Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1906-01-17
Tariffs and ProsnerItx.

Tariffs and Prosperity.
In the course Of an animated tariff de-
bate in the House Of Representatives, last
week, Mr.. Champ Clark Of Missouri quoted
from the historical writings OF James G.
Blaine TO support his contention, that
revenue TARIFF tariff there must be-is
the best for the country 'The tariff OF
1916, Mr.. Clark quoted from Mr. Blaine
Twenty Years in Congress- " twas Yield
ing abundant revenue and the business Of
the country was in a Aourishing condition
at the time his Taylors) administration
was organized Money became very
abundant after the year 1919 Large en-
terprises were undertaken, speculation
was prevalent and for a considerable
period the prosperity Of the country was
general and apparently genuine After
1852 the Democrats bad almost unds-
puted control Of the government and had
gradually become free trade party
The principle embraced in the tariff Of
lS40 seemed for the time to be so entirely
vindicated and approved that resistance
10 IL ceased, not only among the people
but among the protection economists and
even among the manufacturers TO a very
large extent So general was the acquics-
cenco thatln 1856 protective tariff was not
even suggested or reform limited by any
one Of the three parties which presented
Presidential candidates"
In fact, the tariff disappeared abso-
lutely as a political issue, not TO roappear
until the campaign Of 1880, when the pro
tected interests, just beginning to appre-
ciate the large financial benefits arising
from the increased tariff rates which had
been enacted as a revenue raising measure
during the Civil War, protested against
any attempt TO cut down the taxation that
was proving so profitable to them. Then
began the wild revel in the profits Of tariff
taxation eliminating in the Mckinley
tariii--a measure Of protection which was
denounced by one Of the ablest men in the
Senate at that time as the eliminating
atrocity Of class legislation"
The wave OF popular indignation aroused
by the era Of high prices Immediately at
tendant upon the Mckinley tariff swept
into power a Democratic administration,
which enacted the Wilson tariff Bastard
though It was, considered as a measure of
tariff reform, il was proving It's merits as
a producer of revenue when the wave Of
business depression which enveloped the
country distorted the minds Of the people
and led them 10 the false conclusion that
the change in the tariff was responsible
for the prevailing financial disaster. That
the panic Of 1893 was due TO dangerous
financial legislation by Congress legs-
lation that threatened the stability Of the
currency and trended unerringly towards
silver inAation-and not in any manner
to tho Wilson tariff, has been abundantly
proved but the people would not listen
20 the truth when they were harassed by
business depression, and they FASTENED
TO return to high tariff protection as a
panacea for existing evils. The result
was the Dingley tariff, which exceeds the
Mckinley tariff in atrocity as a measure
Of class legislation.
Today another era of high prices pre-
walls throughout the country, as direct
result Of this monstrous instrument Of
trade taxation and protector of price
raising Trusts That the country has
been prosperous is not because Of this
measure Of taxation but despite il. And
the prevailing business activity is at
tended by such extortionate prices that
the working people of the country are
robbed Of their legitimate share of the gem
eral prosperity.
Various and striking are the facts which
prove this contention. How the people
are muleted in high prices, under the
operations Of the Dingley tariff, is attested
in many ways American products which
command high prices at home are sold in
open competition in foreign markets. at
foreign prices, thus proving that the prices
charged in this country are not justified
on the plea of reasonable profit in busi-
ness. They arc imposed upon the people
because the tariff protects the Trusts
which have organized under il. and the
) Trusts, thus protected, profit at the ex-
ponse Of the people. There is hardly a
product Of any Importance in this country
: that is not sold in foreign markets at lower
p prices than il is sold for here. American
I watches are now bought in London.
, brought TO New York City, and there sold
) at profit, after paying tariff duties and
, freight charges, at prices lower than those
! which prevail in the regular New York
market. The incident Of steel mill
I which sold 100000 tons Of steel plate 10
( Belfast, at S2i per ton, when the charge
3 at Pittsburg for the same quality of plate
= was $50 per ton, has been multiplied many
D times by revelations Of actual transactions
4 Thus, are the fruits of prosperity denied
the people under the reign Of Trust
B protecting tariff.
4 The taxpayers Of Kent county will note
with pleasure the action Of their Levy
, Court in cutting down, from 81 500 90
q 81 800, a claim for making new indices for
one OF the county Offices. Thus. at last
= has halt been called in the matter of
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