The herald., 1896-02-04
TUESDAY,. FEBRUARY 4, 1896.
."SAILING UNDER FALSE
~ GQLORS"
TIE HEnALD is in receipt Of the 70,

TIE HERALD is in receipt Of the fol-
loving inquiry:
EDITOR HERALD: Will you kindly
explain through the columns of your paper
whether q protective tariff exists in the
UMted States as protective tariff, or
whether it exists simply under the cloak of
tariff for revenue; or to use a common
sinnile, whether or not it is sailing under
false coiors." If. as I understand, pro-
tectlve tariff honestly enacted as such is at
variance with the constitution and not rec
ognizable by law, fail to see wherein Mr..
Bayard has offended in .denouncine an un-
lawful policy. Yours, ENQUIRER.
The HERALD has frequently adverted
to the fact that protective tariff is
not specifically provided for in either
the federal constitution or the federal
statutes. And in the discussion of the
matter of Ambassador Bayard's
speeches abroad touching protection
ism. the same ground has been gone
over. However, the unconstitutional
ity of protectionism and the utter ab-
surdity of the pretenss that it is a
formal adopted policy of the United
States which it would be treason to
question, cannot be too thoroughly
understood.
While the schedules of tariff acts
have been SO constructed ss to foster
certain private interests, no tariff act
has ever been passed and placed on
the ststute books with title in any
way indicating it to be a protective
measure. The titles to tariff acts de-
scribe them as bsing for the purpose
of raising revenue" or reducing rev.
enues," .'elualizing taxes. etc." but
never as being intended to protect or
foster any particular interest. With
all their reckless assertion that pro-
tectionism is lawful, is popular and ia
American, the apostles OF ths doctrine
of special privilege have never
had the audacity and the i'm
prudence to propose and pass meas
ure with brand of protectionism as
trade mark. They have foisted the
child Of ignorance and corruption on
the public with a cognomen in no way
expressive of it's real breed. As The
HERALD's correspondent suggests pro-
tective legislation sis sailing under
false colors."
The powers Of congress are specified
In Section 8, Article l, of the Constitu-
tion Of the United States, and the
clause relating to the power of taxa
tion states that congress shall have
power ''to levy and collect taxes, du-
ties, imposts and excises, to pay the
debts and provide for thu common de-
fense and general welfare of the United
States" As long as that provision
stands unimpared in the Constitution
of the United States no protec ZIONIST
congress will dare to call protective
tariff act by its correct name, but un.
der the guise of revenue" legislation
the plumber of the many for the benefit
Of the few will be carried on. Before
the supreme court of the United States
= measure entitled IAN act to protect,
foster and encourage certain industries
and private interests, etc." would
stand about as much chance OF being
sustained as an act which provided for
dispossessing people of property with
out due process of law. The supreme
court has already declared that to take
through the power of taxation the
property Of one person and bestow it
on another sis none the less robbery
though done under the forms of law
The effect Of taxation levied for ths
benefit of particular interests is to rob
some and bsstow the results of the
robbery on others.
It is entirely safe to assert that no
union Of the states or colonies, as they
were then. would have been consum-
mated with constitution which dele
gated to congress the authority of
using the power of taxation for other
than public interests. If the formation O.
fhe federal union had been predicated
q any such proposition the constitu-
<1onal convention would have broken
~ Ia q row. No such dangerous grant
of power would have received decent
oonsideration, and the legislation that
~ have had which has been protective
~ eject, though not in name, has been
"A violatiop OF the letter and spirit Of
~ fundamental law Of the land.
Neither has congress ever, adopted
my resolution affirming protectionism
- national policy. Eysn if it had
<1nmitfed any such piece of idiocy
nobody need be bound by it. Congress
r. body OF limited powers and it is
<o< empowered to declare what or
het ahall not be the policy Of the
ogfoan people regarding economic
u political prcpositiona The lines