Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-06-14
TARIFF BUILDING 4 HARD JOB.

This country is so broad and it's in
terests are so diversified that it is
very difficult thing for any party or
any Congress to make any radical
change in existing tariffs. Revenue
and one of $500, ,0OO, 900 dollars in the
United States must be raised annu-
ally, whatever party is in power, or
system prevails.
Revenue is raised from two sources
chief1y-tariff Or imports and inter-
nal revenues collected by tax on
LIQUORS. tobacco and a few other home
| produced articles which are counted
as luxuries.
There is quite a radical difference
in the opinion of parties and of men
as to the exact methods Of adjusting
the tariff 1t has long been theory
of Democrats that the tariff should be
raised on articles on which it could
be easiest collected, as, for instance,
on sugar, etc., together with things
classed as luxuries. This party has
pretended to abhor the idea that
duty should be placed on anything to
enhance it's cost to the foreign pro-
ducer, because thereby the American
producer could make it Or raise it
under protective duties with a profit
to himself. On the other hand the
Republican party has favored pro-
tective tariff. They have SO placed,
q L ,~.4s
cles which can be grown or manu-
featured at home that the foreigner
with his very cheap labor, and his
peculiar advantages cannot come in
to this country with his goods, fill our
markets and drive our manufacturers
Or our producers out of business.
Republicans believe in making or
raising everything that can be made
Or raised here advantageously, there
by giving employment to American
laborers, building factories, increas-
ing agricultural operations and in
saving at home the money which
would be sent abroad under the other
system. On the one hand Democrats
would open up our markets to the
world regardless of consequences to
American producers. Republicans
would care for Americans first and
let other nations look out for their
own special interests. Protection is
a valuable and necessary law. The
free trade democrat owning a farm
surrounded by protectionists and free
traders does not tear down his own
fences and let his neighbors turn
their cattle promiscuously into his
fields and his meadows. He protects
against the invasions and ravages of
his friendly neighbors Or shiftless
fellow farmers, who would eat up his
grass, destroy his crops and ruin him
in a season If it was not for the pro-
lection of the law and good fence.
But the principle in which tariff
should be framed fully settled in the
minds of a party and of a congress as
in the present case, there are almost
insurmountable difficulties adjusting
thing advantageous to New Eng
land may seemingly be harmful to
purely agricultural section like Kan
sas or sections of the South. Protec-
ton which helps the factory owner in
one section may possibly harm in a
smaller measure elsewhere. The Re-
publican of California may want
rank tariff on his fruit, while the Yer
monter, would like to buy his oranges
or his canned fruit at lower rates
than his California friend can sell
them for.
When all the diversities of interests
find representations in congress and
the work of framing and adjusting
the tariff to be good and satisfactory
all around is undertaken the work is
most perplexing one. There must be
Weddings and compromises, with bur-
dens of disadvantages here and there,
which the legislation must fix and en-
dure. Hence the interests and clash
of tongues and almost in the house of
congress. Great and worthy as men
in congress are, very few of them rise
to that high place Of craftsmanship
where they can sacrifice, even in
small degree, the interests Of their