The evening world., 1893-12-19

TIONS.
The moderate tariff of 1918 rapidly grew
into the tariff of abominations" that
carried this country to the verge OF civil
discord and provoked a natural revulsion.
Protection has run a like course since
burdens and &c relieve manufacturers of
the Internal taxes. which they had used
10 secure co~npensating duties on like
foreign products. there arose a demand
throughout the country. without respect
to party. for a reduction "a the war
tariff.
tected industries bafied and threatened
any reduction of consequence until 1872.
when they defeated a House bill that did
make a substantial reduction; by sub,
a horizontal cut of 10 per cent. As soon,
however. as the election of 1874 gave the
next House to the Democratic party,
that bill was repealed by the outgoing
Republicans-and rates restored to what
they were before 1872.
MORE AND MORE PROTECTION"
And although the demand for tariff
reform and for reduction of taxes has
one in the country, the protected in
dustries have exacted and received from
every Republican Congress elected since
la an increase Of their protection, &C.
casionally permitting the repeal or the
lessening of a tax that was paid into
the Treasury. In order to keep away
from or to Increase duties levied for
Protection. left to its natural momen-
tum. never stops short Of prohibition. and
prohibitory walls are always needing to
strengthened. a protective tariff never
has and never can give stability and
Satisfaetion 70 Its own benefciarles.
scattered to agitate for Its decrease.
those beneticiaries are sure to agitate
for an Increase.
fore, Congress, the air was full of
prophecies that 1t would destroy our
manufacturing industries; throw labor
at Sp' p al p@pl Ssses' an Od f d%arf and az 10 a M9rk
the prosperous growth of the country.
Every representative Of four great
R maeHf asainsa I It s With gloomy 90 Ne fore ab%ssiinaa
OF it's frightening effect. The rate OF
duties provided in that tariff was much
lower thai those of the bill we here
offer. What was the result?
REDUCTION OF '46 HELPED INDUS,
TRY.
Instead of practically killing the in
dustries and pauperizing the labor of
New England or the rest of the country,
the tariff of 1916 gave Immense vigor to
manufactures, with steady employment
and increasing wages to labor. So that
after eleven years experience under 1t,
the longest period of stability we habe
ever enjoyed under any tariff, the rep
resentatives of those same States. with
practical unanimity. voted for a further
reduction OF 20 per cent. and by a two
thirds vote sustained the tariff of 1887.
which made a reduction of % per cen
tum.
CONFINEMENT WITH TARIFF OF 81
And so well contented and prosperous
were the manufacturers of that and other
rate Of tariff Of 1857 that when the Nor:
rill bill of 1861 took the first backward
step there was a general protest against
The Hon. Alexander Rice. of Massa'
chusetts. said in the House:
The manufacturer asks no additional protection.
Teatest evil next to a rulnons competition from
foreign sources is an excessive protection, which
stimulates a like ruinous and irresponsible COM
petition at home.
Mr.. Sherman. of Ohio, said:
When Mr.. stanton saws the manufacturers are
urging and depressing the bill. he says what he
must certainly know is not correct; the manu-.
facturers have asked over ana over again to be
let alone.
Mr.. Morrill, himself has since said tina
the tariff of 1861 was not asked for. and
but coldly welcomed by manufacturers
Senator, r. NJ. 7. Hunter, of Virginia
then chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, said:
Have any OF the manufacturers come here tc
complain or ask for new duties7 Is it notorious
that II we were to leave II to them. the manu-
facturers Of New England themselves. TO the
there would be a LARGE majority against an,
change?
Do We not know that the woollen manutactur,
dates its revival from the tariff OF 1857 which
altered the duties on wool?
LOW TARIFF AND PROSPERITY.
The history of American industry
shows that during no period has there
ment OF our manufacturing industr,
tar.r from ISIS to 1861. nor a NOR
healthy and harmonious growth of agri
Cnltnra and all the other Industries nj
the country.
No chapter in our political experience
tSSrries with i a. more rer sidala a t Lessor @op
strongly to lawmakers to establish a jus,
and rational system of public revenues
neither ~exhausting Agriculture by con
facturers alternating between chills an6
fevers by artificial pampering. In thi.
direction alone lies stability, concord Of
sections and of great industries.
We have already said that public dis
cussion may disclose errors OF minor de
tail in the schedules of the bill. To es
ough. and minute a knowledge of all thu
divisions, subdivisions, complex ant
manifold >mazes and involutions of GU
chemical, textile. metal and other indus
matter how extended the range of thei
personal knowledge, or how laboriou
and painstaking their efforts, could eve
hope to possess.
We have not forgotten that we repre-
sent the people who are the many, a,
we'll as the protected interests who ar,
the few. and while we have death will
the latter in no spirit of upnfriendli
nes, we nave felt that It was our dut,
and not their privilege to make tariff
schedules.
Those who concede the right of bene
fciaries to fix their own bounties mus
necessarily commi to them the framir;
and wording of laws by which thos
b0unties are secured to them.
CONGRIGSSMEN AS AMANUENSES
\ committee of Congress thus become,
merely the amanuensis of the protected
interests. 1t has been shown so clearl,
and so often in the debates of thi
House. that nearly every importan
schedule of the existing law was mad,
In its very words and figures by repre-
sentatives of the interests 1t was framed
10 protect, that II 10 unnecessary in on
report to present the record proof o
this fact: but 1t may not be amiss /,
Cite further evidence to show that thi
Is not only the necessary rule, but Ia,
open and avowed method of framin,
protective tariffs.
TARIFF IN THE GOTH CONGRESS,
When the Sena G substitutes for IN,
OH passed by the House In the Fiftietl
Cohgrcss-whlch substitute Is a real basl
o. the existing law-was being prepared
senator HoRr, Of Massachusetts, aDpe4r
"a DetOre the Senate sub-cJmmitfpa nm,