers express
ly granted and those which may be
necessary and proper" to carry them
into effect, all others being
expressly reserved to the States or the
people.
Can any Republican point to a clause
in the Constitution expressly authorizing
Congress TO pass law to protect or as
sist manufacturers; or show that 1t is
necessary and proper" as a means to
execute some of the expressly granted
powers? Such a clause cannot be found
in the Constitution; and hence the VI
Kinley tariff is unconstitutional.
The purpose of Democratic tariff Is
the raising of revenue; and it has always
afforded incidental protection.
The purpose of Republican tariff is
the fostering of manufacturers, etc,
and it has always afforded incidental
revenue. The former is just and con-
stitutional, the latter unjust and I'M
constitutional. The State Of South
Carolina under the leadership Of John
c. Calhoun had no right to attempt to
nullify the protective tariff law passed
by Congress, and Andrew Jackson, a
Democratic President, convinced that
State that it had no such power. New
ertheless, the fact remained that South
Carolina and several other agricultural
States suffered from the unjust and OPP
pressive protective tariff law then ex-
listing, and Congress recognizing the mi
guilty of the law modified it under the
advice of Henry Clay so as to take
away It's oppressive features.