The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-09-15


along constitutional lines rather than |
economic but they proved Ineffective and |
the new and higher tariff of 1923 was |
passed. In the discussions on this tariff |
Webster sided with Clay. Webster be-
came protectlonist but not from a
change of conviction. Massachusetts by
this time felt the effect of the previous
tariffs, which transformed 1t from COM
mercial and agricultural state to manu-
featuring state, and believing that pro-
lection would be the settled policy OF the
country Webster deemed it unwise to
longer oppose the movement.
Prosperity ID the south had not kept
pace with that In the north In spite OF
the immense crops and the decline was
attributed to the tariff. Dissatisfaction
grew more bitter every day and protest
after protest against the policy OF pro-
lection was sent to congress by south
ern legislatures. As the effects OF the
last act became more apparent the peo-
pie of the south determined to buy no
more protected goods from the north,
and threats of resisting the collection
of duties were often INDUCED In. But
when in 1882 new tariff bill was passed
which decreased the revenue by cutting
off pure revenue duties and thus recog-
nizing still more the protective principle
the south determined to take q bold
stand. Through the Influence OF Cal
houn South Carolina called a state con-
yention which adopted the celebrated
Notification Ordinance declaring the
tariff null and void besides making
special provisions for carrying the ordl-
dance into effect. But the union was
too strongly cemented to permit th
withdrawal of a single state. The firm
ness of Jackson, though he loved the tariff
none to well, prevented the other south
ern states from sympathizlng openly
with their sister state. But South Caro-
lima was not blufing. Even with gen.
eral Scott with large armed force on
| the scene the defiant attitude of the nulli-
fers was preserved and preparations for
| war continued. Meanwhile congress as
sembled and many former supporters of
| Of extreme tariff views made the action
of South Carolina pretext for revising
the tariff. Clay, who also felt that pro-
| lection had been carried too far presented
his famous compromise bill that provided
| for the gradual reduction of the tariff so
that at the end Of ten years the average
rate would be about twenty per cent.
This bill became law in 1888 and South
| Carolina forgot its notification ordinance.
BY 1912 the revenue derived from the
| tariff of 1888 was insufficient to meet the
needs of the government, and the wings
who were then il power passed an act
that increased the duties in such way
that manufacturing industries we're again
literally protected. All parties favored
| this act because the economic Crisis
through which the country had just pass
ed sadly interfered with the artlfcially
| created industries and sympathy went out
| to them. This tariff remained in force
until 1916 when the democrats passed the
so-called free trade tariff. 1t was ten
per cent. tariff arranged solely for the
| sake of revenue and remained In force
until 1857, when d further decrease had
| 10 be made because the revenue exceeded
| the needs of the government.
In 1861 on the eve OF the Rebellion
when the southern members of congress
l'had withdrawn leaving the republicans
with a working majority the so-called
Morrill, tariff bill was passed. This was
clearly protective measure designed tc
stimulate production and Indirectly to
| provide large revenue. So high were
| the duties that all available capital in the
north was invested in manufacturing
| plants of every description; free traders
| and protectionists We'd with each other
in reaping the rich harvest. Three sue
cessive times during the war the tariff
| was revised but al ways in an upward
| direction until at its close duties aver
| aged over 80 per cent. When the wal
| ceased the war tariff was continued and
| the enormous revenues were applied to
| extinguish the debt it had created. II
was only after no more bonds were due
! and vast surplus of revenue was threat
| ened that provisions were made to revise
the tariff. Accordingly in 1888 commits
| sion was appointed by congress to exam.
| inc into the manufacturing Industries OF
| the country to determine the character
| of the revision. A voluminous report
| tariff act was passed. But the reduction
| in revenue proved less than was expect
ed, SO the surplus kept on increasing
| During the following year the democrats
made an unsuccessful attempt to reduce
| the tariff and again in 1887 their efforts
at reduction were frustrated by repub-
lcan senate. In 1888 the surplus in the
| treasury of the United States was esti-
mated at S100,00O,O00 but this was soon
caused to disappear by lavish pension
| legislation and by increased expenditures
| for internal improvements. In 1890 the
| republicans again revised the tariff by
the so-called Mckinley bill which was
still more protective than the war tariff
| had been. This act is still in effect with
the average rate of duties estimated at
sixty per cent.
The tariff is the burning question of the
day and the parties occupy clear and DIS
tlnct positions. The Republicans favor
tariff which protects manufacturers
and which incidentally furnishes large
revenue, the democrats favor tariff for
| revenue only. In other words they are
for tariff which furnishes the govern
ment just enough money to meet its legi-
innate expenses the tariff to be laid in