Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-04-07
II Fell Flat.

Mr.. Cleveland, Mr.. Watterson and,
so far as We remember, every other
Democratic chieftain has declared that
the cry OF tariff reform must be pealed
to inspire the hosts in the coming
battle of the ballots.
Recent events lead US to doubt that
it will inspire them.
The opening of the tariff debate in
the House OF Representatives was a
fiat failure, dead failure, the deadest
kind of dead failure. The people
did not read the report which the
Associated Press furnished, half the
Democratic newspapers did not think
it worth while to make editorial COM
ment upon them, the galleries were
empty and the body OF the House not
half filled when Mr.. McMillin sounded
the keynote OF the coming campaign.
The keynote was not heard, much
less responded to by the people. There
is not u scintilla OF enthusiasm for a
repetition of the farce which was sue
cessfully enacted by the Democrats in
1890 under the misleading title OF
s'Tariff Reform"
All this is in accord with the eternal
fitness OF things. 1t is @ very long
time since a very shrewd politician
remarked that one falsehood might
serve to deceive the people once, but
that it was ridiculous to suppose that
one falsehood could fool them twice.
Mr.. McMillin's keynote was pitched in
the octave OF the falsehood OF 1890,
and this is 1892. What is worse for
- gat.1H
keynote can be pitched in any other
octave.
The octave OF 1890 had these notes:
A. Mckinley tariff is the highest
ever enacted.
But the fact is now proven that il is
the lowest ever enacted.
b. 1t will increase our already too
great revenue.
But it is proven that it has reduced
our revenue by something like $780,
900, 900.
c. Tariff is tax which the foreign
maker or American importer adds to
price.
But it is proven that foreign makers
have lowered their prices on most OF
the articles on which the tariff was
increased.
ID. Tariff is a tax which American
manufacturers add TO price.
But it is proven that it is not.
f. Higher prices on account OF tariff.
But it is proven that average prices
OF manufactured goods, both foreign
and domestic, never were lower than
since the passage OF the Mckinley bill
+. Tariff breeds trusts.
But it is notorious that trusts never
found sn hard a road IN tPaval as
that over which they are now journey
ing.
G. Tariff checks exports.
But our exports are just booming.
And, lastly, tariff prevents imports.
But the fact is that We are import
ing more than ever, but we are inn
porting things that we cannot make
or produce for ourselves, and are inn
porting them duty free. Whereas,
tariff reform" means paying duty
on imports of things that we cannot
make or produce, and admitting free
OF duty those things which we can
make or produce.
There is not a note Ia the Old Demo
cratic free-trade octave that longer
can inspire the enthusiasm of the
people.
The tariff reform dodge won't work.
Better revive the old-fashioned war
whoop OF 81 don't want my daughter
to marry a niger" That fetches the
antediluvian Democrat out OF his
coffin every time. As for creating a
new issue, it can't be done. The Dem
ocratic party never was a creative
force; never will be; it is reminiscent
merely.-Inter Ocean.