The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-26
REPUBLICAN tariffs CONFESSIONS

Among other pieces of deception
ldealt out by our Republican opponents
in Utah is the assertion that George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson and
Andrew Jackson, distinguished cham
pions of Democracy, were projections
lists. using the term in its present high
tariff sense. OF course the assertion is
false in spirit, though it may have
some Semblance of truth in the letter.
There have been many .staunch ad-
vocates of the fundamental doctrines
of Democracy who have defended the
tariff for revenue principle of the
party on the ground that it afforded
incidental protection. 1t was only in
that sense that the great pioneers of
the party whose words are miscon-
strued by our Republican opponents
favored in any way the protective
theory.
The present Republican doctrine is a
tariff for protection with incidental
revenue. 1t contemplates as to its
primal object, the benefit Of certain
classes, the taxation of the many for
the benefit of the few. and incidentally
the furnishing of revenue for the ex-
penses of the government. That is the
exact reverse of the true constitu-
tional principle on which taxes, duties
and customs NAV be levied
The exorbitant duties imposed on inn
ports as war measure were only jus
titled. even by the Republican party.
on the ground that the eMgencies of
the occasion required them. But when
the cruel war was over" they were
not reduced, but increased. And it will
be seen by the extracts below, from the
remarks OF distinguished Republicans.
that the monstrous tariff against
which the country revolted in 1892, is
as much opposed to the principles and
policy they defended as it is to the
| Democratic platform.
The Wilson bill now before Congress
and the country, is in the
main but modification Of
that existing order of things which
has been SO prolific of evil. But it is
wise reform. There are many things
in the world that are wrong in them
selves but have become so interviewer
with the very life of public affairs that
only a gradual elimination is safe.
When human being has become bur
dened with adipose tissue, or his system
is charged with matter inimical to
health, the change desirable to be eff
fected cannot be brought about on q
sudden, but must be gradual and per
formed with prudence and skill. So
with the work of reform in the condition
of the body polite.
Of the evils of the protective tariff,
with which our Republican opponents
seem to be SO enamored and which
they desire to maintain. read the fol-
lowing sentiments from eminent lead
mo one, Mr.. President, in the com
mencement of the protective policy,
ever supposed it was to be perpetual"
Henry Clay, 1910.
II sound this note of warning; and
whatever this House may decide, and
although it may resound with plaudits
of utterances that Chinese wall is
the security of the people. yet 1 assert
that there never was time in the his
tory of the Republican party when it
was in more danger of defeat than upon
this one suggested idea that it is per-
missable to levy tribute upon all the
people of this country of sixty-fve mil
lions to confer a benefit upon a few
hundreds. Ben Butterworth, May 10,
1890.
''The tariff of 1916 Ia free trade tar
iff] was yielding abundant revenue, and
the business of the country was in a
very abundant after the year 1S49
large enterprises were undertaken, spec
ulation was prevalent and for a consid-
cradle period the prosperity of the
country was general and apparently
genuine. Up to 1852 the Democrats had
almost undisputed control of the gov
eminent and had gradually become q
free trade party. The principles in
volved in the tariff of 1916 seemed for
the time to be SO entirely indicated
and approved that resistance to it ceas-
ed, not only among the people, but
the protective economists and
even among the manufacturers to a
large extent. So general was this ac-
quiescence that in 1856 a protective
tariff was not suggested or even limited
at by any of the three parties which
presented a presidential candidate
James G. Blaine in his Twenty Years
in Congress" involuntary witness
for conditions under free trade
The old issues are dead. The people
are arraying themselves upon one side
or the other of portentous contest. On
one side is capital, formidably entrench-
ed in privileges, arrogant from con-
tinued triumph, conservative. tenacious
to old theories demanding new conces-
sions. enriched by domestic levy and
foreign commerce, and struggling to ad-