Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-06
THAT CHICAGO PLANK.
George Ticknor Curtis Writes on
the Absurdity of
THE DEMOCRATIC TARIFF IDEA,
Why and How He Widely Differs With the
Views Of Senator Hill.
PREAMBLE TO Be REMEMBERED.

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.1
NEW YORK, Oct 5.-George Tcknor
Curtis, the eminent Democratic constitu-
tional lawyer and author, in the following
letter, made public to-day, gives his
reasons for repudiating the tariff views of
the Democratic platform and the candi-
dates who stand upon It:
RICHFIELD SPRINGS, N. Y, Sept 10.
To the Editor Of the American Economist;
SR-That protective tariff is unconsti-
tutional is not genuine Democratic doctrine.
1t is Calhounism, and rank Calhounism, too.
But even Mr.. Calhoun did not at first ques-
tion the constitutional authority of Con.
gress when laying duties on foreign prod
ucts 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 a pro-
tective tariff being unconstitutional.
I differ entirely from Senator Hill in re-
gard to the proper method of Interpreting
the Constitution of the United States. It
is true that it does not say in SO many
words, 'the Congress shall have power to
protect American manufactures But it
does say in express terms that 'the Con-
gress shall have power to lay and collect
taxes, duties, imposts and excises"
An Expressed Constitutional Power.
This is one of the express powers of the
Constitution, and it is to be interpreted by
the application of the rule which is applied
to all the other express powers The ex-
M M IL a Ad
duties, tmposts and excuses to de-
fray the expenses of the Government
The incidental power is a power to SO
lay them as to protect and encourage our
own industries. The express power would
be useless without the incidental power, for
without the exercise Of the latter, the peo-
Pile of this country could not be in q condi-
tion to meet the expenses of their govern
ment 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. pro-
tective tariff is not within its constitutional
power. This is what comes of Interpreting
the Constitution without having the knowl-
edge necessary to interpret correctly. Ap-
parently, Senator Hill has never read the
first revenue law of the United States,
passed In 1879, OF the debate in the first
House OF Representatives when 1t was
under discussion,
In that House there. were ten members
who had been members of the convention
which framed the Constitution. Mr.. Madi-
son was the leader on the floor, and he con-
Quoted the first revenue bill through the
House. Washington was President of the
United States, Hamilton was Secretary of
the Treasury, Jefferson was Secretary of
State, and Edmund Randolph was Attorney
General. If those four men did not know
for what purpose the first revenue law was
enacted, and why it was made highly pro-
tective tariff, I beg to ask, Who did know?
The record shows.
The Deadly Parallel
Let me now place side by side the anti
protection plank in the Democratic plat
form, and the preamble of the act of 1889;
and here let me ask pF Democratic readers
whether ex-Presideht Cleveland, Senator
Hill, and other leaders of the Democratic
party, at the present day, are better expo
Hamilton, Jefferson, Ran
1olph and the generation of men who es-
,ablished it:
A n ti-ProtectionI Preamble of the first
plank Of the Demo Tariff act, passed
cratic platform. July 4, 17s9
We denounce Re- Whereas, it Is neces-
publican protection sary for the support
Is a fraud upon of Government, for
,he labor of the the discharge of the
great majority of the debts of the Uni
American people for ted States, and
The benefit Of few. the encouragement
We declare 1t to be a and protection Of
princf- manufactures, th6t
Pile of the Democratic d u los be laid on
party that the FEEDER goods, wares and mer
II Government has no chandises imported:
power Be it enacted, &c, that
20 impose and collect from and after the
,arifr duties, except first day of August
or the purpose Of next ensuing, the sew
revenue only. We de- eral duties hereinaf-
nand that the collec- ter mentioned shall be
ion Of such taxes be laid on the following
limited to the necessi- goods, wares and mer.
,ies OF the Govern chandises imported
nent when honestly into the United States
Ind economically ad- from any foreign port
ninistered. or place.
Duties Always Protective.
Requesting my readers to keep this pre-
lmble before them, shall, in future COM
show that in every instance in
which there were already existing manu-
with which foreign products came
INTO competition, the duties were so laid as
10 afford proper encouragement and protec-
ion to our own manufactures, and that
many duties were laid for the express pur-
pose of raising up manufactures and agri-
cultural products that did not then exist in
he United StateE
Since the foregoing was written, Mr..
letter accepting the Democratic
nomination, and planting himself squarely
N the anti-Protection plank Of the Demo-
ratio platform, has been published. I
hall speak of 1t in my next. In the mean
ime remain very truly yours,
GEO. TICKNoR CURTIS.