New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-04
DEMOCRACY ~ 4 QUANDARY.

On all sorts of prctenccS some OF them the
oueere,t conceivable, part OF the Democrats
are preparinc in advance to excuse a failure to
perform their pledges about the taflh' Inc
latest i, that tariff reform will be embarrassed
if not entirely prevented, unless the purchase
Of silver bullion can first be stopped. just
how the failure Of one measure Is to cause
faiure of the other is not explained. IL
seems to be felt that the pcrilS and embar-
easements 70 which continued silver purchases
subicct business will be all the country can
stand. without the additional pcriis and en-
bor,ossmcnts of a reduction of duties. As this
implies admission that tariff revision Will check
and endanger business. those who are acting
ON this theory are careful not to state 1t III
plain words.
No doubt IT is true that business men OF
every shade Of political opinion would protest
with intense earncstncSS against any radlcaI
change of the tariff, at a time when trade Is
depressed or subjected to serious peril. IL Is
oonolly true that the continuance of silver pur-
chascs. if gold goes ont at the rate OF S1",ooo,-
600 pcr month, as in January. may make things
uncomfortable before next September BUT II
tariff reform is great blessing, II 1t VIII hit
burdens amounting to S7O0.O0O,OOO yearly
from the shoulders of the people. as Mr.. Spring
or calculated. it ought TO be stlmuant ana
remedy of wonderful power which an economic
physician might wisely administer to country
in a state of prostration. Our Democratic
friends do not think 50, or they would not be
afraid 10 swallow their own favorltc dose eX-
cont in q condition of the most rugged financial
health
Silver purchases take money out of the coun-
rv because the apprehension of silver basis
leads men to put gold where it will be safe.
But when cold is going out Of the country
largely it is a particularly bad time to pro-
nose a great increase in imports of merchan-
disc If tariff reform meant what It's adVo-
Gates pretend it would enable Americans to buy
more cheaply from Europe goods worth several
hundred millions which they now produce at
home. In the end the reformcrS claim. we
should find a greater foreign market Tor those
things which we can produce more cheaply than
other countries. a claim which is cOntradicted
by experience. 1t has been under protective
tariffs that the foreign demand for American
nroducts has been greatest, exports rising Tor
the first time over thousand millions III a
year. The tariff reformcr is perfectly con-
scous that this part Of his theory involves an
EXPERIMENT which has not Vet been attended
with success. 1t is no wonder that he shrinks
from irving it when gold is already going ont
Of the country.
The difficulties of the Democratic position re-
suit directly from the principles which that
party is pledged to apply in legislation. 1t
will be of no Use TO attribute them to other
things which Congress may do or fail to do.
There is no way to get rid OF the response
bilitv which Democrats have sought for them
selves They have taken contract to get
sunbcams ont of cucumbers, and while all Will
hope they may succeed greatly unlocking we'll
vi,hcrs feel considerable doubt about it.