The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-08-04
senseless Tariff Talk.

Many newspapers are iudulging in a
yreat deal of senseless talk on the tariff.
Some Of these are Democratic journals and
others are of the Mugwump free-trade
variety.
Free Trade is no more Democratic
principle than is Protection. The Demo-
cratic party has never declared for free
trade, and the paper that proclaims any
such doctrine as Democratic principle
utters heresy as objectionable and as de-
trimental to party interests as though it
declared for tariff for Protection.
Here is what Mr.. Cleveland said in his
Letter of Acceptance in 1892: .
''Tariff reform is still our purpose. Though
we oppose the theory that tariff laws may be
passed having for their object the granting of
discriminating and unfair governmental aid
to private ventures, we wage no exterminating
war against any American interests. We
believe u readjustment can be accomplished
in accordance with the principles we profess
without disaster or demolition. We believe
that the advantages of treer raw material
should be accorded to our manufacturers,
and we contemplate fair and careful distri
button of necessary tariff burdens rather than
the precipitation of free trade.
A tariff for revenue is the Democratic
position, as declared at Chicago in 1892.
The government needs nearly five hundred
millions of dollars annually, and taxation
must be fixed to produce this amount.
The tax on spirits has been increased in
the proposed revenue laws, and an income
tax has been laid upon incomes above
$4,000 The balance of the revenue must
come from taxation on imports. This tax
should be laid to do the least violence to
Industries that have been artifcially built
up or have been unduly stimulated by a
tax laid principally for protection. No
good citizen, and especially no good Demo
crat, desires to destroy any existing indus
try, and to so levy taxation for revenue
only, as the constitution authorizes and
the Democratic party promised, is no easy
task. The present system of protective
taxation is of thirty years growth. The
principle underlying it is bad and the
practice pernicious. But it cannot be
eradicated, root and branch, at one stroke.
It should be done as gradually as circum-
stances will allow. A tariff for revenue,
in consequence of the enormous needs OF
the government, is ample protection, but In
fixing rates that will not too rudely change
existing conditions is delicate task, re-
quiring intimate knowledge of the various
industries, cost of production and vast
amount of information that none can pos
sess without close study and investigation.
The enumeration of principle is easy.
To formulate tax schedules in accordance
Herewith is not so simple. Still the press,
or some of it, and many individuals, too,
speak of tariff bill as though it were as
easy to form one as it is for child to build
a house out of his wooden blocks. The
press is free. 1t cannot be restrained, but
many newspapers are doing much to mis-
lead the people and to embarrass the Con
gress in coming to an agreement on pro-
per tariff bill. Instead of an intelligent
discussion of schedules, the industrial con-
dition of the country, and the financial
needs of the government, they are on the
low plane of personalism, mistaking their
prejudices for principles, and hinderlng
rather than assisting in the formation OF
tariff bill that will produce enough revenue
for the economical administration Of gov
eminent and fulfil the Democratic promise.
A tariff bill that will measurably reduce
taxation and give the country freer trade,
so as to restore and widen the markets for
the products of the farm, will be satisfac-
tory to every Democrat who is not, without
any adequate knowledge, radical III MS
views. And it must be remembered, too,
that revision of the tax laws will not be
entirely potent to cure the ills that now
affiict. The adoption of bimetallism is
very essential, and is a part of the Demo
cratic promise to the country. When the
tariff is settled, or at least fixed for few
years to come, campaign of education on
the monetary system of the government Is
the duty of the Democratic party.