New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-07
THE PEOPLE KNOW NOW "WHo PAfS iiiH i'-N

TO the Editor Of The Irlo "a ~ a.,
sir: The tariff is a tax" This Is propo1'ao"
which meets the ready assent alike OF Tree u"ueI'
tohf reformer 80 called and proteconlst' u' "o"
does II work. III he for revenue only anu nav io
marked effect upoD irpor'a1"hs' rcih'iN' u "
producon your free trade th"0ri~t Is not o"euou -
A. II we could imagine II Wisely ad!"S''N ulo"
tho delicate balance which measures the wisdom OF inc
muov,,,nps we could also imagine our typical tAHii
tlnker's occupation gone. If suited 10 create anu
toe,cr domestic manufactures and Industries, 10 ulS-
Mace the imported product, and 50 dis'rlou'e 'ne
money among our own people Instead oil sehoins 4"
abroad the prOtcctcnist ideal then becomes reaE'
Nothing Is so abhOrrent TO the free trader rs re-
.-reint upon the freedom of any Nation to DO as II
NAV please with commerce and industries NOM
ing so shocking to the tariff refOrmer as surplus
unless IL be the Of one in which ne sees @'her
a vision Of some giant miser counting great ma
ions boarded wealth, the gaun' Spectre OF govern
mcnt bankruptcy; nothing TO The pro'ecuohi"' 81
subordinate in the great problem OF mouS''ai eo'
nom,s rs the question Of government revenuc-becase
mis- can be raised in other ways, though by no method
50 good as that which the triple purpose OF de
welcoming the greatness Of nation, giving prosperity
TO a people, and paying a governments current eA
nenses as we'll as for great Improvements In various
branches of It's service
Yes the tariff is tax" but who pays ltY Ay'
there's the rub I" Mr. Cleveland says II Is sdueu 10
the cost OF the imported article which also hNes inc
purcbarer or consumer. Eut all know that Mr.
Cleveland has an amusing habit Of setting aside a
troublesome "coadition" and putting in Its place
theory" TO harmonic with the wise oracle announcer
by himself aforetime; howbe!t that remarkable ana
disabled theory hcbblng Into this campaign III
q condition OF "innocuous dcsuctude."
Governor McKnlcys Tariff bill has been TOO long
operative 10 allow any doctrlnaire 10 Instruct the
people who paws this "CdiOlt, tax and they can
never be stampeded in the udlcrous tariff scare 9"
1880 No the tariff IS all right and the people have
rapidly learned who pays the tax. The operation oi
the Mckinley Tariff law has OF itself been two years
campac III of education" and tle people are ready 10
give the popular verdict upon the bin
The lAinented General Hancock spoke not so un-
wisely when he said The tarin Is clicdy local
question" 1t certainly is made up of an aggregate
tries. in widely separated districts II Is Local All over
these United States, and te good results OF lrotec
the gulf All thL, broad land the people have
been checking OF the items Of this lil applying 10
total. until now they ready TO verify the iootings
and on November Z the unmstasable mark OF ap
prevail will Ill, be Ss r,sssirIed ana S"r i'nd'' the
Just as Democratic brethren are distressed about
who pays the tax So are they depressed ny the
ANYBODY To pay II The most keen and witty thrust
Of the campaign which have heard wns made by Mr..
iOrr In one Of lis speeches. I'm which he said We must
platform because when they carefully pu, N the
plank declaring or profcctiys taria
confusion o; mind about which Constitution they re-
crrcd IN. the grand Old charter which has stood the
at Montgomery IN 1901
The learned George Tcknor Curtis has been giving
Stltu'ion. hut ne will admit that THIS plank -
the Chicago platform j,isiiable under the Conf,d
crate declaration Of principle ...,
Stamford Conn, Oct. 49, 1899.