Amador ledger., 1901-12-13
A CURIOUS PROPOSITION.

Some of our democratic exchanges
are making despairing effort tC
show that the republican party is
veering round to the principles OF
the democracy in re lrd to the tariff.
Because some republicans, in view
of the surplus revenue, and the uni
versal prosperity of trade condi-
tions, favor readjustment of the
tariff, therefore they argue there is
practically little difference between
this proposed revision and the demo
cratic doctrine of a tariff for rev.
enue only, with incidental protec-
ton. Democratic editors are chary
about charging upon this pet phrase
and telling in plain language what
is meant thereby. Any duty, no
matter how small, levied upon i'm
ported manufactured articles, is to
the extent of that duty protection
to the home manufacturer in the
same line of goods. The protec ton
is an incident of, and inseparable
from the tariff. If wages were as
low, and other costs of production
the same, as in the country from
which the dutiable articles are ship
ped, the freight charges and the
duty, however snail, would consti-
tute sufficient margin for the sue
cessful competition of the American
manufacturer. To provide revenue,
however, is the only justification for
a tariff, according to democratic no.
tions. A horizontal tariff, so much
per cent of the value of the articles
imported, is their simplest and most
ideal method of a tariff system, re-
CARELESS of whether the incomin g
goods become a disturbing factor in
home industries or not. Under this
system, as importations increased,
the lower the tariff was reduced,
because the revenue from this source
would correspondingly increase with
the growth of the imports. So the
competition between the foreign and
home made products would grow
keener, to the disadvantage of do
mestic manufacturers and the dis
tress of American labor. Thus a
tariff for revenue with incidental
protection, means no protection at
all. 1t has been tried repeatedly,
and tried long enough to thoroughly
test its inapplicability to the indus
trial conditions in this country. 1t
has always resulted in business ca
lamity, making capitalists shrink
from investment owing to lack of
confidence. A depleted treasury
has ever been the result, as vast
sums were annually driven out of
circulation in payment for foreign
made articles. True, the importa-
tions under this system never reach
ed the proportions that might be ex-
pected, as compared with importa-
tions under a strictly protective
tariff, because the working classes
being distressed from scarcity of
employment, were without the means
to buy, and were compelled to forgo
many things within their reach in
more prosperous circumstances.
Incidental protection with a tariff
for revenue only is a democratic
phrase designed to tickle the ears of
the laboring masses with the idea of
cheap living. In practice, however,
it depletes the pockets of the toilers,
and leaves them stranded in land
of plenty as the penalty of bad
government.
On the other hand the republican
policy is to discriminate in tariff
duties; placing heavy imposts on
articles that are or can be made
here, and light duties on such as
cannot be produced here. Under
this system the trade of the country
has grown enormously, until it now
ranks first among the nations. Not
only our domestic consumption, but
our foreign commerce has developed
amazingly, competing at the present
time in the markets of free trade
Great Britain. 1t may be asked,
how is it that a tariff intended to
keep out importations from the
poorly paid labor countries, enables
the United States to compete in
many lines with those very countries
on their own ground. This is not
such formidable question as it ap-
pears, but it would take too much
space to answer it at this time. We
reserve it for a future occasion.