The Portland daily press., 1868-01-23
MIR. Wards Appeal.

We publish in another column the emphatic
appeal Of Mr.. L y. Ward, of Detroit, Michl-
gan, to Congress for revision OF the internal
revenue laws, a readiustment of the tarIh and
the purifca of the civil service OF the gov
eminent Mr. Ward is the President of the
American Iron and Steel Association and was
prominent member of the National Conven-
ton of Manufacturers recently in session at
Cleveland, Ohio. At that convention it was
resolved on motion of Mr.. Newberry of Michi-
gan to confne the action of the body strictly
to three topics the removal of taxes upon al,
manufactures ard products except Injuries
the mode of asses sment and collection of in
ternal revenue, and the appointment and re-
moyal of revenue officers. The resolutions and
memorials adopted by the convention were
confined TO these topics, and Mr.. Ward who as
Chairman of The committee on resolutions and
memorials reported them to the convention,
was afterwards selected as one of the five del
egates to plesent them 10 Congress. 1t is in
his capacity as member of that delegation
th't he now addresses Congress in the appeal
which we copy.
1t will be seen from what has been said of
the purposes and action of the Manufacturer
Convention, that Mr.. Ward exceeds his au-
thority when as a delegate from that body he
demands "such an adjustment of the revenue
laws as shall secure to American citizens the
benefits of national industry" and complains
of the importation of twenty million dollars
worth Of iron and steel in 1866. The tariff on
iron and steel averages 50 per cent. ad valorem.
but without raising the question whether the
rate is adequate or not, We object to Mr. Ward
vi ino he e,,L,o loIa
from convention which refused to take any
action upon it. When he demands "the early
repeal of all taxes on American productions
except luxuries," and shat men who are to be
entrusted with the money of the government
shall be thoroughly examined before appoint
ment. and that fitness and honesty shall be es-
sentia requisites for confirmation" he repre-
sents the unanimous opinion of his constitu-
ents; when leaving that common ground be
asks for special privileges for particula indus
tries, he acts without authority and at the risk
of exciting suspicious and jealouses which it
were better to leave undsturbed
We regret furthermore to see that in the
endeavor to make out strong case, Mr.. Ward
has been betrayed into some exaggerations
which greatly weaken his argument. The
comparison of the estimates for the current
year with the expenditures of 1860 is an Oh
viously unfair proceeding. In the first place
Secretary McCulloch's estimates have always
been little in excess of the actual expendi-
lures. In the second place, the expenses of
the civil service are legitimately increased by
the enormous increase of business in the Treas
ury Department; the expenses of the War De-
partment are legitimately decreased .by the
military occupation of the Southern States; if
the expenses of the Navy Department have
not yet been reduced to the lowest figures it
must be remembered that it would be rather
harsh proceeding to throw some thousands of
men out of employment in the dead of winter.
Finally, it must be remembered that our ex-
pendtures are estimated in deprecated cur
rency worth from 20 to 80 cents on the dollar
Under these circumstances. to compare the ex-
penses of the government now with those of
1860, as if there were no cause for any differ
ence, is what, if done by less respectable man
than Mr.. Ward would be called q trick, and
cannot fail in his case to weaken the effect of
his legitimate arguments. Fortunately Con-
gress is of one mind with respect to the re-
moval of taxes on productive industry, and
many of our best legislators are laborins to
bring about tho reform which the civil service
has SO long and so sadly needed. Mr.. Wards
indiscretion will not therefore do ANY serious
mischief. F. -+F-l