The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-09-20
TARIFF REFORM.

When cause or a doctrine can only be
| attacked by falsehood, that is pretty good
evidence that it is right. Our terribly
muddled morning contemporary is very
anxious to make it appear that the Demo-
cratic party has abandoned its tariff
policy. To do so it is obliged to have
| resort to its usual style of "argu-
ment;o that is, misstatement OF
the position of its opponent. Not
tariff reform but tariff death, it declares
was the issue in the last campaign. We
presume there is not an intelligent citizen
in the country who took any interest in
national politics who does not know that
statement to be positive falsehood.
A tariff for revenue only was and is the
policy of the Democratic party Repub-
lican protection was denounced as uncon-
stitutional and fraud. As to that the
intention was destruction. To kill the
system called protection is one thing, to
put the tariff to death is another and to-
tally different thing. Our unesteemed
neighbor endeavors to confuse the minds
Of its readers by confounding these two,
and then proceeds in its accustomed dis
honest manner TO imply that what is in
tended for one applies to the other.
To denoUnce the system that received Its
highest expression in McKinleYism as a
fraud and to urge its abolition, is alto
gether different from advocating the de-
struction OF the tariff. The death OF the
former is involved in the Democratic re-
form of the latter. The purpose of Nc
Kinleyism was the fostering and enrich
ment OF class at the expense of the
masses. That was pronounced unconsti-
tutionsl by the Democratic party. But
that this was not said of the tariff need
tariff for revenue only was and is the
doctrine of the Democracy.
The intention is now the same as ever,
to destroy what the Republicans call pro-
lection. No reform Is intended as to
that. 1t must be rooted out and burned
up. A tariff must be imposed. But it
will be for revenue only. The duties
that shall be levied are to be for the ex-
penses of the government, not to enrich
q few monopolists. That is the differ
ence. This will be the principle involved
in tariff reform. The schedule OF duties
Will be arranged with that prime purpose
in view, and it Will be so listed by the
Committee on Ways and Means that it
will do no injury to the country. The
people of the United States and their in
terests will be held above those OF the ia
vcred class which Republican protection
sought TO foster and fatten.
There has not been the slightest change
in the policy or purpose of the Democratic
party since the platform was formulated
at Chicago. But the enemies of Democ-
racy, in striving TO shift the responsible
| ity for the effects OF high tariff in the
troubles that came upon the country
free trade. On that theory those dis
asters should have increased when the
Presid ent announced that the tariff would
be attended to as soon as the silver ques-
ton was settled. And when the COM
mittee on Ways and Means of the House
commenced to frame tariff reform bill,
those disasters should have accumulated
with alarming rapidity. But, strange TO
say, business began to improve,
sprang up, industries frightened, the
unemployed went to work and the very
opposite results accrued from those which
ought to have been seen if the Republican
theory had been correct.
And now, in order to escape from the
dilemma in which the Stree trade''
shouters find themselves in, the most
dishonest and tricky among them pre-
tend that the Democratic party has aban-
doned its policy and that is why times
are brighter and better. 1t is miserable
cause that requires lying to support it,
and it is only by falsehood that the
| tricksters can make q showing of con-
sistency. But it will not serve their pur-
pose, for it is apparent to the most I'M
sophisticated of readers.
THE HERALD has not claimed that the
immediate prospect of tariff reform has
caused reaction in business affairs. II
never admitted, either. that the fear OF
free trade caused the distresses that came
upon the country a short time ago. Nor
did it charge them directly and solely to
the workings of protection. But it con-
tended that this would be more logical
than the opposite theory. seeing that the
high protective tariff was still in force
and that no actual change had been
wrought in the tariff policy of the coun-
try
Let it be understood that tariff reform
which was the chief issue of the campaign
that knocked out the Republican party.
is the work now undertaken by the Dem
ocratic party in Congress. 1t will
go on according to the spirit
and letter of the pledges made to
the country. 1t will be conducted in
| wisdom and with discretion. 1t will not
fulfil the wild and weird predictions OF
those who fought it last fall. 1t will not
bring the horrible and destructive ca.
lamities they pictured. 1t will moi
frighten the people. They wanted it ano
they will have it. And it viii take SONS
time to produce its effects, but they will
be found most benign aud beneficial, anc
when once fully established a revenue
tariff will be found to work so we'll thai
even Repu blicans of the better sort vii
confess that McKinieyism was a fraud
and that the policy OF protection, If moi
unconstitutional, was at least terrible
blunder, or at any rate unfit for the con.
ditions of this advanced, matured anc
independent, first-class nation.
q