The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-09-09
EAST AND WEST.
Manufacturers of Ench L,snand Pro-
lection for Their Own Products,
But Wants tho Offers Free Free Trade
Democrats OF the North and South
Stand Solidiy Together--A Titanic
Task Bcfoxc This Cong ress.

WASHINGTON, scp~4.-Already MEM
bers of the house committee on ways
and means and the senate committee
on finance are experiencing the prelim-
mary struggles between the manufac-
turers of New England and the con-
sumers of manufactured articles in the
far west and northwest in the early
work upon the new tariff bill. There
is no division of sentiment between the
free trade democrats of the south and
north. They stand solidly for abso-
lutte freedom in all commercial transac-
tions both domestic and foreign. But
when it comes to passing upon ques-
tions of local interest, the demo-
Gratis of New England and those of the
far west and northwest fight.
1t would seem that these two sections
have few interests in common. New
England makes "Yankee notions" and
the great manufactured articles for the
great west, while the latter produces
from the ground for the former. The
Yankee wants protection for his pro-
| ductions and free competition with the
world in the supply of all which the
western farmer produces. The humble
tiller of the soil who labors in the set
ting sun of course would like farm pro-
| duce to be protected. but he is in open
war against the Yankee who supplies
him with manufactured goods. 1t
would seem that the southerner and
the inhabitant of any of the middle
states was an unintercsted spectator in
the struggle upon which the two tariff
committees of congress are entering.
1t seems to be an endless task to rec
oncile the two widely-s parated inter-
ests of New England and the Trans
Mississippi country. Chairman Wilson
of the committee on ways and means
says that no committee can do it's duty
with it's eyes and ears wide open; that
it is necessary to ''go it blindly" in the
work of tariff revision, as it is almost
impossible to give audience and action
to one interest without doing violence
to another. When the Mckinley tariff
bill was prepared there was n general
raising of customs duties, and almost
every one interested in the production o,
any article from the shop or grounG
was given favor: but now that it is nee
essary to cut down the duties and al
the same time increase the revenues O
the government, the task before con
gress becomes almost appalling.
When the Mills bill was presented tc
congress half-dozcn years ago, hear
ings were given to consumers and pro
ducers alike: but it is not the intention
in this congress to ask consumers t,
speak, because there is little time il
which to prepare the tariff bill: Their,
is great anxiety everywhere as to wha
the new measure will provide. ant
greater suspense as to what interest
:. will be injured by being brought int,
closer competition with foreign riv
ais. The southern sugar an,
rice planters are trembling. Th
first are afraid their product
will go upon the free list, while TIL
latter are counting upon the loss O
their bounty. 1t would seem, how
ever, that the sugar men of Louisian
are always to light upon their feet
When the democrats pl epared thei
Morrison and Mills bills they simpl
reduced the duty on sugar, and whel
the Mckinley bill put sugar upon tn
; free list, Louisiana was giTeL a bour
, ty. These are the only southern inter
l ests jeopardized at present; but Ne,
England seems suspended in mid air.