Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1893 — Tariff Reform Methods. [ARTICLE]

Tariff Reform Methods.

The following is the second of a series of open letters now being addressed to President Cleveland hf Thomas G. Shearman. The first letter simply asked permission to address a number of letters to Mr. Cleveland, with the idea that they bt made public. Mr. Cleveland, in giving consent, stated that he regarded Mr. Shearman as well versed in the tariff question and capable of giving valuable suggestions. At Mr. Cleveland’s suggestion the letters are given to the public at the same time they are given to him through the columns of the New York Times. Dear Sib: In pursuance of the plan upproved by yon In our reoent correspondence, 1 beir to submit to you some preliminary oaofederations with regard to tho general work of tariff reform, reserving questions of methods and details for subsequent letters. The first necessity of the great work of reform, to which the Amerloan people have called you bv suoh an Impressive majority, la that It should be thorough. It may be considered that the neoessltles of Government revenue created by tho reckless extra vagauoo, if not actual corruption, of the last protectionist Congress,have mado It Impracticable at the present time to construct anew tariff upon a perfectly eottnd basts. It may be admitted, Indeed, that aa Ideal revenue tariff lias been made Impracticable for the next four years. At all events. It Is certain that the nearest approach to the standard of a tariff for revenue only which oan be made at the next aoenlon of Congress roust be a tariff which seourea the largest public revenue with tho smallest private gain. Unless taxes are restored on sugar, too and coffee, It eoems evident that no adequate revenue oan be raised without Imposing a large number of duties which would nave some element of bo- called ••protection" In them, and therefore Inerease the profit of some Individuals at the oxpense of the community at lanra. Hut whatever tariff taxes have been repealed ought to remain repealed. The framers of the McKinley tariff, In their greediness for prohibitory duties for purposes of private gala, oaused this nation to take a long stride toward the broadest free trade, and, believing this to he the ultimate result at which we should aha. I am not disposed to advise any step backward, simply for the sake of banishing all elements of protection from the tariff. • • • All that is therefore practicable just now. from any point of view. Is the abolition of taxes upon crude materials for manufacture and the reduction of other protective taxes to that point whtoh will put the largest propertlon of suoh taxes luto the public pnrse and the smallest proportion Into private puraea. The only dancer to the oause of tariff reform lies In the possibility that a timid and unwlae conservatism may prevent the fulfillment of those pledges upon which the people hare justly relied and that some weak compromise may be adopted which will do little or no good, will disappoint tho rightful expectations of the majority, and will lead tho people to aeek relief from oppresalao In disastrous experiments. Tho danger of the present political situation lies in the depressed and discouraged coudttlon of the farmors and planters of the West and South. For some years past they have net had good prices for their crops, except when, by reaion of some disaster, those orope were small, llotli wheat and cotton have been selling until recently at the lowest prloee ever known to the present generation, and multitudes of small farmers aud planters are nowJu a condition of poverty of which the prosperous jumble of the East have absolutely no coneepNotlilng Is moro natural or more Inevitable than that, under the olroumstanoes, millions of liouest and faithful tollers, driven almost to despair, should ostch at any political strew which promises relief. It the party to whtoh the American people have now committed the charge of tliotr Government deeanot devise some measure whlnh will bring speedy relief to tho farmers and planters, the people will certainly oall Into power some other party which will promise such relief. Hut It Is entirely In the power of Congress to lift this heavy burden from the agricultural classes, and to restore prosperity to them and to the whole country. There Is but one way In which It can be done, and that la by a prompt and large reduetton of duties upon foreign ImlK>rt«—so lsrge as to strike down the Chineno wall whleh Is now erected against Importations from Europe, our best customer, and ao prompt aa to give admission to those goods, In line and generous measure, long before the Congressional elections of IHM come wound. For the only way In which the prices of farmers' products can be increased without lessening their production, and therefore the only way In whiob the aggregate Income of American farmers and plan tors can bo Increased, ts by opening our door* ti> an' Immense lnoroaae of Importations, every dollar's worth of whtoh will be paid for immediately by the export of Amerloan farm products. < Dot us now, while retaining all the freetrade features of the McKinley tariff, add to them free trade In raw materials ana s Istge reduction in the duties upon manufactured goods, and we shall bring snout an tnareaae of neoess&ry Importations, which will pay for aa Immense lnoreose In our exports of wheat, corn, cotton and provisions. This will enable the planters of the Bontb to raise a larger crop than ever, and yet to recure for It the same price per pound which they are now getting for their small orop. It will raise the prloe of wheat IS or 90 cents a bnshel and raise the prices of all other farm products. On the other hand, it will reduce the cost of manufactured goods, aud thus give to the fanners and planters the advantage of higher prioes for everything which they sell end lower the prioes for everything which they buy. It will solve the problem In which they are Interested, and will not merely hold the vote gained In the last election, but bring In thquaaipls of voters who have thus far held aloof from usl - . Nor will such policy be attended with the least danger to the great manufacturing Interests. Very likely a few conoems, which are now making an annual profit of to or go per cent, upon their capital, ruay have to be content with 10 per cent., hut this Is no cause tor lamentation. The great mass of manufacture Considered from a merely politloa! point of view, the expediency of such a course la obvious. The only persohs who could even ncetend to suffer any injury from it are t* be found In a limited part of New England, a little district of New York, and the State of Pennsylvania. Almost without exocptlon these- pervane did everything within their power to- detest yon and the oause whloh yon represent at the recent election. No consideration which aauid be shown to them would bare the slightest effect In gaining their votes or Influence. Titer have oarrled all New England, except Connecticut, against any tariff reform whatever: they bold Pennsylvania firmly, but overywfibre else they are powerless for any purpose. Yon have everything to gain In the West and South by a courageous and thorough reform e t tho tariff. You have everything to lorn there If you fall to accomplish such a reform, and It la mere waste of time to attempt to conciliate the protectionist fanatics ol the Northeast. Yours very respectfully, Thomas g. Brauanax.