New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-13
THE REAL CAUSE or THE DEPRESSION.
IT IS THE FEAR or UNAVOIDABLE TARIFF
LEGISLATION.

IT IS THE FEAR or UNAVOIDABLE TARIFF
LEGISLATION
TO the Editor of The TT bune.
Sir: The newspapers which indorse the tariff
plank of the Democratic platform are prone TO as
SORT that It does not imply Free Trade The plat
form not only declares that protective tariff Is
fraud" on the people but that the Government has
mo constitutional power to collect duties except
for revenue only" on the other hand, the Re-
publican platform maintains that all imports
there should be duties levied equal to the difference
between wages abroad and at home
The New-York Sun" says the Chicago platform
is mot Free Trade PLATFORM and that under II
everything must pay its equal part of the revenue
without regard any other consideration what
ever" What matters it whether 1t be called tariff
for revenue only" or Free Trade If practically
the result IS the samef thereby the duty IS placed
50 low as to cause our markets to be Hooded with
foreign goods and our factories TO close? can IL
what you will the result Is the same. Under such
a system Of tariff duty our spindles become silenced
and thrift and production destroyed.
AS ShyIock says:
80. taac NV house when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house YOU take life
WI you 10 take the means whereby live
The Chicago platform carried to its logical Sc
quence will take the prop and the 'llfe from
every element that has sustained the house" e.,
the manufacturing industries The only way TO
prevent such destruction OF the mouse II 10 orihs
wages down to the level of wages In European
countries. What would workngmen say TO
mat? And II logically follows that the distracted
condition OF manufacturing interests is directly at
trihutabe 70 the uncertainty as 10 what the future
IS to be- on the tariff question.
\ wise adjustment OF the currency may have
salutarv effect and for time may quiet appre-
hension But the deep-dOwn cause OF the hum
,ir, Is OF mills closing and the 100000 OF workmen
being thrown out OF employment since the ith or
rob il tb,a
Silver hill IL IS the want OF confidence In this Adj
ministration legisae properly on the tariff ques
ton.
several days ago. said the Democratic party must
redeem its pledge on the tariff, come what may
He conceded that IL would cause iricuon. ne a do
said that the people understood the question last
fall and voted with their eyes OPEN This may De
reasonably doubted In view OF recent events and
the reVulsiOns which day 10y day are becoming more
widespread. Il Is apparent that the masses OF
Democrats at least, hoodwinked and did
not understand the question last fall. .
But the Chicago plat form attacks the protective
tar!n system constitutional grounds Let us
see BY Section of Article of the Constitution
Congress has power TO regulate commerce with
foreign nations" and TO lay ana collect taxes
duties lmposts and eAcises," as well as TO pro-
vide for the common defence and tine general
welfare Of the United states Is II not supserVlng
and enrlchng the country by having our raw
materials manufactured here and giving employ
ment to millions of people mere instead OF import
ing the goods and sending the money out or the
country? The constitutionaity OF the protective
tariT was well settled In the of Gibbons
against ogden @ Wheaton, l. POD. 49,, IA.
Let the Democratic party carry out the tariH
plank of their platform, ana then IL VIII more
emphaticay be demonstrated whether or not the
Voted with their eyes open on the tariff question
and whether they rendy 10 stand by their votes
JOHN FREEMAN BAKER.
New-York. Sept. H. 1893