The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-02-11
NO CHANGE In THE TARIFF.
American business Men Have Accept
ed as Final the Protective
Principle.

Chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee Dingley is reported as hay-
ing said that the war revenue law
would not be changed this winter, for
the reason that the government needs
the revenue that is produced by it.
Congressman Dingley might have add
ed another reason had he not thought
that the necessity of the government
was of itself sufficient. he must know
that in this city. and probably in every
manufacturing community in the
United States, protest that would be
impressive would be raised were it un-
derstood that 1t was the intention of
the ways and means committee to
change in any material way the ex-
listing law. or at least that part of it
which applies to the customs tariff.
In fact. this feeling is so strong that
reported interview with Senator
Hanna has occasioned some anxiety
here. and it is common remark that il
is 10 be hoped that Senator Hanna was
inaccurately reported. The opinions
which are quoted as coming from him
have been carefully read and as result
it is the impression here that the SEN
ator does not mean that the war rev.
enue measure or the tariff law must be
changed in any important respect, but
simply that some minor changes are
advisable, and perhaps some additions
either 10 the internal revenue list or to
the tariff list which will bring us
larger income.
Nevertheless. the anxiety which the
reported remarks of Senator Hanna
have occasioned of itself shows how in
tense is the desire that. for time at
least, business and commerce be per-
mitted to continue undisturbed by any
tariff legislation. upon the path which
the amazing figures furnished by the
bureau of statistics shows to be one
of unprecedented prosperity.
1t was noticed in the campaign which
has Just been ended in this state that
in none of the resolutions. either OF the
state or of local conventions of the
democratic party. was there any ref
erence to the issue which Cleveland
made prominent in both of his admin
| istrations. Not word was said about
| the tariff in resolution nor upon the
stump. The question was not ignored
as matter of policy, but it was treated
as an issue that had been determined
and that belongs now to history rather
than to the present administration of
the government.
The only democrat in the campaign
who did speak of the tariff question
was Abram S. Hewitt. and he stated
two or three times that asa question of
policy or of expediehcy the view which
he for many years took. and which was
prominently the view of Cleveland in
| his first administration respecting the
| tariff had been. in the light of new con-
ditions and of trade expension. rem
dered obsolete.
Hewitt is understood to be of the
opinion that the American people have
accepted as final the principle en-
bodied in the Dingley law. and will con-
sent to no modification of it until pos
sibly after experience in the admins
tration of colonial governments it may
be found expedient to modify it in
some respects.
Roswell P. Flower is confirmed by re-
cent experience in the view which he
took year ago. However much the
Chicago platform of the democratic
party may have displeased him. he dis
covered in it. or rather out of it. some
thing which gave him the greatest
qualification. and that was that for the
first time in many years the party had
subordinated the tariff question.
Flower is now of the opinion that
| any man who is in business or who
depends upon the income or labor of
others for his support. who would ad-
vocate any change in the tariff laws,
should have conservator appointed
ever him as person of unsound mind.
He thinks that business has now
thoroughly adjusted itself to the rev.
enue legislation and defies anyone sue
cessfully to refute that statement in
view of our trade experiences. and espe-
cially our foreign commerce of the past
year.
In that view other democrats who
were once conspicuous as ardent fol-
lowers in the footsteps of Cleveland.
now agree. and it is even observed that
at the Reform club. whence few years
ago went forth in the form of millions
of pamphlets the gospel OF practical
free trade. there is no longer any vi
vacity or especial interest in public
questions. and the club has lapsed into
the luxurious lethargy of purely So
cial organization.-N. Y. Letter in Phil
adelphia Press.