The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-01
wUATARE MIR. CLEvEIANDsv VIEWS

wUATARE MIR. CLEvEIAND'sv VIEWS
We confess to great concern In reach'nt
the conclusion we have reached respect
ing Mr.. Clevelands views concerning th'
tariff Wher he sent his famous mes
sage TO Congress inauguratng the discus-
.,on that the tariff has since caused
we supposed. Of course. that the uocu'
ment emanated from free-trader al near
who was compelled, as all other iree
traders on principle were compelled tc
subordinate their theories to the Necessity
NJ raising an annual revenue OF sDO'OW'-
900. we supposed. however, that the mes
sage aimed at free trade as its ultimate
goal II was noticeable. however that
what the message most dwelt on was
the necessity for admitting raw materials
free of duty but though radical Tree
traders looked a little askance at this'
| no particular remark was made on IL, III
view of the general consensus that II
was a radical tariff reform document
| But in this connection IT is pertinent
10 say that every other official or pubic
utterance that Mr.. Cleveland has since
| made concerning the tariff, has been OF
| a character not so much to advance the
/ cause OF free trade az that of modihed
protection. Indeed, he went so far in one
OF these utterances as even TO speak Oh
free trade as spectre" Mr. Cleveland
IS universally credited with being the
| author of the tariff plank that was re-
| ported at Chicago in June, 1892 by the
| Committee on Resolutions, and the New
| York Times, which is believed TO be 50
near 10 him as to speak by authority
| has recently affirmed positively that the
| resolution, as it was reported, expressed
Mr.. Cleveland's views exactly That res
olution. in conceding that Congress
might properly impose a protective duty
equal TO the difference between the price
of labor in America and in Europe, dis
tinctly admits of the principle Of pro-
lection pure and simple.
Then. again, we have now the bill
which has been prepared by the Commit
| tee on Ways and Means right under ms
| eye, and with daily and hourly touch Oh
him, founded distinctly upon the princi-
! pie Of protection. 1t is impossible TO con-
| ceive of this bill having been determined
| on without Mr.. Cleveland's approval. 1t
| had to meet with his approval finally
| II It was ever TO become law, and those
| having it in charge would, as a matter
of course, consult him about it before
! they came to their conclusions.
When we bring all these evidences to-
gether we are compelled TO admit that
| Mr.. Cleveland is not, like The Times, a
| free-trader per Sc, admitting the necessity
| of import duties to raise a revenue, but
resolved to spread those duties out over
the whole list Of imports, so that all shall
feel the tax equally and ratably, but that
he believes in the principle of imposing
the duties in such way as will encourage
| those American industries which he thinks
should be encouraged. We have been very
slow to come to this conclusion, but since
the report of the Ways and Means Com
mittee we are compelled to come TO it.
This conviction about Mr.. Cleveland
views is a very great disappointment TO US
and will be very great surprise TO a
large body Of Democrats. 1t may be that
| Mr. Cleveland is voicing the sentiments
of majority of his party If he holds
these views, but he is certainly not voic-
ing the sentiments of those who believe
that all citizens should be treated with
equal and exact justice under the laws.
AS we have said, we are for free and
absolutely unrestricted trade with all the
| world, that will make intercourse between
this country and any foreign country as
free as ii is between one of the States
| Of this Union and another We recognize
the fact however that we must raise a
large revenue from duties on imports, but
we insist that in imposing those duties
all imports shall fare alike. The tax should
be imposed equally and ratably upon all,
that none may be favored, but that all
may bear their equal and proportionate
share. When we are guided by this
principle in imposing duties, we know
exactly where we are and exactly what
we are about. But when We wander off
into the domains Of protection upon the
plea that this import should be put upon
the free list because it will immensely
strengthen the country at one point, or
that one should be taxed because it is
strong enough TO bear any burden that
may be laid on it, we are at once lost
in the mazes Of those protective theories
which we have been doing nothing but
denouncing for the last ten years. We are
unable to draw any line between Repub-
hcan protection and Democratic protection
1t is the principle OF protection at all that
we quarrel with. II may be that we are
wiser than Republicans, and could adjust
the principle in way to do less harm tnar
their adjustment does. but We don't want
a case of less injustice; we want a case 81
no injustice at all
We confess TO extreme chagrin at reach.
ing the conclusion that Mr.. Cleveland is
not for tariff for revenue only. but mod
ifed protectionist. His doctrines, If this
be true are not the doctrines which the
country wants, and the tariff fight, in
stead of being ended is hardly begun.
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PROSPERITY 90 ING.
We have said In a former article that
the panic is over-that is, the