Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-16
RArnEr HAKp no 1913.


RATHER HARD TO EXPLAIN.
It would be a most difficult matter
for certain Of those Republicans who
are now dsnounciRg with all the elO-
Quencs at their command any and all
efforts to reduce the exhorbitant duties
imposed by the existing tariff law, 10
explain their reasons and TO reconcile
the position they now take with that
taken by them some twenty years ago.
AT that time the pernicious protective
system was being demanded By the
manufacturing classes rs it is to-day
and among those who were foremost to
denOunce it, in whole or in part, were
some OF those who are to-day leading
the fight against a reform of the tariff.
Senator ALLISON, who was elected
BY his party to champion the cause Of
protection and to make the first speech
in the Senate against the Wilson bill,
was in 1870 an ardent advocate Of
larger free list. He was an especial
champion Of free wool, which is pro-
yided for in one Of the most important
clauses Of the Wilson bill, and on March
"a, 1870, he uttered the following Ian
guage:
will say, in regard to the duty on wool
and woO.eus, that I regard it not as an in
territorial fraud, but as operating as though
10 were q fraud, upon the great body OF the
people OF the United States. / allUde to
the wool tariff, a law the effect or which
has been 10 materially inlure the sheep
husbandry of this country.
If the duty upon wool AID wooden
goods were fraud in 1870, why is it
not Just as much fraud now? And
why is Senator ALLISON, who has
known and admitted for = quarter Of
century that it is q fraud, at the head
Of the opposition TO a measure intended
TO wipe out this fraud? He knows and
admits that the wool tariff is 3 fraud,
and that It's effect has been "to materi-
ally injure the sheep husbandry of this
country" and yet in the face Of his own
admissions he is fighting a measure
which would wipe out the fraudulent
tariff and relieve the sheep-raising in
terests OF the land. He knows what
would be the result OF the passage Of
the Wilson bill, and is deliberately try
ing to prevent action, which he ad-
mits, would benefit this great industry.
Senator SHERMAN, one Of the fore
most men Of the Republican party, who
is also fighting the passage Of ths Will
son bill, is fully aware OF the pernicious
results which have followed long years
of protection. He, too. knows Of how
much benefit the passage OF the Wilson
bin would be TO the sheep grower and
vet he is foremost among those who are
opposing 10. 10 1883 JOHN SHERMAN,
in speaking against protective tariff
on WOOL made use Of the following Ian
guage:
1870. As cents; in 1873, which was an aOnor-
mai year, 40 cents per pound this was
the result Of the policy Of protecting the
WOol-growers.
But Senator SHERMAN still wants that
policy continued.
More than twenty years ago Senator
SHERMAN entered his protest against
the tariff rates existing at that time
and which he called excessive protec-
ton" III" said he in 1872, "the
present rates Of duty were high enough
during and since the war, when home
Industry was burdensd with heavy inter
nal taxes, then surely they
are now too high, when all these taxes
are removed"
The tariff rates Of 1872, admitted ty
the distinguished gentleman from Ohio
to be too high, have twice been increas-
ed since then, aud yet he fights reduc-
ton.
Taxation which was sKhorbitant a
score OF years ago is just as much so
now. 1t was wrong then aud it is wrong
now. These Senators know it now just
as well as they knew it then aud their
opposition to a measure which has for
its object the correction Of laws they
have themselves denounced will be very
difficult for them to explain.