Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1888 — THE TARIFF IN ILLINOIS. [ARTICLE]

THE TARIFF IN ILLINOIS.

Some Surprising Facts Learned by the Chicago Times Correspondents. [Chicago special.] The Chicago Times recently took measures to sound the farmers of Illinois on the subject of tariff reform. It instructed its correspondents throughout the State to obtain expressions of opinion from leading farmers of both parties in their respective localities and forward them for use in its columns without coloring or bias. The work has been done intelligently and thoroughly, and the results may be accepted as reflecting very accurately the tariff opinion of the farmers of Illinois. The fact which is most clearly brought out is that while the farmers generally go with the party with which they have heretofore affiliated, yet as a body they can not be depended upon to support the existing high tariff through thick and thin. An analysis of the returns shows that fully 60 per cent., or three out of five, of the farmers interviewed ore in favor of a decided modification and reduction, and only about two out of five are radical protectionists, while many of the latter regard the existing tariff as extreme. Of the Democrats more than 90 per cent, favor reform on the lines indicated in the President’s message, or of something much more radical, about half of the reformers favoring either tariff for revenue only or out-and-out free trade excepting as to recognized luxuries, such as spirits, wine, beer, and tobacco. Not 9 per cent, can be classed as Randall Democrats. Perhaps the most surprising thing shown by the returns is the large proportion of Republicans favoring a sweeping revision of the tariff on lines approaching those marked out by the President. About 60 per cent, only are in favor of high protective duties, and many of these regard the present tariff as too high. The number of extremists of the Horace Greeley school is surprisingly small. About 30 per cent, declare themselves in favor of tariff reform, and most of them favor such a revision as the President recommends, or a still nearer approach to a strictly revenue tariff, while a few are as radical free-trad-ers as any of the Democrats. The conclusion of the Times from the returns, taken as a whole, is that if ths farmers of Illinois were to vote on the tariff issue alone, without regard to other questions, or to party affiliations or prejudices, there would be a large majority in favor of a large reduction of the tariff taxes. Still, it appears that many of them are not prepared to say that they care enough for tariff reform to sever their old party relations in order to secure it It is a significant fact, however, and one that politicians would do well to note as indicative of the political drift, that some Republicans say frankly they will vote for a Democrat, if necessary, in order to secure tariff reform, while hardly a single Democrat intimates that he will vote for a Republican to save the tariff it is or make it more extremely protective. The terminal facilities of Chicago are improved by the skatorial mania.