The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-11
TARIFF GROUNDWORK.

There is a disnosition in both parties to
discuss the tariff in advance of the meeting
OF Congress in September or December, as
the case may be. There is a hope on the
part OF persons engaged in the business of
manufacturing that Congress may be in
duced TO give a degree of protection to
finished goods that will enable American
manufacturers to hold the portion Of OUT
market they now possess. There seems to
a general willingness among manufacturers
to sacrifice raw material il thereby they can
make their own business profitable. In
discussing the free raw material proposition
the Herald Of Trade says: in Western
Washington and Western Oregon the coal
and iron miners and those interested in the
lumber industry would like to have the
present high duties retained on their par
tieular products whereas in Eastern Oregon,
Eastern Washington and in this State q
lower tariff OF even no duty would be aC-
ceptable." l. is manifest that q tariff can
not be constructed on the principle Of fay-
oriiIsm to special industries. We cannot
twist tariff bill TO please localities. We
must build on the principle Of Justice to all
sections and all industries. The wool
grower should not be sacrificed TO the wool
manufacturer. The iron and coal miner
should not be driven out that the iron
manufacturer may get his material little
cheaper. II the protective policy is carried
out on that principle free tradein raw ma
teTial will be followed two or three years
later by free trade in manufactures. The
producers of raw material who may be
legislated out of business viii Join forces
with the free-traders to strike the duties
from finished goods. The Herald Of Trade
says: The iTon-manufacturing industry
is grooming under the high duty on raw
materials-pig-iron and coal" Now, If
this country could not produce pig-lron and
coal there would be no question as to the
wisdom of taking the duties from these
articles. But the country does produce iron
and coal. The foreign product is cheaper
in this port than the native product, for the
reason that the foreign product comes by
water, the native largely by rail. The IRON
manufacturers have no right TO Insist that
the manufacturers Of raw material shall be
exempted for the manufacturers benefit.
TIE protective system must be grounded on
principle, or it will be killed by the aid of
its own friends. The wool-manufacturer is
demanding free wool and protection for the
manufacturers OF wool. The Journal from
which we have quoted argues that the
duties on wool do not help thu w0ol-grower
because they do not keep up the prices OF
wool abroad. But the wOol-grower who is
left to meet foreign competition unaided
will make it his first business to see that the
manufacturer is placed in like condition.
The system Of protection must run all
through our industries or not be applied at
all. The wool-grower who completes with
the foreign wool-producer will not willingly
nav dutip9 IN fine mann fa Of
from his free wool. II the advocates of a
protective policy stand by each other. each
branch of industry working for the good of
ALL it may be possible to maintain duties at
a rate which will keep home industries on
feat