The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-03-13
JUDGE wEsr on rns rARlrf.
To the ARpnoRErrx.

have been reading with some care
the numerous articles that MIR. Fur
man has furnished your paper on the
subject Of the tariff and protective
legislation.
He does not make clear his posi-
ton and leaves the water somewhat
muddy. He first denounces all tar
IFS and then proceeds to belabor pro-
tectivs tariff; as all tariffs are more
or less protective the conclusion
necessarily follows that he Is a free
trader pure and simple.
The democratic party Is not a free
trade party and has never been. In
the heat of a campaign the republi-
cans sometimes charge that to be its
policy, but no member or friend of
the party has ever admitted the
charge, but, upon the contrary, it's
members and platforms have always
contended for a tariff. Not a pro-
tective tariff, primarily, but for rev.
enue sufficient to meet the wants of
the government economically admin
istered with the further contention
that q moderate tariff will produce
more revenue than a high tariff on
account OF more importations under
the former.
The founders of our government
confined congress to leVying a duty
upon imports to raise revenue to
support the government. No one
can doubt either their patriotism or
wisdom. The grandeur Of the gov
ernment built upon the foundation
laid by them Is a proof of both.
All governments except England
collect revenue by levying import
duties and even England INDUCES in
the practice to some extent.
The thought that prompted our
forefsthers to inaugurate the tariff
system for raising revenue was that
it would be less burdensome to the
people than any other mode Of
raising revenue and more equa-
BILE. They acted upon the theory
that it is better to take quinine in
clabber than dry so.
If the farmers of the Indian Terri
tory were promptly paying their per-
NIT tax and had the opportunity of
aboishing either it or the tariff the
tariff would remain and permit tax
would go.
If the people of Ardmore should
incorporate and then have the privi-
lege OF choosing between the tariff
and municipal taxes for raising rev.
enue no municipal tax would be
levied.
After the late war we had an ex-
ample of the internal revenue tax.
Every deed, note, bill of sale, check
; on the bank and every other trans
action no matter how small or sim
) pie had to be stamped The outcry
} against it was loud, fast and furious,
and it was repealed. 1t may not
, have been so onerous as the tariff
but the people complained of 1t very
much more. They were not taking
it in clabber.
Mr.. Furman says no man should
look to the government for aid or as
! sistance in any waV, but that the
government has q right to look to
each of itR citizens for support and
maintenance. The thought is beau
tiful. No man should advocate be-
fore the people any measure save
that which would be for the best in
terests of the government and the
people. The idea of gaining per-
sonal popularity and serving selfish
interests should never enter his
!, mind; but. alas for the weakness OF
human natureI all such characters
died in early youth. Few, very few,
of manhood.
"When self the wavering balance
shakes,
'Tis rarely right adjusted"
When the tariff system was first
adopted in the United States it bore
? very lightly upon the farmer. He
made his wooden moldboard plow
he had his hide tanned upon the
shares and made his own shoes; his
2 good house wife spun and wove all OF
the cloth the family needed and they
a never really knew there was such q
thing as the tariff. The tax-gatherer
came not around and they were
1 happy.
He can buy pair of shoes now for
less than he can AFFORD to make them
with the leather free. Clothing ia
, so cheap that the good housewife
!, can see no profit in making it.
The articles most generally used by
2 the farming class are not much Af-
fected by the tariff. II our cotton
factories should be shut down by