West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-03-14
Written for Tux Anous.
THE TARIFF


fwo primc objects in view: One.
aud the principal one, to raise suili
cient revenue FOR the expenses of
the government, economically ad-
ministered. aud the otber-inci-
dentally rather than direc,iy-to
aid, or encourages and stimulate. or
to protect, II you please, our then
truly infant" manufacturing in.
dustries. 1t will bo borne in mind
that England's Colonial policy had
been adverse to manufacturing in
America, and hence, when our peo-
pie emerged from the revolutionary
struggle, our manufacturing indus
tries were, indeed. Infants" in
the strict sense OF the word. AS |
have hfnted before, there was m
this country, ut that time deep
rooted antagonism to what were
known IN English history, ns eek
else laws and no less to the execu. J..
tive officer OF the excise law. 1t
was the business of the excise. man.
To hunt up the sub jects of the excise
tax. and rate them. These officers.
who were not responsible to the
people. were often insolent and
offensive, and rendered themselves
very obnoxious to the citizens.
This antipathy to the English ex.
else system, doubtless had much to
do in determining the statesmen Of
that period to adopt the scheme of
imposts, for raising the revenues.
rather than direct taxation aud
this. in connection with the other
object" aiding and encouraging
our domestic manufactures" re-
suited IN fastening the tariff system
upon us, which has long years ago
ontliyed its usefulness. and the
original purpose Of its enactment,
so far as our domestic manufactures
are concerned, and while it has
served, aud yet serves, the other
purpose, OF raising the government
revenues. it has assumed proper
tions and shapes. never dreamcd OF
by the fathers;" but has grown
in.o tho most gigantic and heartless
swindle that ever cursed any people
upon earth. 1t has grown into "A
system black with frvoritism and
class privilege, and rceks with cor.
ruptIon and debtuchery, from end
to end. IL Guys its way into the
high places in the government; it
deb 'uches and converts The elective
franchise into merchandise; it fur
nishes campaign boode; over .awes
labor, and dictates. by Is powerful
lobby, its own legislation, aud its
own profits.
Very early in the history Of our
tariff. divergent views began to
crystulizc, which soon resulted in %
warfare between parties, which has
continued with increasing intensity
TO the present time, and will con-
tinue until a more equitable, less
costly, aud less cOrrupting method
Of providing for the expenses OF the
government, is devised. Its for
tunes have been somewhat various.
Or were, until the civil war. Since
that time, it bad comparatively a
free right Of way to rnn and be
glorified" " Mr.. Clay thought the
infants" would be nearly all of
age IN 1912. when he was defending
his great compromise measure IN
1893. The people thought. with
Walker, in 1916, that The swldlling
clothes would soon be removed from
the full grown urcbins, then u half
century old or more, and in 1851.
the hrst Republican Congress that
ever sat in this country. reduced
the Walker tariff still lower. But
shortly after that, The war came on.
and brought with it the emergency
watch had TO be met, and the tariff
was greatly increased TO raise money
for the prosecution OF the war. So
profitable did the increased duties
prove to the manufacturing com.
pnnics ~ the northern section Of
oar country, that prlncely fortunes
were built up in the space Of few
years. Add since that time, "a
seems impossible 10 satiate the ~.
pacious u,aws Of these protected
manufacturers and mine owners.
Their cupidity and avarice know no
bounds Those Industries which
were salts Ged with 20 per cent, or
less, in 1857, are not content With