Year: 1867

gress and in the several State governments,
and which is united upon general political
questions, is widely divided upon the tariff
question. In truth we may say the two sec


tions of that party, the high tariff protectionists
Of New England and the low tariff or free
trade republicans of the West, are bitterly op-
posed to each other on this subject The radi-
cal organ of the West, the Chicago Tribune, Is
the champion of the latter, and its namesake,
the organ of the radicals, published in this
city, Is the advocate Of the former. The press
Of the party throughout the West and the East
is generally divided in the same way and fol-
lows In the wake Of these two papers 1t may
be said that this is "a pretty quarrel as it
stands !" but we might say, judging from the
strong language used and the warnings and
threatenings thrown out by both sides, that
1t Is destined to bring before long serious dis
cord. .eas.sa .fa a l.eo
| The material Interests OF . community or
section Of country arc more powerful than
moro political dogmas or political Organisar-
tions. The agricultural West is naturally OPP
posed to the monstrous bill of abomination,
called the Tariff bill, now before Congress. II
Is, as the papers Of that section say, economi-
cally blunder, and fraught with extreme


danger, and that political and commercial ruin


will follow in its train. II is estimated that the
average of the present tariff is fifty-eight per
cent, in gold, on all dutiable goods, or
near eighty per cent in currency !; that is, the
people are paving about dollar and eighty
cents for every dollars worth of imported


goods they use. Yet the Eastern manufac-
turcrs are not satisfied with the protection
thus afforded. They demand more protection,
and are moving heaven and earth to get it.


Though there are not more than six members


Of the Senate, as one of the Western radical


Journalists asserts, who believe that the bill is


right, yet Congress is goadcd on to passing it


"by AN importunate and merciless lobby"


which that body has not The courage to resist.


Well may the Western people cry out Justify


against such one-sided, partial and sectional
Legislation. Not only are they made to pay


near eighty per cent more than the market


value of what they consume. and threatened


with heavier burdens, for the benefit of few


Eastern manufacturers, but they are deprived


at the same time and by the same high tariff
from markets for their produce. 1t is q two


fold evil-a double oppression.


The New England protectonists open their
eyes at this resistance from the West. They,
pretend to think 1t strange that men OF their
own political stripe should look moro to self


interest than party considerations or ties Of
former relationship. The leading politicians
and journalists of the West who are now de-
claiming In the strongest language against the


tariff were from New England /; but in moving


to the West their interests are in that section


The original nature remains, there is the same


restless and dogged perseverance in looking


after the main chance-their own peculiar in


terests. The affections Of the New Englander


are always transferred to where he believes his


material welfare lies We had = striking Illus


tration of this when our late war COM


menced. Many Of the most determined


pro-slavery men and rebels of the South


were those born and educated in New


England, but who had acquired property In
the slave States and become identified with
that part ofthe country. The colony Of Eastern
people who lately went to Palestine would in
all probability, if they should remain there,
soon become thorough Asiatics. 1t is known
that numbers of them who settled In the Sand
wich Islands have become regular monarchists
under the sable dynasty there. Selfinterest is
the ruling principle with them everywhere, and
they make everything else suhservient to that.
So 1t is with the tariff war now raging between
the Eas. and the West II is mainly war be-
tween the New Englanders at home and the
New Englanders who have found another home.
IL is . rivalry of conflicting interests among
the same people.


Many years will not pass before the conflict
ing interests Of the great agricultural West and
New England on the question of protection or
the tariff will assume larger proportions. 1t Is
in the nature of things that this should be 80.
This conflict will be powerful wedge In
dividing the present dominant political party
and in reforming other parties We cannot
doubt as to what will be the result The ex-
traordinary growth Of the West must give that
section preponderating power in the country.
New England, with its selfish protection dogmas.
will be left in the background, and the more
persisrently it urges its tariff notions the more
will il hasten its own isolation. In contemplate
ing this result we cannot help rejecting on
what will be the fate of the radical protectionist


organs, and particularly the fate of the chief
one in this city. Greeley's occupation, like
Othello's, viii be gone. He will be left ont in
the cold. Even his present protection friends
will abandon him for having pushed them to q
fatal extremity. The balance sheet Of his
paper, which now shows such slim assets, will
run down to nothing. That, however, may not
cure him Of dreaming about high tariffs and
protection. Like all men Of one idea he will
probably die in bis faith. Against all the in
fiuence Of New England and the aimportunate
and merciless lobby" Of which our Chicago