Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-04
RrslNEsS IND THE rARtEr.

BUSINESS AND the TARIFF.
Those who dcprccatc agitation for q
revision Of the tariff. on the ground thai
tunity to recupcrate, do not reflect tht
! dominant sentiment in the Industrial
| interests of the country. Every organ
/ ization representing the manufacturers
[ of the country that has made n dcclnra-
/ ton on the subject has pronounced in
favor OF revising the present tariff law,
| In the interest Of both protection and
more revenue. There is no demand from
! this source for extreme legislation, such
as might possibly have the effect to
urscttlr business. The general Scnti-
mcut appears to be that tariff changes
should b. made on conservative lines,
so that the adjustment of business to
them would he simple ana easy. but it Is
certainly tue that the practically uni
vcrSal Judgment Of the interests affected
by the tariff is that the country must
have a tariff act more favorable 10 its
industries than the existing law and
which will furnish the government with
more revenue.
1t is manifcslly absurd to tall, OF con
tnung tariff policy which has opcr-
atcd so dSdstrousiy to American in
dustrcS and labor and has utterly failed
to produce needed revenue. The YER
dict of the people at the polls in Novcm-
Der was to a very large extent Il pro
test against this policy. OF the more
than 100000 voters who supported the
alton to say that at least two
thirds Of them did so in the cN-
pcctation that if the republican
party was successful it would
give The country tariff embodying re
publican principles. They voted for
protection us well as for Sound money.
very many of them. undoubtedly. being
influenced more by the former cOnSidera-
tion than the latter. Hence the rcpub-
lican party is bound, as well by its
pledge to the country rs by the popular
verdict. to frame Il new tariff law. Fail
urc to do this would be n fragrant be
trayal Of the confidence which the pro-
pie rcpoScd in the party and would
Justly condemn it to diStrust and to de
feat in the future.
There is no sound reason why bust
ness should be in the least disturbed or
unsettled by the prospect of republican
tariff revision. 1t does not threaten to
tear down and destroy, rs did demo
cratic success four years ago. 4 re
publican tariff cOntcmplatcS now. as il
always has. the fostering ana develop
mcnt of home industries and the i'm
provCment of the condition of American
labor. II means more opportunities for
the profitable investment of capital and
more work for the people. Such a pol
icy cannot disturb or unscttle anything
but operates rather as stimulus to
enterprise No mill or factory will be
closed because there is promise of bet
ter protection for its products against
foreign competition. 1t is only when
there is danger of such Il safeguard be
ing withdrawn that industries suspend
and distress ana depression fall upon
business.
But there need be no apprehension |
that the republican party will fail to do |
its whole duty in this matter, unless its |
efforts are thwarted by those whose sup |
port ii ought to receive. 1t may not be |
able TO accomplish anything in the pres
cnt congress, though there is reason to
believe that an earnest cndeavOr will |
be made to provide the government with |
more revenue, but it will spare no effort |
when n republican administration comes
into power 10 give the country judi
cious, equitable and satisfactory tariff |
law.