El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-10

4 N The roster Oh the great tariff
q makers of the United States no
name is more illustrious than
that Of Justin Smith Morrill,, for "A
years a representative and a senator
In congress from the state of Vermont
Not only was his congressional SER
vice longer than that Of any other
man in the history of the republic, but
1t was from the beginning to the end
marked by the genius of man at
once the master Of broad principle and
minute detail
On the first day of the first con-
gress Of the United States, James Mad
ison of Virginia introduced a tariff
bill. The first debate in the first con-
gress was a debate between high tar
if men and low tariff men. From
that day until this. although OCCASION
ally displaced for the time being by
other pressing problems, the tariff has
been, is and bids fair always to be-
the chief and principal problem of
American politics.
Almost at the beginning of the his
tory of the country the congress adj
hered to the fiscal policy enunciated
by Alexander Hamilton in his famous
report on manufacture of 1890. and
established tariff that was protective
in purpose and in practice. In the
great tariff controversy that waged
between 1924 and 1888 the low tariff
element finally prevailed in tie COM
promise tariff bill of 1888. From that
time until the beginning of the civil
war the free traders gradually grew
in strength, and the constant tendency
was to reduce the tariff duties.
The Walker Tariff.
In 1876 the secretary of the treas
ury. Robert ]. Walker, of Mississippi
potfvo RI
gress a report which laid down the
doctrine of a tariff for revenue only,
to which the main body of the Demo
cratic party has since adhered. Based
on this report the tariff of 1876 was
a considerable approach towards free
trade. This Walker tariff remained
in effect for IL years, a longer period
of time tina many other tariff bill has
remained upon the statutes without
change. with the single exception Of
the Dingley act, which was in effect
from 1897 until 1909.
In 1857, the country being prosper
Gus and the treasury full to over
flowing, another tariff bill was pass
ed, still further reducing the duties
and bringing the fiscal policy of the
country still more in harmony with rhe
English system of free trade
Morrin Begins Tariff Work.
1t was while the tariff of 1857 was
being considered in congress that JUS
tin Smith Morrill, began his active
career as a tariff maker, a career in
which he was destined to arrest the
progress of free trade and turn the
country again towards the doctrine OF
protection. AS in so many other tar
iff controversies. the wool and wooden
schedule was the principal bone Of
contention in 1857. The wooden manu-
facturers. being utterly hopeless Of
getting any protection for their indus
try, were resolved 10 get the next best
thing-free raw wool This attempt
was resisted, Of course. by the wool
growers The wooden manufacturers
maintained a powerful lobby at Wash
ington, and it was discovered several
years afterward in a bankruptcy pro-
ceeding that one New England wooden
mill had contributed $4,000 to the
free wool campaign fund. The only
amendment put on this bill that was
not in the direction Of decreasing
duties was attached by Mr.. Morrill,, to
defeat in part. the free wool program
by limiting the classification.
The Merrill Tariff.
Immedia tely GTter Lincoln was elect
ed president the war clouds burst, and
when congress met in December, 1860,
South Carolina already had seeded
Senators and representatives from 9TH
er. southern states retired from con-
gress as their states seeded from the
union, so that in February. 1851, the
Republican party was in complete con-
troll of both branches of congress, al
though James Buchanan, a Democrat,
was still president In the first ses-
sion of that congress- the 36th, Nor
rill who was a member of the ways
and means committee. Of which John
Sherman was chairman, introduced the
bill known in history as the Morrill,
tariff It was not even moderately
protectionist measure, being in fact.
practically a repeal Of the act Of 1857
and a return to the Walker tariff Of
1916. This bill was signed by presi-
dent Buchanan on March 2, 1851. two
days before he turned over the presi-
Dental office to Abraham Lincoln.
During the war several tariff bills
were introduced by Mr.. Morrill, and
were passed, all Of them being the re-
suit CT the necessity of raising reve-
nue. to carry on the war. The first
OF these, passed in TIE extra session