Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-23
mun mARTRR

The present indications point to re- opening of the tariff question at the ap- preaching session of congress The con- dition of the revenue is such that some kind of Legislation is absolutely needed to bring in enough money to meet the wants of the government, and this ne- eessity furnishes the republican party with the occasion for an effort to return to the system of prohibitory protection. It appears. however, that there is dis position in that party to stop short of the old Mckinley act and to plant it. self upon a moderate protective tariff.
 Governor MeKinley's own views are thus given:
 "The people demand a tariff policy that will avoid deficits, raise money sufficient to pay the current expenses of the gov ernment, make unnecessary future bond issues and encourage American enter prses which will give profitable en- ployment to American labor"
 To the same purpose Governor For aker speaks:
 "The overwhelming republican tri- umph means a revision of the tariff laws on protection lines and a restoration of reciprocity"
 Mir. Charles Emory Smith of the Phil adelphia Press, whose speeches were a great help in the Ohio campaign, says
 This expression of opinion by the pub He means a return, not necessarily to the schedules of the Mckinley blll but to the protection policy"
 Congressman Taft says:
 "It does not mean a restoration of the Mckinley bill as 1t was, but demand that sufficient income be raised to pay the expenses of the government
 r RrOr,o wall tbipIrc fbot Y,oost that can be expected, while Cleveland is president, ''is to put a duty on wool and few other articles sufficient to raise money to pay current expenses" leav- ing to republican administration to deal with the subject in its entirety. He hardly thinks. however i've would go to the extent of the Mckinley bill rates. !"
 MT. Sherman's views on the subject are to be found in various places in his sec ond volume, and they are instructive. This quotation, from page 1206. will have at this time and in this connection new and added interest. He says:
 While the Mckinley law largely re ducedthe taxes and the duties under the pre-eXisting laws, yet 1t furnished ample revenue to support the government. The object of the act was declared to be to reduce the revenue. It was impartial to all sections and to all industries. The south was well cared for in it, and every reasonable degree of protection was given to that section. In growing indus tries in the north, which it is desirable to encourage, an increase of duty was given. In nearly all the older industries the rates were reduced, and the result was a reduction of revenue to the extent of S30,000, 900. Thre was no discrimina- ton made in the Mckinley act between agriculture and mechanical industries. The Wilson bill sacrificed the interests of every farmer in the United States, ex- cept probably the growers of rice ana of fruit in the south."
 He closes the paragraph with these strong words:
 "The Mckinley act, believe, was the most carefully framed, especially in US operative clauses and It's classification or duties, of any tariff ever passed by the congress of the United States"
 So we may infer from these indica- tions that the republican congress will, during the remainder of MT Cleveland's term, look for an increase of revenue from a duty on wool and an increased excise tax on malt liquors. If they should elect the next president and con- trol both houses of congress we may look to see the knife driven deeper and the old tariff battle fought over. It may be that the outcome of the present congress will be to place the two parties face to face upon the tariff question in 1896.