Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-12
A CORRECTION.

The esteemed but haSty and much
mislalormed IRtelltgeRcer rushes to the
rescue Of the Hon. GEORGE w. ATKIN-
soy, who has, apparently, been consti-
tuted tariff editor of the Weekly LlteIH-
qcncer. 1t does not like the REGISTERS
criticism of Mr.. ATKINsoN's tariff sup
plement," which supplement" con-
tanned more false statements and absurd
tiles than even the IRtelligelcer, as
rule, can get into its regular daily edi-
ton IN whole week-which is putting
il strong. Mr.. ATKINSON, in his IA b
C of the Tariff" stated that the ''prin-
ciDle Of protection" was inaugurated by
our first national Congress. The Rec
lister said this was not so. The Repuo-
lican brand OF protection was never con-
templated by our sturdy forefathers.
The esteemed hltelligenccr, however,
undertakes to prove that it was, as fol-
lows:
The first Congress Of the United States
organized April 6, l779. The first act OF
that BODY provided form Of oath TO be TAX
en- bv oficers Of the government. The
second act of the First Congress, in fact
the first relating 10 matter or national
policy, is thus described in its concise and
lucid preamble:
WHEREAS, tits necessary for the support Of
the cove rnment, for the discharge Of the debt
OF the United States, and ne eHcoHrFgs7t-it ana
protection 0fMUHlJ dctgrss, that duties be levied
on goods, wares and merchandise imported.
President Washington signed this act APP
prOpriately on July 4, lI19, and u was
hailed with general rejoicing as being an
other Declaration Of Independence.
Begging the esteemed, but forget
full, IuielIiqenccr's pardon President
GEORGE WASHINGTON was not in
augurated until 1889. The CONT
mental Congress under the con-
federation Of 1777 made many efforts to
induce the States TO join ir levying
taxes on imports for the benefit Of the
common treasury, but failed. The first,
or second act passed under the ConSti-
tuition of 1857 was "An act for levying
q duty on goods, wares and merchan-
disc" Besides specific duties on few
articles this law imposed an al ralorem
duty varying from seven to fifteen per
cent. on certain enumerated articles
and five per cent. on all other goods,
Was this protection" such as the
IqtsUigepcer and Tariff Editor ATKIN-
soS advocate. and as exemplifed in the
Mckinley tariff with its average duty Of
SiTty per cent!
Our esteemed neighbor is as iar "of"
in its reasoning as it is in its facts and
dates.
While we are discussing tariff history
we may remark that among other things
which the REGISTER said in its criti-
cism Of Mr.. ArKINsoN's article was
this, 10 answer to the statement that
WASHINGTON, HAMILTON, MADISON,
JEFFERSON, ADAMS, JACKSON, WEB-
srER and CLAY were all protection
lists:
Not one Of these was a "protectiouist,n
as the term is applied by Mr.. Atkinson,
and the REGISTER has at hand well known
and familiar utterances of every one or
these statesmen on this subject which we
challenge the IHteUjgsHCsr or the Hon. q.
W. Atkinson 10 make public in their next
campaign document. Washington, Hamil-
ton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams, jackson,
Webster and Clay vigorously denounced
and SOlemuly warned the American peo-
ple against the very abuse OF the power
of indirect or tariff taxation which the Re-
publican party, controlled by the trusts
and syudicates and combines which have
grown wealthy 40 the peoples expense, is
advocating Oday and which is eXemphhed
i'm the Mckinley iuIQuity. SO did Lincoln,
Grant, Hayes, GARFIELD, Arthur and the
Republican idol, james G.. Blaine, himself,
when he was member of Congress and be-
fore the tariff barous had obtained COM
plete control of the Republican party.
Both the HEtelligcnccr and Mr.. Atkinson
win acknowledge the truth OF this by re-
fuslng 20 publish even the Oriefest possible
extracts from speeches on this subject by
those statesmen, with which the REGISTERS
readers are familiar ana which we will
gladly furnish for publications.
This challenge IS still standing and
the IntclIiqCoccr and Mr.. ATKINSON will
be careful to still ignore 1t.