The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-02-05
Reduce the Tarlg 10 y Revenue
Standurd. =


At this time, when recent disclosures
have shown the corruption and proflioscy
which attend Washington legislation, and
when almost innumerable schemes of plum.
der, in the shape OF French Spoiations and
"Revohtionafy claims," grants Of lands to
Railroad companies, are engrossing the
attention of The nations representatives, and
threaten to deplete the Treasury, and de-
bauch individual purity and honesty, the
necessity Of reducing the tariff 20 q revenue
standard must force itself upon the mind oI
every reasonable man. Ills the only remedy
we know Of for the corruption which is eat.
ing to the vitais Of our republican system
and making rs mPurity 'by.word and re.
proaeh. -,--..F So q.
The surplus money in the Treasury o
$50, 900 900, for which the Government has
no use, and which is constantly accumulat
ing under our present productive revenue
system, is the temptation which has drawn
the corrupt spectators and jobbRrs to the
Capital, with their artful and corrupt expe.
dicnts to put in their own pockets, by pro,
cess which is called legislation for the pub
lie good, but which, in truth, is nothing bu
individual favoritism and aggrandizement.-
As the carrion draws the buzzards TO theiI
feast, so does a surplus and overhowing trea
sury become the seat Ct impurity and corup
ton. Let US remove the spoils for which
the lobby and corruptionists are now striving
to obtain possession. -...t
Let US have tariff that will give no more
revenue than is necessary 10 support tht
General Government, economically ant
honestly administered. Oar present turis
yields seventy millions of dollars q year
while the legitimate Government expenses
can be kept within the margin OF fifty mil
lions. The people are taxed and pay ou
oil their hard earnings the enormous sum o
twenty millions OF dollars year more thar
there is any necessity for. This, OF itself
would be a conclusive reason for reduction
even il the surplus did not have the effect o
debauchng and demoralizng our nationa
politics. a.s ..-. t......
When it requires the skill Of the differen
departments to make the items of expendi
turcs and receipts meet, in order to defra,
ordinary expenses, the peoples representa-
tives will be more chary in squunderin!
money upon schemes of personal interes
and aggrandizment. A judicious and low
revenue tariff would most effectually dspers
the political jobbers and brokers oil the Capi
tai to their respective homes. .
This reduction and reform OF the tarii
will be one OF the most urgent duties tina
will devolve upon the new Administration
1t must be tariff for revenue, so aduste
that its burdens will bear equally and alk
upon all sections of our country. The prin
ciple Of protection aRd bounties to favore
classes and interests, once SO strongly con
tended for by a great and powerful party
has now become an obsolete and explode
idea, and will, of course be ignored in tn
idea of the bill. The general interests Q
the industrial classes, as well as of trade
ore best protected by allowing them to
governed by their own material law s, withou
legislative interference. .., .t..
The country wants no protection but thd
Of being left alone, free and unburdened b
taxes, to pursue its marvellous career Of ma
tional development and prosperity. 1t is th
mission of the Democratic party to gradua
Iy approximate the policy of the Union tc
ward free trade, as far as it can be carried
without resort to direct taxation, us it
questionable whether, at no remote periot
even that will not be the favorite system {
defraying the expenses of the Governmen
AT present the best interests OF the Unio
demand a material reduction in our scale {
tariff duties, and we cannot doubt that III
next Congress will give expression to tn
popular vsice in that particular.