The herald., 1896-04-26
THE TARIFF IN POLITICS

Under the caption Of ITO the Editor"
from Mr.. Jesse Yarnell, in reply to an
editorial criticism of previous article
by him regarding the tariff in politics"
The essential points Of the Herald's edi-
torial criticism are undisturbed by Mr..
Yarnell's second contribution, and there
is really little to add about the matter
to what the Herald has said. Mr.. Var
nell declares that in harmony with the
Prohibition national platform of 1892 he
is opposed to any tariff at all. and that,
therefore. he Is not defender of that
kind of taxation. To the extent of that
declaration the gentleman Is eminently
sound on the tariff question. If he de-
sires to take the tariff out of politics.
he should stand firmly by and ardently
advocate the idea of no tariff at all. "The
only way to take the tariff out of poll
tics Is to take it out of existence" Put
ting the matter in the hands of non
partisan commission to adjust will not
take 1t out of politics. So long as peo-
pie differ about tariff principles, there
cannot be such thing as non-par-
tisan tariff. There are really but two
kinds of tariff-protective and revenue.
A non-partisan commission would of
necessity have to adopt one or the other
and the opponents of the tariff adopted
would never rest content with the decis-
ion. A non-partisan commission might
settle a mere matter Of schedules, but
not a matter Of principle. If the tariff
could be adjusted like a set of books,
most assuredly tariff experts could de-
termine the vexed question as easily as
professional accountants balance ac-
counts. But as long as people cannot
agree as to the kind of tariff they shall
have. the matter will be in politics.
Tariff duties are taxes and taxation Is
a subject Of public interest, and subjects
of public interest make the issues that
divide people politically. The tariff is
like the Indian. it will only be good
when it is dead.
The Democratic party !ees not oe'e-S as
radical in practice when 1t comes to
dealing with the tariff question as it
might be, but it contains more men who
are radical in their ideas of taxation
than any other political party, and for
that reason alone it is a better medium
for the accomplishment of reform in
taxation than any of the other parties.
1t has suffered somewhat in the not dis
tant past from cowardly and vacillating
leadership, and consequently it's prin-
ciples have not always enjoyed the most
vigorous assertion. But leadership is
temporary affair. while the principles
of the Democracy are eternal and will
survive and conquer ultimately in spite
of cowardice, evasion or treachery in the
men upon whom the duty of fearless
championship rests. But the Democratic
leadership, which, because of it's recre-
ancy or it's incapacity, made the triumph
of the party impracticable in the field
of federal action. has been pretty well
set aside. It's deposition commenced in
1884 with the nomination of Grover
Cleveland, and its well-nigh total de-
thronement was evidenced in 1892 when
the Democratic national convention in
corporated a tariff plank in its plat
form. which means the same thing
wherever It isread. ~ the fundamental
" important iasus oftArik taxation the