New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-07
THE TARIFF IN THE HOUSE.

The Revenue Reformers have been forced to
show their hands, HencefOrth they may be
better known as the Revenue DestrOyers. The
question was one of the reduction OF taxes
and duties. 1t was a question of taking forty
five millions of direct taxation from the
burdens of the people, whose sad lot
they profess to deplOre;-of taking
twenty millions off the duties which they
profess to regard as so enormous. Did these
Revenue RefOrmers hasten to aid this PROPOSE
ton of relief Were they eager for lower
duties keen to diminish the load of the bur-
dened people alert to aid by voice and vote
the removal at one stroke of sixty-fve mil
lions
They were too wise to commit themselves to
open opposition,-that would have been fatal
But they resisted progress. They quarreled
with details. They were ready for everything
save what the necessities of the Gov
eminent and the condition of the House
made practicable. They skulked be-
hind the Democrats, encouraged fill
| clustering, quibbed over minutia, avoided
going on the record, and did their best in an
underhanded, indirect, disingenuous way, to
defeat the very objects they prOfessed to seek.
| They had been for reduction of taxes
here it was, to the extent of forty-fve millions,
| and it got no aid at their hands, so long as
they could possibly retard without actually
opposing it. They had been for a reduction
of duties,-here it was on the necessaries of
life and on the Pig Iron whereof they had so
dolorously made lament and they hung
back till Schenck drove them into cor
ner from which they could not escape Coffee
4bo nap1c Inv
were perpetutally cited as the monstrosities of
Tariff iniquity here was proposition in the
poor mans interest, and they did their best,
like the Priest and the Levite, to cross over
and pass it by. They were in favor of the
theory of reduction in taxes and duties, but
against its enforcement. They prOfessed to
want moderate duties. What they did want
was Free Trade They called themselves
Revenue Reformers. What they wanted to
make themselves was Revenue DestrOyers.
We heartily rejoice that without their aid,
and in spite of their false friendship, the Re-
publican party has been able to add to the
financial honors of this Administration by
offering reduction of Sixty-fve Millions in the
popular burdens. The payment of the Debt goes
on. The prospects of funding the remainder
at a largely reduced rate of interest are
brighter. The Government fulfills and means
to fulfill all it's obligations to the letter. And
it is able, meanwhile, to take two -ffths off the
duty on Coffee and Tea, to reduce largely the
duty on Sugar, to cOncede two dol
lars per tun to the perpetual clamOr
against the duty on Pig Iron, and to add
largely to the articles on the free list. All
this is accomplished in the bill which, after
the most virulent opposition, has just been
forced through the House; and in addition
the Ways and Means Committee has been in
structed to report bill removing altogether
the duty on Coal The bill passed is not
altogether such as we would have
it; but it is measure of substantial and in
the main judicious relief,-opposed, wherever
opposition seemed safe, by the Revenue Re-
formers, and carried by the persistent efforts
of the Tariff men. We joyfully announce its
passage, and look confidently to the Senate for
approval.