Tariffs and Political Parties
The tariff issue was central to political party debates in the Second Party System, Third Party System and Fourth Party System, from the 1820s to the early 1930s. In general Democrats favored a tariff that would pay the cost of government, but no higher. Whigs and Republicans favored higher tariffs to encourage or "protect" industry and industrial workers. Tariffs were generally low before 1860, and high after that. Since the 1930s, however, tariffs have been very low and have been much less a matter of partisan debate.
Read more about this topic: Tariffs In United States History
Famous quotes containing the words political and/or parties:
“There is no legislation—I care not what it is—tariff, railroads, corporations, or of a general political character, that all equals in importance the putting of our banking and currency system on the sound basis proposed in the National Monetary Commission plan.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“Remorse—is Memory—awake—
Her Parties all astir—
A Presence of Departed Acts—
At window—and at Door—”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)