The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-03-24
On the Middle Ground.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.

CieVelanu f'la1n Denier.
The more the tariff question Is
studied the more thoroughly does
the student become convinced of
the abolute folly of free trade and
the prohibitive tariff or Mckinney
ism. He becomes also convinced
thst the exactions of the Repub-
licans in the Mckinley bill, as un-
called for rs they were unjust
and unreasonable, produced the
great revolution of 1892 and were
the main causes of the panic of
1898. The Republicans had increas-
ed the expenses of the government
beyond all precedent. 1t seems al
most certain that because of the
eXtravagant rule we shall be oblig-
ed to raise per annum $450,000, 900.
So high was the tariff under the
Mckinley bill that large mum Der
of important articles could not be
imported and consequently no rev.
enue was procured from them. Be-
sides this the Mckinley bill placed
a very large number of articles on
the free list and no revenue of
course was received from that
source. But the expenses went
right on and u deficit Of $7S,000,0OO
stares the government in the face
and it looks as though it wonld be
nearer $1OO,OOO,OOO. The reduction
to gold basis forced lower prices
and hence that has prevented i'm
portations under the Mckinley
bill. 1t also curtailed manufact-
ures at home and decreased inter-
nal revenue taxes so that on every
side the revenue of the egovernmen-
was decreased.
Five months Of discussion of the
tariff question have been five
months of instruction to the peo-
pie. Except the extreme free trad
ers all are convinced that tariff
for revenue with incidental pro.
lection is sound. McKinleyism has
gained no ground and the free
trade doctrine certainly has gain
ed no ground during all this dis
cussion. We thoroughly believe
that the masses of the people are
becoming more and more to the
settled conviction that the middle
ground is the path of safety. This
is the position taken by conserva.
tive senators. They see that fol
thirty years the high protectionists
have had control of the govern
ment and that the business inter.
ests of the country have been con.
Quoted under that doctrine. Tc
wipe out the tariff entirely, as the
free traders ask, would be the an.
Inhalation of our industrial system
To keep it on the Mckinley idea
of prohibitive tariff is but to e
on increasing the deficiency in the
treasury. Therefore it seems thai
there is but onr conclusion of gooC
sound sense, and that is, a tariff
for revenue with incidental pro
lection. The Mckinley bill has :
1888 per cent. protection in it. l
would seem as though to state tha
proposition was sufficient to con-
denim it and it is condemned eX
cept in!the minds of those who be
lieve in prohibitive tariff. 7,
come down to the rate proposed ii
the senate bill of about 80 or 33 pei
cent, is to come down to the mid
die ground; to adopt the COLDER
mean between two extremes ant
this is the path of safety and th'
path of wisdom. 1t will give M
shock to business. 1t will have NJ
tendency to foster monopolies ant
trusts. 1t will be fair to the pro
ducer and the consumer. 1t will
be just what it proposes to be, 1
tariff for revenue with incidenta
protection. 1t is we'll understood
that down to u certain degree .
lowering of the tariffincreases rev
enue and it is the middle grount
that produces the most revenue
for neither free trade or a prohibi
tive tariff brings any revenue
These are truisms, but it seem
necessary to repeat them in orde
that they may be understood b.
the masses of the people
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