The herald., 1894-07-31
SINGLE TAX AND FREE TRADE.
Expression of Views at Last
Nights Meeting.
Will A. Harris Gives a Summary of
Tariff Legislation.
The Old Time Bitter Laws Against In
ternationsI commercs-r Tariffs
in This Country-Henry
Ciay's Views.


President Hoyt introduced ae speaker OF
the evening Will A. Harris, who WAS
greeted with hearty applause The
speaker said that he was not member
of this club. neither could he be num-
bsred among the advocates OF the single
tax doctrine. In 80 far. however, as sin-
gle takers were in favor of commercial
freedom he was most heartily in accord
with them. Hs had been invited to ad-
dress the club on tho su bject OF Tree or
natural trade from q patriotic stand
point.
So deep, so bitter was the prejudice
against International commerce in
former ages that he who violated the
laws prohibiting it was punsh ed by
death, and from point to point along
the shores OF England gibbets were
erected from which dangled the corpses
OF those who brought the goods of one
country into another. as q gruosome
warning to their fellows.
But we need not go to the past for
illustration of the evil OF rejecting COM
merce The most backward, ignorant
and superstitious nations of today are
sufficient. China, Corea. Spain and
Russia are in the condition now that
our fathers were in something more
than 100 years ago.
Our theory OF government is that
there shall be no class legislation that
all men shall stand before the law
equal, and that the government shall
treat all alike but with us, as with all
nations that have ever existed. there
are those who insist upon legislation in
the interest of special classes or pro-
ducts. In the earlier days OF the repub
lie tariff WAS laid on importations for
the protection of the infant industries.
Henry Clay. the so-called father of
the American system OF protection,
based his advocacy OF the tariff upon the
declaration that 1t was necessary to GUS
tain infant industries; and in 1888 he
introduced and carried through congress
bill which provided for the gradual
reduction Of all impost duties to uni
form rate of 20 per cent within period
OF 10 years. besides making large addi-
tions to the free list. Subsequently in
1916 there was paesed the Walker tariff
the lowest tariff ever known in this
country. After it had been in operation
for five years. MIR. Clay used this Ian
guage:
that now, when there ia apparent calm
ness upon the surface of public affairs,
which | hope 10 real, and that it will re-
main without disturbing the delibera-
tions of congress during the present ses
sion-for one, l should be extremely de-
lighted il the subject of the tariff of
1S46 could be taken up in a liberal kind
and national spirit; not with any pur-
| pose of reviving those high rates OF pro-
lection which at former periods of our
country were established for various
causes-sometimes from sinister causes
but to look deliberately at the opera
tion OF the tariff of 1876; and, without
disturbing its essential provisions, l
should likes consideration to be given
to the question of prevention of frauds
and great abuses, of the existence of
which there is no earthly doubt. We
should see whether we cannot, without
injury, without prejudice to the general
interests of the country, give come bet
ter protection to the manufacturing in
terests than is now afforded"
These were the last words ever ut
tered by that great statesman on the
subject of the tariff. And in 1857, after
the Walker tariff had been in operation
for II years, Sumner and Wilson, the
first Republican senators elected from
Massachusetts, voted for a still lower
tariff. Then came the war OF 1861. and
as a war measure the Morrel tariff WAS
enacted. AS an Offset to the protection
given by that measure, revenue tax
was collected from all manufactured
articles. The promise Was made that
ne soon as the necessity for high taxes
passed they. would be- lowered.
T. ono q h. D.
in national convention assembled max
ing this declaration in its platform: "It
is due to the lat Dor OF the nation that
duced as rapidly as national faith will
| permit" The great statesmen OF that
! period, the men who laid the founja
,ions OF q great party and brought the
repn blic through the mightiest conflict
of all the ages without the loss of elm
gle glittering star from to ever glorious
flag were simple minded enough TO look
upon the tariff as a tax and to declare
that it should be reduced in the inter
ests of labor.
This declaration was followed by rec
ommendation from President Grantthat
the tariff be reduced President Arthur
advocated the same policy; and a tariff
commission appointed tolnvestigate the
subject, after exhaustive inquiry, tol-
lowed in the same line.
What were the results? Every effort
made in the line of reduction in the line
of the Republican platform OF 1868 OF
tae messages of Pres dsnts Grant and
/ Arthur, ard of the tariff commission,
have been denounced as treaeon to this
government; and instead of reduction
there came the Mckinley bill, which
was higher tariff than any thst had
gone before. Twice have the peouie OF
the United States condemn that meas
ure, and yet we have no relief Why ?
Because the monopolsts have become
go powerful through protection that
they can say to the senate OF the United
States The people shall have no relief
unless we are taken care oi." These cor
porations and trusts have been clothed
with their enormous power by the peo-
pie them seves. Their power can only
be taken away from them by placing
them on the same basis with all other
citlzsus OF the republic; then their only
interest Will be honest, economical gov
eminent.
One other question las come into
prominence within recent years, and 1t
must be met by us, not ss deInaeogues,
Il bnt as brave American cit z9ns, LOVING
God and our country Labor Is sacred,
and we ma, cay that the cause ol labor
ia the cause Of civilization itself, for there
can be no permanent progress or per-
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