Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-22

ton and decrease OF uemanu' tuIOU5u
doubt. distrust and loss OF credit; through
refusal Of bank accommodation and want
of confidence: through embarrassments, IN
solvencies and bankruptcies; through will
Cernesses. deserts and Red Seas, the busl-
ness men Of this cOuOtry have passed until
hope began 10 fail and despair mad seized
the managers of nearly every enterprise IN
me land. Nor was the result unantlclpated
by those familiar with the political history
AOf the country.
~ more Than twenty years tariff re-
ID Predicted that such condl-
taOly result from protection.
out that restriction Of the
ch is the object Of protection,
won In an OverprOduciOn Of dOmes-
tic in which g, the pro producers .H would
would be Oeggars IN the midst OF their
own pieutv, aud that manufactured artl-
cles- would decay and rot In their own
suDsraoundauce How perfectly these
predictions have bean fulfilled the dep,O-
rable situation 10 which 1 nave referred
demonstrates.
Nor for this condition was the Demo-
cratic party In any respect responsible. IL
had opposed the policies which created the
conditions. IL possessed Tor thirty years
no power 10 enact law or carry out IA al
miuisJra,iye policy. The whole response
biitv was upon the Republican party, In
formed as fl was Oy the tariff reformers,
rs 10 the certain consequences OF the meas
ures 20 was advocating.
That organization cannot relieve Itself
from this responsibility by charging tnat
the business condition arose from fear Of
what the Democratic party might DO. Shall
the physician refuse 70 employ the knife
10 save the paJieUt, because Of the pain
10 watch he will be suOlectcdt SNAIL
the lavor.tes Of Injustice and corruption
enjoy their i'll gOtteu gains, without moles-
tatiOn. Tor fear that IN change some OF their
sO.caued vested rights will be lnJertered
with! Shall q system OF fraud anc wrong
De tolerated forever, lest in modifying the
laws which created IL there may be dis
turbance OF the adjustments which buSI-
ness has made 10 its dishonest ramihca-
lions! To say so would be 70 perpetuate
wrong and injustice merely because they
exist, aud render changes Impossible
Whatever disturbance comes through re-
forms must DC charged against the wrongs
which MAKE reforms necessary, and not
against the reforms themselves.
Ahis promise Of q business revival, on
which I have congratulated YOU, is the re-
suit OF the new tariff law Just passed by
the Democratic congress.
element Of uncertainty as 10 what the
tariff rates would &c has been removed,
so that business can securely adjuSS Nselt
10 tue new law not Likely 70 be modified
for some time by a general revision.
Il1aucniehy this result has /9een pro-
% - gGJ--lSsS-G1sas inaugu-
-, < new "a M t1rIf legislation in this
country. ItrepealS the Mckinley law. 1t
strikes at the principles OF protection, and
reduces duties with view Of cheapehlng
the expenses OF living.
IL revsrses the position OF the United
States on the great question of its trade
relations with the world. IL turns the face
of the country from the false TO the true,
from Injustice 10 Justice, from the setting
sun red with flames of raplne and plum
der, 10 the rising sun purely bright Win
the promise of perfect day. IL proclalms
the doom of protection IN the United States
and ODenS the paths 20 the ultimate eman-
cipatIOn of labor and manhood from the
restrictions OF selfish laws.
IL is difficult 10 estimate at so early day
after its passage all the benehcent effects
OF the new measure. That il would dlSap-
point many was inevitable, because Of the
interests il touches and of necessary con
sideratiOns Of precedence and policy
which rightfully Influenced the law max
ing power.
FsFOremost among these was the para
mount necessity of raising the revenue 70
pay the governmental expenses OF SS0O, OOu,-
900 per year 10 would be desirable 10 have
no taxation at all If that were posi- ole.
But as long as you must tax you must hnd
property 10 be taxed. i Will be glad when
al indirect taxation through the tarie
shall De abolished, but as long as tariff
IS TO be levied for revenue II should be i'm
u -. hA nF
political economy teaches wilt produce the
most revenue with the least protection.
Again, in levying tariff, consideration
should be had of businesses already eStaO-
hshed, that they be not unnecessarily dis
turUeu; not that because a business has
had protection, therefore 10 shall always
have il, out that IN the displacement OF
LABOR aud capital which come from changes
ia existing laws as little harm may be
done rs possible and so gradually that ad-
iuStments may be- made 70 the new cOndl-
lions without loss.
Then local interests represented by con-
gressmen who desire popularity with their
constituents often iaterpOse TO prevent
necessary changes and 10 prOlong
system which OestOwS local favOrS. These
considerations all appeal 20 tue practical
legislator and make necessary ~ the be-
ginning Of great reforms 4 SlOwuesS OF
movement eXGSp erGtiug 10 the enthusiastic
refOrmers. For these reasons the new law
may not have gone as far as many have
wished. but it goes long way IN the re-
demption OF Democratic pledges and re-
forming our tariff system.
A consideration Of few Of the provi-
sions OF the law will demonstrate this.
AS already stated, il repeats the Alckin-
lev law, designed 10 Oe the expression Of
the highest protection ever Incorporated
into federal statute and which was so
largely responsible for the business de-
preston TO which have referred.
Secondly, it substitutes al valOrem for
specific duties, thus adopting into tariff
laws the principle Of taxation approved in
al other methods of raising revenue, viz,
that taxes shall be levied on property &C
cording 10 its value
Thirdly, on an average, IL reduces the
rates Of the Mckinley law 80 per cent
In the matter Of wooden goods the reduc-
tions are still greater In women and
children's dress goods, coat Innings, and
other similar fabrics, tAe reduction is 90
per cent. In 1898 Of these goods there were
Imported SIS, OO0. 900 worth, on which the
>dutv was sis, 900, the rate being over
lO2 per cent. This has been reduced 10 40
per cent.
In wooden and wOrsted cloth the reduc-
ton is nearly 60 per cent, while under the
Mckinley law last year these articles paid
ElS,6OO.OOO in duties on an importation OF