The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-06-22
] LET THE TARIFF a LONE.

1 been urg lng upon the National League ~
| Cleveland the. propriety Of discussing the
tariff and leaving severely alone the q,ies-
tion Of free silver coinage. They agree
I that it would be audacious on the part Of
1.-The league to take any action by way Of
| resolutions or otherwise with regard ITO
| the silver question; that it should not he
4 discussed and that even II It were the
1 league was poWerless to effect anything
concerning it, one way or another. That
matter, they argue must be left solely
for the Republican National Convention
4 to deal with, it being the only and the
properly organized body for such pur-
pose ss ss:s
! While offering this admonition and adj
vice these same newspapers urge upon the
league the necessity Of agitating and COM
ing TO some conclusion. as to the best
course for the party to pursue in rela-
ton to the tariff. That, they affirm, is
the burning question Of the day and will
! continue to be SO and that the silver
| question is only a passing event which
I IT, 5-
will soon drop out of existence.
| Such advice, however, is born OF fear.
The Republicans feel that the continued
agitation OF the silver question is apt to
lose the party votes at the coming election
and hence they would like to see it shelly
ed, and the Democrats themselves are also
sharing somewhat in this condition OF
| timhlity. But if the National League has
| no right to discuss the silver question and
advise the convention what, in it's oplil-
ion, is the best course for it to pursue,
what right could this league have to ag-
itate and formulate ideas concerning the
tariff? Is one question any more sacred
than the other? And besides the tarln
question has been thoroughly discussed,
especially during these last SIX years,
while the silver question is compare
lively new one. All the features Of the
tariff are pretty generally known BIZ the
reading public, but as yet the nnanc-al
problem Is but little understood. When
the Mckinley tariff law went into effect
and it's disastrous results upon the masses
Of the people began to be severely felt
the agitation Of it's repeal was earnestly
begun by the Democrats. Then 1t was
that the Republicans set up the cry, Stop
tinkering the tariff Even il it is OUT
rageously high, they said, it is better so
when it is shown to be such than to be at
all times disturbing it, and if 1t had not
been perniciously and scandalously par
tisan. in favor Of the few against the
many, and wholly at variance with the
general interests Of the country, perhaps
it would have been better not to nave
made "a radical and wholesale assault
upon it, but instead to have reduced 1t
gradually and thus prevent a shock to the
business interests by sudden and 1lnex-
pected change which could not have been
provided for. AS it was, however, the on
slaught was made and although the re-
formers did not get what they demanded
still the result was vast inpro yement
upon McKinleyism. 1t had the sanction,
too. of Republicans as we'll as Democrats,
although the sanction Of the latter was
given unwillingly because the measure
had not gone as far In the direction Of
reform or reduction as they had antici-
pated. It was a reduction, however. It
Is the law. Business interests nave
shaped themselves in accordance with it
and are showing healthy signs Of prosper
tiy. Why change it, and especial
" why change it for higher tariff, under
the Republican idea, as voiced by McKin-i
ley, that the more you tax, a man the
richer he becomes Why begin once
more to tinker the tariff? And Why
should the tinkering be done by the very
men who condemned such a practice?
1t is true that the existing tariff could
be vastly improved In many particulars
! IN a manner that would divide the bur-
dens of the people, but those who now
propose that the tinkering should begin
anew are those who wish to see those
burdens increased. fl
Let the tariff alone at least for the
present, until business shall have an OPP
portunity Of renewing under conditions lr'
that are certain. When prosperity shall
have been restored to the country once
more than the tariff laws can be gradually
and fayorably amended wherever neces-
sity requires, but until that day OF pros
pcrity does arrive fully let IA the tariff
alone There are no urging needs for a
change at present unless 1t be the ever
unappeased demands Of a small Eastern
percentage of manufacturers whose love
Of country is always gagged by the extent
of their accounts at the bank. When
that is large their patriotism is efferves-
cent and their love for the to!ler great,
but when it is small the lawmakers Of the
country are condemned as being short
sighted because the advice of those who
serve their own interest only was listened
to. s#1
IRISH INDEPENDENCE.
In recent editorial we endorsed the