The evening world., 1893-12-19
help.
OF TARIFF ABOMINA-

GROWTH OF TARIFF ABOMINA-
TIONS.
The moderate tariff of 1918 rapidly grew
Into the tariff of abominat6nsh that
carried this country to the verge of civil
discord and provoked a natural revulsion.
Protection has run a like course since
When Congress began to repeal war
burdens and to relieve manufacturers OF
the internal taxes, which they mad used
70 secure compensating duties on like
throughout the country, without respect
tariff. ~" re'ue'0h OIL the war
Unable to resist this demand, the pro-
any reduction of consequence until 1872,
they defeated a House bill that did
MAKE niitKe a substantial REDUCTION, by sub.
: s'ib, or a senate bill which carried
however, as the election of 1874 gave the
next House to the Democratic party,
that Pill was repealed by the outgoing
they were before 1872.
MORE AND MORE PROTECTION"
And although the demand for tariff
reform and, for reduction Of taxes has
ever since been a burning and growing
9ne IN the country, the protected in
every Republican Congress elected since
lS4 an Increase of their protection, oc-
casionally permitting the repeal or the
tessening or a tax that was paid into
their benefit. i
Protection. left to its natural momen-
prohlbitory walls are always needing to
strengthened. A protective tariff never Snq
mas n never can give stability and
Even If its victims are too weak or too
scattered to agitate for its decrease,
those benefciaries are sure to agitate
When the reform tariff of 1916 was be-
fore Congress, he air was full OF
prophecies that 1t would destroy our
manufacturing industries; throw labor
at pauper wages, and dwarf and arrest
the prosperous growth Of the country.
Every representative of four great
manufacturing States of New England
Of its frightening effect. The rate Of
duties provided in that tariff was much
lower than those of the bill we here
offer. What was the result?
REDUCTION OF '46 HELPED INDUS
TRY.
Instead of practically killing the in
New England or the rest of the unit
the tariff Of 1916 gave immense vigor to
manufactures, with steady employment
and increasing wages to labor. So that
after lever years. experience under 1t,
the longest period of stability we habe
ever enjoyed under any tariff, the rep
practical unanimity. voted for a further
reduction of 20 per cent, n by a two
thirds vote sustained the tariff Of 1881,
which made a reduction of Is per CEN
tum.
CONFINEMENT WITH TARIFF OF ST
And so well contented and prosperous
were the manufacturers of that and other
sections of the country under the low
rate Of tariff Of 1857 that when the Nor
rill bill of 1861 took the first backward
1t.
The Hon. Alexander Rice, of Massa-
chusetts, said In the House:
The manufacturer asks no additional protection.
greatest evil next to n ruinous competition from
foreign sources is an excessive protection, which
a like ruinous and irresponsible COM
at home.
Mr.. Sherman. of Ohio, said:
When Mr.. Stanton says the manufacturers are
urging and depressing the bill. he says what he
must certainly know is not correct; the manu-
facturers have asked over and over again to be
let alone.
Mr.. Morrill, himself has since said that
the tariff of 1861 was not asked for, and
but coldly welcomed by manufacturers.
Senator r. M. T. Hunter, Of Virginia,
then chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, said:
Have any of the manufacturers come here to
complain OF ASK IOT new uutltt. Is II HOtOTlOuB
that II we were to leave It to them, the manu-
facturers Of New England themselves. to the
manufacturers Of hardware, textile fabrics, &C.,
there would be a large majority against any
DO we not know that the woollen manufacture
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
been a more healthy and rapid develop
ment Of our manufacturing industry
tariff from 1916, to 1861. nor a more
healthy mi harmonious growth of agri-
culture and all the other industries Of
the country.
No chapter in our political experience
carries with Ut a more salutary lesson
than this, and none could appeal more
strongly to lawmakers to establish a just
~exhausting agriculture by con-
slant blood-letting. nor keeping manu-
facturers alternating between chills and
feyers by artihSial pamRering. In this
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 the
divisions, subdivisions, complex and
manifold mazes and involutions of our
chemical, textile, metal and other indus
tries, tndt no committee OF congress-, no
matter how extended the range of their
personal knowledge. or how labortous
and painstaking their efforts, could eve
hope to possess.
we have not forgotten tina we repre-
sent the people who are the many, as
well as the protected interests who are
the few, and while we have death with
the latter in no spirit of upnfriendli-
mes, we nave felt hat II was our duty
and not their privilege to make tariff
schedules.
Those who concede the right of bene-
ficiaries to fix their W bounties must
necessarily commit to them the framing
and wording of laws by which those
bounties are secured to them.
CONGRESSMEN AS AMANUENSES.
A committee Of Congress thus becomes
merely the amanuensis of the protected
interests. 1t has been shown so clearly
and so often In the debates Of this
House, that nearly every important
schedule of the existing law was made
in its very words and figures by repre-
sentatiYes of the interests II was framed
to protect, that II Is unnecessary In our
report to present the record proof OF
this fact: but II may not be amiss to
cite further evidence to show hat this
Is not only the necessary rule, but the
open and aVowed method OF framing
protective tariffs.
TARIFF IN THE 10TH CONGRESS.
When the Senate substitutes for the
BILL passed by the House In the F,iftieth