The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-01-11
CARNEGIE ON TARIFF.
Reduced Duties Must Come, and
the Sooner the Better.
The Steel Manufacturer FayOrs the
Passage OF Democratic
Measure.

NEW YORK, Jan. 9,-The Tribune
publishes the following letter from
Andrew Carnegie under date of Jan.
uary 3:
To the Editor of The Tribune:-sir: Upon the
eve OF sailing should like to say a few words
70 my ieliow.manuiacturers upon the position
confess that had some hopes tnat Presi.
dent Cleveland. with his usual good judgment.
would realize the situation and decide that,
owing to existing conditions. the nation, as
patient, is not in condition to undergo surgi.
cal operation, eyel from the point of view OF
those who think tnat an operation is required
for its permanent health. This has not been
done, and the patient is to be operated upon
Immediately.
Whatever difference of opinion may exist a.
to the wisdom of this decision, all will agree
that "if 'twere done when 'tis DONE then 'tWere
well that tTere done quickly" Every days
delay win alarm and exhaust the patient Six
months discussion Of the Wilson Bill, with its
varying fortunes, means six months OF stagna-
tton in bnsipess. and perhaps, such brood of
failures as We have not yet seen
Rather than encounter this | believe the
Democratic party would make reasonable mod
lhcations in the Wilson Tariff Bill There are
quite enough Dem ocratic Senators who would
unite with the Republicans upon the platform
OF moderate concessions, and the danger to the
peace Of the country, in my opinion lies chiefly
In the fact that some Republican Senators NAV
refuse to cooperate with these. The question
with some will naturally be: Is it good party
policy?
10 not assume to speak for the manufactur-
ers OF the United States but know speak for
some OF them when l respectfully urge that it
would be infinitely better to have a moderately
satisfactory tariff bill passed by the Democratic
party than even more satisfactory bill passed
by the Republican party.
1t must be acknowledged that large number
OF the people have been led to believe that the
Tor tc VrVrixr hiatt
the expense OF the many. Employers and en-
ployed have been set at varisnee and much
ill-feeling has been aroused 1t is not q SUM-
Cient answerto say that this dissatisfaction is
groundless. 1t 10 sufficient that 1t exists, and
whst wish to submit to my brother manufac-
turers is that the first consideration should be
the total obliteratiOn of this dissatisfaction. Is
it not far better for manufacturers as class to
have the party which has opposed the present
tariff frame tariff which shall pass as Just to
III interests, and for which 1t is responsible?
Should the Democratic party pass tariff bill 1t
Will be its own work. and 1t will be stopped
from attacking 1t as made from the few and
not from the general interests Of the nation.
The gu stion would be removed from DO itica
for many years. The party who made 1t could
not attack 1t and the other party would have no
disposition TO do SO.
submit that 1t IL far better to obtain mod.
erately Democratic tariff bill, securing us sta
bility and permanence satisfactory to all, rather
than high protective bill passed by the Re
| puDuCdu pdItyI Auu CCIIhlu W Uo tu0 OuJeCt OL
continual political attack. We ell know that
uncertainty in regard to import duties IL ruin
Gus to our interests.
Partisanshipi is all very we'll, but when the
question before us. as we all believe, involves
| the prosperity of our country no supposed party
advantage should be allowed to prevent q set
tlement which, II not all that could be desired,
would yet be more desirable under the circum-
} stances
am not without grounds for believing that
1t is in the power of the Republicans in the
Senate to obtain the necessary notifications
required in the Wilson Bill to make 1t one such
rs our industrial system can adapt itself to and
prosper under. The position that the Republi-
can party took as to Its duty to support Presi-
dent Clevelands silver policy l believe TO be
its duty to take in regard to the tariff.
What seems most desirable In the in terests of
manufacturers of the United States is that O
tariff bill shonld be passed by the Democratic
party, and thereby. that the suspicion that even
one trobber tariff baron" exists in the broad
domain of the republic can not remain in the
mind of the most ignorant citizen. l. for one,
am quite ready to accept greatly reduced duties
| -judiciously framed-to accom- plish this re-
suit. Yours very truly,
ANDREW CARNEGIE.
| O