Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-07-29

by Congress aud signed by the Presi.
dent, Saturday afternoon, and is now
the law OF the land. The Republican
partisans are taking much complacont
credit for what they call the prompt
ness OF Congress In passing the new
Tariff law, the work having been done
In little over four months, while it
took six months to pass the Wilson bill
and over SEVEN months to get the Nc
Kinley bill through 1t should be
borne 10 mind, however, in making !
these comparisons, that thu Dingley |
bill is tine product of special session |
Of Congress, during whiuh practically
nothing else was considered. Congress
assembled on March 18th, and the bill
was forced along in the House by Reed
tactics, with no attempt at considera-
tion, and passed on March 3lst. On
May 9th it was reported to the Senate,
and passed by that body on July 7th.
1t was next considered for twelve days
in conference committee, and finally
passed and approved by the President
on July cath. after session lasting
four months and nino days.
Even upon the point Of celebrity, there
fore, the Congress- is entitled to no
special consideration, as every i'm
portant public interest was kept in the
background, in order not to opstruct
the track of the tariff. And the result
is tariff which, instead of determin-
I've, kha - Is 80 ~,
rise to continued agitation OF the
subject. 1t imposes duties higher than
those contained 10 the Mckinley bill,
which was go outrageous In its i'm
positions that the people twice repudi-
Rted 1t ut two successive national
elections. 1t imposes taxes upon the
necessities OF existence upon food,
clothing, boots and shoes and lumber
not for the purpose of raising revenue,
but for the benefit OF trusts. 1t cannot
be expected, therefore, that the people
will remain contented under system
Of taxation that does not take the
money contributed by them and place
it in the National Treasury, but offers
it as free gift to the trusts furnishing
the food, clothing, shoes and lumber
they must have, but which are largely
enhanced in price by the operations of
the trust tariff.
That the Dingley bill will produce
sufficient revenue for the expenses ui
the government is not pretended, even
by it's friends. 1t imposes practically
prohibitive rates of duty upon foreign
importations, and thus will operate to
largely reduce the proportions of this
trade. With this reduction will come
reduction of revenue from customs
duties. But not alone will our i'm,
portations of foreign goods fall off il
consequence, but large falling off il
our foreign export trade-larger nov
than at any period in our country
history--may naturally be expected. The
spirit of the Dingley bill has engen
dared feeling of reprisal in foreign
lands, and We need not expect thsin Il
buy dollars worth Of goods from thi
country that they can do without. /
has already led to the adoption OF pro
hibitive tariffs upon American goods il
foreign countries. and further reprisal
IN this Inns will only be natural. l
this country shuts its gates absolutely
or almost so, to the productions @
foreign countries. it is folly to expec
such countries to meeky submit t
the blow and humhly continue to fave
ne with their purchasing trade.
The Dingley bill, therefore, will be
failure as producer of revenue, an
will be stumbling block to our foreig
export trade. 1t will also. as wa
proved by the expe ience Of the No
Kinley bill, which it even exceeds i
the altitude OF its tax rates, increaf
tho cost of the necessaries OF life. /
the light of the same experience, it ca
also be predicted with truth that
will not increase wages Where. theI
are the psople to be benefited by i
enactment
They will not be. On the contrar,
they will be harassed and oppressed /
it. The result will be spirit of vi
rest, like that which followed in II
wake of the Mckinley bill. Taxatic
will not make a people contented ar
prosperous, nor will continual tart
agitation tend TO make business stab
and profitable. But there can be
relief from tariff agitation until Il
tariff is reformed down instead OF Vi
until it is made practical measure
revenue, limited to the necessities
the government economically a
ministered, and not measure of Or
lection to favored trusts.
1t is the opinion of the Delaware
that ''if the Regulars are willing
take back the repentant brethren. til
may conclude that it will be as we'll
wait until all the Federal offices a
filed" No doubt this 10 the Regul
programme, although in the meantil
an occasional cross roads postoillce "
be given to an Addicksite, us d prete
~ - II