Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-02
bUNDAY. :. SEPTEMBER 2. 1894
In TIA Einality P

Under this heading. that staid. reliable
and ACKNOWLEDGMENT paper, the New
York Journal OF Commerce. discusses
question to which We devoted paragraph
or two yesterday morning. We have
thought that It was too soon to forecast
the future Of the tariff-reform movement.
Our New York contemporary goes FUR
Their and says In substance that the
tarifY-reform movement has no future.
Il argues that the tariff question now
covers an area Of interests so vast, so
complicated, 80 conflicting and so sensi-
tive that no party has either the wisdom
pr the cohesion needful to satisfactorily
controlling its settlement IF there Is
one lesson which politicians are moro
likely to learn than any other from the
last eight months Of tariff legislation"
md tariff agitation. 1t Is that one.
The journal would like, no doubt TO
have a scientific adjustment Of this ,ques-
Sion OF tariff reform. 1t would seem that
the law Of evolution might be relied upon
20 work out the problem Of tariff reform
s'The survival of the fittest' rates or
customs-duties would be Just as natural
rs "the survival of the fittest' races OF
mankind. But we let the Journal state
its own position on this question. We
quote;
at is becoming more and more manifest
that the conditions, industrial and COM
nercial. which we haYe been so long at
tempting to adjust through tariffs, are
hot susceptible of regulation by any
such means or through any form Of legis-
latiye contrivances. Small forces may De
controlled by feeble devices; but the vast
power represented by the capital, the
natural resources. and the endiessly rahi-
fed industries Of our seventy millions OF
actively productive population, IL some
thing that spurns the haphazard limita-
tons OF conventional direction. Inc IN
custrlal forces OF this continent have now
reached a resistlessness OF movement In
their own self-determined direction which
finds a proper smile only In the omnipo-
tent forward pressure OF the giacler'
They have already ceased to follow the
lines marked out ~ tariffs"
The Journal would like, no doubt, 10
The President, though It has heretofore
been one of his most trusted supporters
In the work which he has cut out Tor
himself. But that paper speaks for the
President and for the city OF New YORK
when II comes out for "a crusade upon
the markets now held by foreign pro-
ducers." Undoubtedly. over-production
has been fixed upon by good many per-
sons as the fountain and origin Of all
our woes and It is only natural that such
great cities as New York and such great
countries as the United States should
cast their eyes over the vast expanse OF
foreign territory which might be ex-
pected to be our battle-ground IL we
could so control and direct our Indus
trial forces as to make them subservient
to our interests throughout the world
The Journal takes another stride for
ward when It says that THE law OF sup
ply ard demand. after a period OF par
tial subversion by the artificial law OF
the tariff. is now regaining its supremacy,
never again TO surrender its natural
sway" That may be roundabout way
of saying that there are never TO be any
more protective tariffs In this country
Under the operation Of the natural laws
witch our New York contemporary thinks
are Irresistible, even countervailing du-
ties will be done away with. and Virginia
tobacco-manufacturer will find them
selves exposed to the ''pitiless peltings OF
the storm OF foreign competition; for II
we succeed in getting the markets OF
other nations opened TO u.s. We shall have
to open our markets TO the people OF
those nations.
Whatever Is to become hereafter Of the
tariff problem. let US remember that "in
view OF the months Of repressive sus-
pense endured pending the shaping of
the law Just enacted. businessmen would
IKE TO know when that sort Of experience
Is likely to be repeated" In other words.
that 1t Is never to be repeated.