The herald., 1895-04-01
A CZAR ON THE TARIFF

Andrew Carnegie contribu to the last
number of the Forum an article bearing
the significant title. What | Would Do
With the Tariff if | We're Car. This is
Mr.. Carnegie's first appearance in public
since the last general election. at which
time the surprising statement was put
forth-chiehy by Republican papers seek
ing to make capital of it-that he had
abandoned the Republican party and pro-
posed to unload himself upon the Democ-
racy. The Democratic party was at that
time running against such a merciless
stream of hard luck that it was prepared
to stand almost anything-even Carnegie.
The tariff views OF the ruler OF Home
stead, and his reflection upon the atti-
tude of the Democracy on that cardinal
question remove all doubt as to his posi-
tion. and the Republican party may as well
prepare to slay the fatted calf for his re-
ception back to their presence.
1t is cheerful to note the easy, natural
manner with which Mr.. Carnegie drops
into the role of the czar, and timldly
suggests the idea that he may have played
the same part on some previous occasion,
although hardly on so large a scale. 1t
also gives rise to q suspicion that men OF
Mr.. Carnege's class appreciate the self
evident fact IL at it is but one step from an
industrial despotism of the sort they are
allowed to practice, to a political des-
potism which would put the rights and
liberties of all the people under their
direct control.
The great iron monger's conclusions
are, however, somewhat wilder than the
title of his article would seem to shadow
forth They are a, llows:
First-Duties should be collected chiefly
from foreign luxuries used by he extrav
agant rich class, without regard to free
trade or protection, but primarily for
revenue.
Second-There should be no income
tax in time of peace.
Thrd-Esta blished industries should
not be subjected to violent change, but
should be given time to djust themselves
to new conditions. A reduction o more
than one-half of the duty at one time
upon an article is ineXpedient and even
dangerous.
Fourth = Reciprocity, Judging from
what has already been done, is the hest
sep that can pe taken to extend our for
eiyn trade and the policy should be re-
stored.
Flfth-The bounty upon homegrown
sugar should not yet be abandoned, for it
is not yet proved conclusively that the
growth OF beet and sorghum sugar cannot
finally be developed sufficiently to give us
a home supply upon favorable terms.
Sixth-Such wool as We cannot produce
at home and yet IS required for mixture
should be free of duty
Seventh-Art OF ali kinds should be free
because art treasures inevitably flow into
public institutions sooner or later.
Eighth-The tariff once settled, there
should be tariff legislation only in the
second year after each census. except in
an emergency like the present, when
deficiency in the national revenues and
sound policy require additional sums to
be collected from such imports as are
luxuries OF the extravagant rich, and not
the necessaries of life of the frugal poor
Mr.. Carnegie's severe view OF the ex-
travagance OF the rich and his willing
ness that it should carry the bulk of taxa
tion is decidedly edifying, in view of the
fact that he himself prefers to live in
anu 40 HOSL OF MS DuylDg UDefG,
with money which he draws from this
country; also in view Of the fact that he
would abolish the income tax, which is
specifically tax on the richer classes.
The idea set forth in his third and
eighth points, that established industries
should not be inUerfered with more than
is necessary to make prices just and
equal. will be accepted as sound financial
doctrine. The question still remains,
however, as to what is to be done when
the tax is evidently for the benefit of one
class to the loss of all others.
Mr.. Carnegie has made his vast fortune
largely through the unequal operation OF
the Republican tariff; but he is not even
true to the system which gave him a
chance to get away with such an amount OF
spoil. While his tariff views are enter
tanning as coming from one who has been
in high degree beneficiary of the
Chinese American system, they contrib
ute little that is new or instructive to
the volume of discussion on this ques-
ton.