The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-10-06
sectionalism in the Tariff.
From the Philadelphia Record.


One of the most persistent well as most I'M
scrupuousy false cries of the calamity howlerS is
that the new tariff discriminates unjustly in favor
of the South The brigadiers," it is asserted, have
so adjusted the tariff despoil section of the
country at the expense of the other. In pretended
proof this accusation reference is made to the du
ties on peanuts and rice in the law Yet in the
new law the duty on rice is reduced below the high
rate in the Mckinley act. on rice flour, the form
in which the largest importations are made, the
duty is left at 15per cent as in the former tariff
On peanuts the new tariff has reduced the duty to
20 per cent Does this look like favoritism to the
South?
The State of Texas produces more wool than all
New England and Pennsylvania and New York
combined. Yet with the vote of every Senator and
Representative from Texas wool is put on the free
list for the benefit of New England and Pennsyl-
vana manufacturers. Is this proofof that section
alism over which the bloody shirt" shriekers
have set up their new cry?
Kentucky produces more hemp than all New Eng
land and Pennsylvania united, and every Democrat
from Kentucky voted to take off the Mckinley duty
of $50 ton on hemp and put it on the free list Is
this favoritism to the South?
Arkansas and North Carolina have more unbroken
pine forests than all New England, including Maine;
and yet the new tariff makes lumber free of duty.
Still another proof that tavorltism mas NOT peeh
shown toward the South.
The only important sugar producing State in the
Union is Democratic Louisiana; and the new tariff
repeats the bounty to sugar planters, and substi-
tutes for it duty for the benefit of the pub
lie Treasury In consequence of this some of the su-
gar planters of Louisiana have threatened to revolt
against the Democratic party and elect Republic
cans to the next Congress. They are led TO expect
that the Republicans, if returned to power, would
restore the sugar bounty and thus rebuke the sec
tionaism" betrayed by the Democratic party The
obstinacy with which every Republican in the re-
cent session of Congress opposed the repeal both of
the Uoifnty i of the Ubiquitous discrimination in
favor of the Sugar Trust fully warrants this expecta
ton.
In fact no tariff has ever been enacted in this
country more free from the spirit of seetionalism
than is the present law Its basis is broadly ma
tiona as the Union ITSELF Had the Representatives
of Southern States consulted narrow local preju-
diees in favor of Protection they would not have
voted to make wool. hemp and lumber free,
nor to reduce the duties on iron ore and coal In
presence of proofs of the broad nationality of this
act the cry of sectionaism raised against il is I'M
manly and indecent But the bloody shirt" howl
ers calculate that 1t win be some time before the
masses of the people shall have become so familiar
with the details of this voluminous measure as to
correctly estimate its true character. In the mean-
time they hope to play with success upon popular
Ignorance and to stir up the slumbering ember
of sectional conflict. worse spirit of incvsm can
not be conceived. But, although such tactics may
succeed for a brief space of time their promoters
are sure to come TO grief when the public shall
have learned the extent of tine partisan fraud and
deception pTacticed upon them.