The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-07-02
H WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
DEMOCRaTIC TARIFF pLaNK.
SATURDAY. JULY :. isg

L IhNift ibtN"'
The silver plank in the democratic
platform may look somewhat cloudy It
some eyes, but there is nothing uncer
tain in the tariff plank. 1t is as clear
and explicit AS the English language
can make il and as sound AS a silverdol
lar. 1t starts out with a d~enunclation
of republican protection as "a fraud ON
the labor of the great majority OF the
American people for the benefit OF the
few Never were truer words written.
Republican protection protects capital
and capital employs unprotected labor at
its own pric,. If labor organize for its
own protection it finds its only enemy in
protected capital. If republican protec-
ton protects labor why should labor or,
ganize for its " protection! We see
labor organizations all over the country
and we hear of strikes and lockouts all
over it. Where does protection to labor
come in: Capital is protected. Capital
pockets the profits of unprotected labor.
If labor rebel capital locks it out or en-
ploys foreign pauper labor. Republican
protection is d fraud on labor.
Again. says the tariff plank: I'VE de
clare it to be the fundamental principle
Of the democratic party that the federal
government has no constitutional power
to impose and collect tariff duties, ex-
Cept for the purposes OF revenue only.
That is so. The federal government has
no right to impose duties for the pur-
pose OF protecting this or that industry.
The government derives It's authority to
impose duties, etc, under clause ! of sec
ton VIII. Of the constitution. This
clause reads thus: The congress shall
have power to lay and collect taxes, du-
ties. imports and c~Ncises TO pay the debts
and provide for the common defense and
general welfare Of the iAited States.
This language is plain. Nowhere ia that
instrument is it declared that the con
gress has power to lay and collect
duties To- protect the industry pursued
by one man or IA number of men. 1t was
not the intention of the trainers of that
organic law of the land to give such pow
cr to congress.
The principle of protection as eXenI-
plitied 10y the republican party is unlim-
tied in its application. Under the Me
kinley tariff ii amounts to a prohibition
Of the importation Of certain articles. No
revenue is derived from them simply be
cause the tariff tax levied is so excessive
that their impOrtations have ceased.
Still again the democratic tariff plank
demands that the collection Of revenue
taxes shall be limited To- the necessities
Of the government when honestly and
economically administered. There is
nothing wrong about that. Norman will
dispute the soundne"s Of that PROPOSE
ton. The federal government does not
want to hoard money. 1t simply wants
10 collccl enough from the people 50 as
to keep things moving along upon econ
omical lines. That doesn't mean free
trade. III II does every sensible taxpayer
in the country is a free trader.
The closest scrutiny Of the tariff plank
adopted by the democrats at Chicago is
invited. 1t voices the sentiments Of
every laboring man in the entire coun-
try. 1t does not favor the protection Of
and great corporations. leaving
the working class to shift for itself. 1t
proposes no fraud upon them. There is
concealment in it. 1t says the gov
eminent has no right to impose tariff
except for the purposes OF revenue
only. and that such taxes should be lin
tied to the expenses OF the government
economically administered. II that is
free trade, republican tariff cranks may
make the most OF II.