The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-03-20


Trade and lndustry.
The business interests % sssr coun.
try. which during the past year have
been rapidly recovering from the pan ic
and bankruptcy which preceded the
repeal Of the Mckinley law. are again
threatened with period Of s,arnation
due 10 unccrtainty in regard TO future
tariff legislation When the Wilson
law was before congress the repub-
lican press protested against any at
tempt To recrce the enormous taxes OF
the tariff of 1890. on the ground that
tariff discussion tended TO unset,le
business and toprevent manufactures
from carrying on their enterprises
When IL was q question Of a moderate
reduction in customs duties. the high
tariff advoca ties insisted that agitation
over rates and schedules brought trade
and industry To a s,andstill. and for
that reason the Mckinley law should
be '.let alone"
But just as soon as the Wilson bill
became law the republican chorus
changed its tune Instead of allowing
the industries of the country TO seclre
much-needec rest from the disturb
ing IN fiuence> of the tariff changes.
the protectionists NJ once began gen.
eral clamor for a restoration Of the law
which the people had ordered repealed
FORGETTING their declarations that the
business interests needed 10 be let
alone. they denounced the present al
per cent tariff as free trade meas
ure and blame il for all the evils which
had been caused by their own policy
By every species of false representa-
ton. appeals 10 sectional pre- judice and
short-si-h;ed >elfishness. they tried to
stir mp opposition To the new law. and
succeeded in 1891 in elec.inr repub-
lean house OF representatives Ever
since that time they have declared that
ss soon as they had the power the mis-
take OF l>.io would be repeated. and the
Understanding Mckinley law again
placed on tl.~ statute books That the 4
D.n-ley bill did not raise the duties
quite q high as the tariff of 1890 was
owing 10 the desire OF the republicans
in congress 10 pass law which they
could claim 10 be a purely revenue
measure Ii was known that even
though passed by the senate il would
be promptly vetoed by President Cleve-
land.
Already the organs OF the protected
trusts and monopolies are boldly an
that the sole issue of the
coming presidential campaign will be
the restoration of the Mckinley tariff
or the imposition OF even higher du-
ties This means that the country is
- -. -.
,ion for higher prices and Increased
taxation. and that the v,s-ole question
j. 10 he fought over again in the press. I.
On the stump and Ia congress The
manufacturing and trans
pcrtation interests which suffered so
much from the law Of l>sO and the
panics which il caused in 1888 should
leed no argument TO convince then
hat under these conditions the un- :
settlement of business will be as great
Until some time in l.9>. when a new
arifs can be framed and passed. as II
vas two wears ago.
The Wilson tariff should have fair
rial. and Judging from the improve
nent in business during the past year
lief. undisturhed il would in few
ears give us so great prosperity that
here would he Go excuse for changing
. in the direction of higher duties 1t
! for conservative business men to say
fhether they want a period Of quiet.
nth opportunities To carry on their
usiness unmolested by tariff meddlers. !
r ore Of doubt. hesitation and uncer-
linty. II the former. they should at
I once declare their preference for the
emocratic policy. and condemn the re- 7
ublican threat to bring back the evils :
Mchinleyism- :.
WHTDDES GRAHAM