The sun., 1893-10-17
both rrotcct lion and Free Trade Turned
out to Grass.

Roth Protection and Free Trade Turned
out to Grass.
It reported that Mr.. JOSIAH QUINCY OF
Massachusetts, Is to establish i'll New YORK
n bureau Of education in FREQ trade. to DO
run as supplement to tho Reform Club
rather than as q rival Of that celebrated
Mugwump concern.
II the report be true, it has only curious
or an academic interest 1t has no bearing
on tho actual revolution in tariff taxation
which the Democratic party was put IN
power to accomplish. The time has gone
by when such campaign OF education
was needed. Tho education OF the people
on the subject Is already finished: and as
result Of 1t they voted In November that
they would have no more OF protection anu
no more OF free trade. After long ana
thorough discussion, in tho course OF which
both sides OF the tariff question were argued
before them with the greatest ability. they
decided to have nothing to do with either.
They decided that the Federal Government
has no constitutional right to impose tariff
for any other purpose than the simple one
OF collecting revenue. Having made this
decision, the subject is now removed from
popular discussion; and the people are
waiting to see their declared will carried
out In the requisite legislation.
The people have denounced protection az
robbery. They have decided that In no
way. either by taxing imports or by ex-
empting imports from taxation. has the
Government any constitutional right to in
terfere with the progress and competition
OF their trade and industry. Its sole con-
stitutional right Is to raise money for its
support and the burdens OF taxation for
that purpose must be laid on the people
equally. with no discrimination in favor Of
anybody. either by the special protection
Of o disproportionately high tariff on
speoified imports. or by letting in part Of
the imports free, while the rest are taxed.
Tho only foreign free trade tolerable in q
free republic like ours Is the absolute free
trade, which permits the people to buy
whatever they want wherever they can get
1t to the best advan tage. without the
hindrance Of any duties whatsoever 1t in
wolves the complete abolition Of Custom
Houses. But the people recognize the truth
that in the existing situation. the best and
fairest way OF raising the revenue nec-
essary for the Government is by
taxing imports. Such taxation is dis
hAbulou uhiohS LILO POoPAo osSoiuihS
to their consumption. and thus distrib-
utad, the load Is light on each indi-
vidual But the division of it is not fair and |
equal IL the tariff is constructed on either
free trade or protectionist theories; the
load rests more heavily on some than on
others. The Government may interfere in
the competition Of business and industry as
much by letting in specific goods free as
by imposing special taxes for the pro-
lection OF specific industries. The Demo- |
cratic command is, Hands off, Let in
dustry alone to take care Of itself! Let |
the Government mind its own business in
taxation: and that business Is solely to
raise the money it needs by imposing
sufficient taxes on all the people alike. If
one man gets imports free. they must be
free to everybody. II one man must pay a
tax on his particular imports. all men must |
pay proportionate taxes on their imports.
That Is the revolution In the system OF |
taxes on foreign goods which has been de- |
creed by the people. They voted for it |
distinctly. 1t was laid down in the Chicago |
platform. and they ratified it emphati- |
cally. as q constitutional principle from |
which there can be no rightful variation. |
Thus they lifted it far above mere
policy. They commanded that the tariff |
should be constructed In accordance |
with that principle. because no other is
justifable under the Constitution. They |
gave no latitude to the Democratic party in |
tho framing OF tariff. The Democratic |
party gave itself no such latitude. but ex-
plicity and solemnly pledged itself to the |
people to revolutionize the tariff on that |
plain and precise principle.
Accordingly. there is no occasion for any
campaign OF education for the threshing out |
Of that old straw. The question has been set
tied finally by the Democratic people. and |
10 only romans for the Democratic Con-
sress to pass, and the Democratic President
10 sign. the tariff bill settled upon at the
lest election.
y. No free trade! No protection! A tariff
for revenue only! Those were the Demo-
cratic promises. and the fulflment must be
In strict accordance with them. The work
of education is completed and now let us
have the results in legislation.