The sun., 1893-09-21
. Where Are They Atg"

been trying to convince the people that
they were fools. Twice the people
have become convinced that the Re-
publicans were fools. The result CT a
third experiment Is scarcely doubtful.
In 1890 the Republicans spent the
two months after the passage OF the
Mckinley bill and before the election,
in telling the people that high prices
was what were needed because cheap
coats made cheap men," The people
said "nonsen-e," and voted accordingly.
In 1892 the Republicans had found out
to certainty that protection cheapens
goods and lowers prices, beeides, OF
course, raising wages-which is always
part of the regular business of pco-
lection. Fearing that the people
might be skeptical so so n after 1890,
the Republicans got Labor Commits
sioner Peck of New York to make some
brand-new statistics for their especial
use. They also accused the foreigner
of paying our tariff taxes. Aided by
Davenport they supposed they had a
"lead-pipe cinch" on New York State.
But they didn't. Nor would New York
have saved them.
Now, in 1893, with O financial panic
on hand due to Republican compromise
legislation they have concluded they
have just what is needed to save them
in 1894. They will call it the Demo-
cratic panic of 1893 due to the fear of
free trade"
But now, just as Republicans had
come to the unanimous conclusion that
this shall be their war Cry for 1894, the
panic begins to peter out. even while
they are practicing up on their war
cry, and substantial prosperity is again
at hand. AS the Democrats have not
changed their position on the tariff
question, the people have nothing else
to credit the prosp Gritty to except the
practical certainty that the senate will
pass the unconditional repeal bill.
Consequently there is much worry in
the Republican camp. They are Won
dering if they must return to the
British gold" and bloody shirt" which
did SUCH effective work previous to
1890. They are undecided and are
wondering where they are at" Some
have already taken to the woods; others
are burrowing holes in the ground.
Favorable Time for Tariff Revision.
The principal remaining national
question affecting business is tariff re-
vision. A right attitude toward this
whole subject on the part of manufac-
turers and all business classes, assumed
at the outset of this discu sion, would
be a great preventive Cf friction in
bringing trade under the new tariff
conditions which 1891 will witness. In
the fr5t placeit should be remembered
that no question will remain settled
until it is settled right. To aid i'll de-
termining what right settlement of
this matter is, in the judgment of the
American people, it must be kept in
mind that the successful party in 1888
was elected upon pledge Of sub5tan-
tial reductions Of tariff duties, and that
these pledges were disrt 4rded in the
passage of the Mckinley bill, the opp
sition party swept the country upon a
platform of revenue tariff.
It is settled, then, that tariff revis-
ion must come, and that it must be
what we have not seen for more than q
generation, to wit, a revision dQWn-
ward. There is no use in resisting this
tendency. The most that GOULD be
taia some delay in the enactment of
the new law. But such delay would be
Il mistake, fer tie reason that the
country naS faP0fyi t. EtO1 t0totS; BoCA
in as good shape as if is now fer the
change that is contemplated. We
have just received check in the mat
ter of national and individual extrav-
agance and in movement towards
| financial unsoundness. AS result of
this sudden holding up, manufacturing
and importing have been reduced sub
staEtially to their lowest terms. Prices
of all Commodities are so low that fur
ther declines are hardly to be Looked
for under any circumst- nces. Stocks
| in hand, whether of domestic Or i'm
pQYted goods, are below the normal
and Everything is snug and ship-shape,
and well prepared for any necessary
| changes. SO far from resisting the
| change in the tariff, therefore, all in
! terested should join in Fastening it as
much as is consistent with careful and
Intelligent legislation. - Day goods
ECONOMIST.
Tae Tariff Hearings Farce.
| The ways and means commit zee
granted a few days hearing5 Ga the
| tariff. and the same old chestnut indus
| tries are on hand to tell the committee
how nseessary it is to continue p otec-
ton, and what direful things would
happen if protection should be abOl
| ished and their industries lost to the
| country.
| A man up in Connecticut-Mr. W.
| q. WitcOmb-became convinced, three
years ago, that the increasing demand
for metallic bedsteads would warrant
! their manufacture here. Ee formed a
company and began TO Manufacture
them. He tells the committee that he
pays his workmen three or four times
as much as the wOGkmen are paid
abroad and asks that Mckinley proteG.
tion be continued-not for his benefit,
ot course, but for the benefit of his
werkmeR qld Of the people who pur-
chase metallic be 1sseadg, His case is
very plain. We can continue his Pre-:
lection and allow our poor people tc
sleep on the floor; Or we can drop his
projection apd permit them to sleep on
| good and cheap beds:
Next comes a New York nan, q
manufacturer of maearQni. He want
the duty Of 2 cents per pound to remain
on macarOni so that he eGn continue tG
pay his sixteen men four times, and
his twenty-three girls five and five
eighths times, as MUCH as they would
get in Italy. This all looks plausible
| ana Jn0 COuIulbteS uouuGlSsS Ssp
preciates the unselfish interest which
! he. takes in his thirty-nine employees
though it may have some doubt as tc
the adVisability Of continuing to tax oul
poor people 40 psr' cenD. or all of their
macaronf for the benefit of these
tbirtyspipe employees" Next!
To IncFsase Our Trade.
Senator Sherman says: "We oagh.
to encourage in every possible way tht
expectation of our products, although
do not see precisely how it can bt
done" Two or three ways of increas
ing our foreign trade ought to he OBJ
viOus. II is an old saying that 'thost
who want friends must show thefa
selves friendly" # we want mort
trade we must show O disposition Il
trade on fair terms. No nation III Eil
rope will buy of us if it can get wha
1t wants elsewhere on anything like a
favorable terms. This disposition ha
baen created by our hostile tariff laws
| Ut ioh wa, a ayowadly framed to kAel