Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-18

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COLONEL Elicit. OUR NOMINEE.
After the war there were several statutes
on the tariff. but as most OF them dc
not materially effect the duties. we pro-
pose TO pass by all except four First
the act Of 1876 increased the duties slight
ly; the act OF 1873 made Il horizontal
reduction of ~ per cent, which was re-
pealed in 1875. In 1852 the popular de-
mand for revision OF the tariff was SO
strong that Mr.. Sherman and his pro-
| tectionist friends determined TO refer the
whole question OF revision to a commits
sion of practical men" experts" In
the chief Industrious TO be affected.
Thus We have the anomaly Of experts
interested IN keeping the tariff high APP
pointed to consider whether IT should be
| reduced. and II go. how IL should be done.
| The Chicago Tribune says: 1T was be-
| lieved from tine first that the commits
| sion was packed in the interest Of no
! nopoly IL was shown that two of the
| commissioners represented the woollen In
| terests, one the iron and steel interests,
and one (Mr KcnncD was an ultra pro-
tectionist and hgh-tariff man generally.
Mr. Porter was proxy for Pig-Iron Kelly
on the commission. The reason given for
the reference to experts was that IL was
too complicated to be handled otherwise.
In other words. the Republican Congress
had sense enough to Increase, but not
enough TO decrease taxation. Let us see
what this commission did. They were in
structed 10 revise the tariff judiciOusly,
which they did. as was to be expected Of
such a commission, for while they did
recommend "a reduction Of from 20 to %
per cent. the duty on some articles was
considerably raised.
But even this commission says: THE
commission became convinced that sub
stantial reduction of tariff duties was de-
manded. Such IA reduction Of the exist
ing tariff the commission regarded as a
measure Of justice to consumers. Excess
eive duties, or those above such standard
Of equalization, are positively injurious
TO the Interest which they are supposed
TO benefit. They encourage the investment
OF capital in manufacturing enterprises
Of rash and unskilled spectators, to be
followed by disaster to the Adventures
and their employees and a plethora OF
commodities which derange the operations
Of skilled and prudent enterprise"
Numerous examples of such disasters
and arrangements occurred during and
after the excessive protection period OF
the late war. Excessive duties generally,
or exceptionally high duties in particular.
discredit our whole national economic sys
TEN and furnish plausible argument for
its complete subversion. How prophetic
Of the effect Of the Mckinley act.
That the people of the United States
are more prosperous than any other peo-
pie is true, and arises from advantages
SO apparent and well known that it IS
unnecessary TO enumerate them here. Mr..
Blaine claimed that this was to some
extent due to protection. while others.
we think. rightly think our prosperity
due 10 other causes, and that We have
enjoyed ii despite protection. For in
stance. the census shows the wealth of
the country Increased l26 per cent. from
1850 10 1850. it increased 81 per cent. from
1860 to 1870, and from 1870 to 1880 only IS
per cent.
\ FEW COMPARISONS.
1t also shows that manufactures in
creased during the low-tariff decade 90
per cent, while from 1870 to 1850, the
high-tarif decade, 1t only increased 81
per cent.
Wages increased 60 per cent. under the
former, and only SO under the latter.
Raw materials increased nor non,
under ihe former, and only SO under the
latter.
Manufactured products increased under
the first s.. and only g under the latter.
Manufactured articles exported under
the low tariff increased III per cent.
while during twenty years Of high tariff
II only increased SO per cent.
The cod fisheries increased under the
former until in 1850 they were 5000 tons,
in 1860 1900 tons, and they dwindled to
HVO tons under twenty years OF pro-
lection.
American shipping had capacity OF
l,iooVJ tons in 1850 increased to 2.3sO.OC0
tons In 1860. decreased under protection
until ii was only 10000 tons
In 1870 the vessels plying between the
United States ana Europe were $40 Of
which boo were steamships of these YES
seis the United States had 10 per cent,
ana or the steamships so per cent. were
British, and the United States had four
and no more
In 1850 of S60,c00oO Of imports and ex-
ports the United States carried SjO7. 900 90
or 20 per cent; in 1880 of 81, 800 O0O. 900 the
united states only carried $2l3, 900, 900, or
10 per cent
Mr.. Jefferson said that agriculture. man.
ufactures. commerce, and navigation. the
Tour pillars of our prosperity, are the
most thriving when left most free 10
INDIVIDUAL Enterprise; protection from
casual embarrassments may sometimes
be interposed.
Agriculture is the foundation Of all our
prosperity; commerce and navigation are
the connecting links Of interna tional in
tefcourse, but these three have been
greatly burdened and sacrificed for the
unnatural protection of our manufactures.
In 1880 We exported sl,OCO.OC0 less OF
cotton goods. 100000 less tobacco. and
S-Vo0" less Of metals and their manu-
iactures exclusive of iron and steeD than
IN 1860. though our population had more
than doubled. We have been driven by
our narrow system and want OF freer
exchange from all the South American
States. In 1870 the British exports TO
Mexico and the South American States
Ntif >'i'Vvp,V'p, NHlie ours were G,SFy 90.
These States are our natural commercial
brethren. and there Is no reason why,
with untrammelled intercourse. these fig
ures should not be reversed
In 1880 the total British exports In
metals and textile fabrics amounted to
the enormous sum of $772,OO0.00O while
ours amounted TO s2i,322. CO., Why. with
twice the ingenuity and enterprise. with
fifty times the natural resources. cheaper
raw materials. and with the cost OF pro-
duction cheaper. should we not reverse
this: but for the Chinese wall on our
frontier In the shape OF our war tariff
we could, and with only a partial reduc-
tlor. what benefits would flow In upon our
whole people but especially upon the
laborers of our country.
With these facts staring them In the
face, our Republican friends. led by their
McKinieys and Reeds, declare that they
desire 10 still further increase our taxes,
and that they Will do away with any
surplus by squandering the same in sayish
they having already as
pointedly said by Mr.. Leib. exchanged the
system which had been yielding abundant
public revenue and placed the business
of the country In a nourishing condition.
Gor aus that yielded shupdapk pxtyatS