The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-21
THE DEMOCRATIC POLICY.

We notice that several of our pro-
tectionist contemporaries are fond of
referring to the tariff question as it
was viewed in the time of George
Washington and of Thomas Jefferson,
and hold it up in triumphant fashion,
as though it ought to be enough to
silence all present advocates of tariff
reform. Why, if George Washington
or Thomas Jefferson could see the Nc
Ilinley bill they would be SO astonished
and exasperated that they would want
to be tariff smashers" at once. That
is, supposing they were animated by
the same feelings and passions as
when they were ein the flesh
If the Wilson bill should pass in its
present form without further modifica-
ton or change, it will contain higher
rates of duty than either of those
patriotic statesmen ever dreamed
would be imposed. These have to be
retained SO as not to disturb too vio-
lently the existing order of things. In
time there can be further reductions.
The design of the Democratic party
is to accomplish the reform en-
trusted to it by the people, with as
little disturbance as possible to the
industries and trade of the county,
while keeping in view the principle of
tariff for revenue only.
The doctrine that reasonable rates
of duty should be imposed on foreign
imports was a Democratic doctrine. 1t
is SO to-day. The increased rates inn
posed by the Republicans We're justified
in war times by the necessity of rails
ing revenue. But after the war was
over, that party instead of reducing
those rates increased them. for the
avowed benefit of special class of the
people on what was called q protec-
tive tariff with incidental revenue
The principle was wrong. the practice
mischievous.
A tariff for revenue only may and
doubtless will cause incidental protec-
ton. That may be one of its effects
But the constitutional and primary
purpose of a tariff is to raise money
to meet the expenses of the government
The Democratic party is as true to its
tariff principles to-day as it ever was.
And it is as earnest a supporter of
home industries and the development
of the country's resources as any party
can be.
The Republican doctrine of protec-
ton shuts out such competition as is
necessary for the public good 1t piles
up high duties in the interests of the
capitalists, SO that they may charge
high prices for their productions, even
when through improvements in the
mode of manufacture, by machinery
and the experience of skilled labor, the
cost of production is brought down to
low figures. Instead of reducing the
rates of duty on the foreign articles
when the cost of its home production
was greatly lessened, they have raised
those duties in the interests Of mon
eyed corporations, that the price to the
consumer may not be brought down.
The folly Of the statement that for
eign dealers will place goods on the
American market at less than cost, IL
the duties on them are reduced, so as
to shut up American manufactures,
is too puerile for argument. The mere
assertion carries with it its own refuta-
tion. Yet that is offered as the reason
why high duties are kept up and in
creased when the cost of manufac-
turing the articles made dutiable, is
less than the foreign price without the
duty