The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-04-26
mia the Democrats Vote TO Reduce
TaxatiOns
CONSERVATIVE INsINCERTrY AND FlCKLE-

The argus having by its silence and guarded
lieved to a considerable extent the burdens =.
The people, now assumes the defensive.
attempts to explain how it happens ''"s
Republicans IN reducing the .pu'"e"9 l,.aoa
paonle eiobtv millions OF dollars tcefe oottgeo
to do so il, opposition to Tee so.'" ~, - .'o
Dono.ro.,, IN Conqress! It's denial that The
+,xac uer, reduced eighty millions by the
Forty fist Congress is puerile evasion Oh
the main question TO which few newspapers,
even on The Democratic side, would think OF
resorting. The reports of the Treasury Off
cials shows that last year the sum was real
lied from the taxes now abolished. The saw
ing of twenty-three millions by means Of the
funding bill, Against ,ohich the Democracy
also pOted, is not included in the amount
above mentioned :
But to return to the ArguS's excuse ior inc
failure ofthe Democratic members OF Ioiisio''
to give. their votes for the reduction Vi '"Aa
ton: it quotes from debate in the House III
the course of which Mr. Lynch OF TINS as
trict very properly asked Cox OF New York,
OF the exact pattern of several millions OF
others that have been made in this country
within the last year, reiterating the stale old
story that the Radicals have done "nothing
to relieve the burdens OF the people, why he
and nearly all of his associates voted against
the reduction Of taxation last yearp We give
the whole of his reply:
Mr. Cox. I Uoted for a proper discrimina-
ton as to the burdens resting ON the country.
The gentlemen from Maine Mr.. Lynch did
not. He did not even stand up for his own
city, for his own shipping interests. Some
years ago was in the gentleman's city, ask
ing the people to vote the honest, straight
forward Democratic vote, in order to strike
from the tariff all iron, copper, hemp, and
other materials entering into shipping. But
the gentleman then did not give me any coun-
tenarce. lie had not the courage to work
with me when wanted 10 take the tariff on
the materials entering into shipping, and he
has learned nothing since. He is OF no use
isolated. He cannot help the shipping unless
he becomes free-trader.
Mr.. Lynch. l would ask tue gentleman
what answer he got from the electors OF
Maine when he went to instruct the people IN
that State? s. s
A timely interruption at this point saved
the versatile New Yorker the unpleasant ne.
cessity of making reply to the last question
1t will be perceived that he evaded the first
interrogatory by the simple expedient of Ut
tering vague generality, dropping the sub
ject and accusing Mr.. Lynch of unfaithfulness
to the shipping interest because he is not a
Democrat! If that vague generality in italics
means anything land we are obliged to look
elsewhere tor an explanatory it means that
the Democrats refused to vote for the reduc.
ton because part of it was ffected by di
minishing the duties on tea, coffee. spices and
other articles that are taxed solely for revenue
and not Tor protection. This is their excuse
If there is any, But what is their record
Refusing in the forty-frst Congress to vot'
Tor reduction of the duties on these articles
on the ground that the measure was caicu-
lated to enable the protectionists to hold on
with firmer grip to the duties levied fol
their benefit, the same men came into the
Forty-second Congress and cote in a body for
the total abolition of the duties on the same
drticlest
This circumstance shows the reckless insin-
certify with which Democratic Office holders
proceed. Governed by no fixed principles
they talk and vote in manner which they
judge best calculated to injure their oppon
ents and restore them to power, without re-
ference to the interests of the country OF
mankind. They voted against moderate
measure of reduction of taxation in the last
Congress, because they apprehended that
some credi. might attach to the party carry
ing through such reform. They voted for a
radical measure for the complete abolition Of
one of the chief sources OF revenue in the
present Congtees because they thought il
would impair the public credit and hurt the
Republican party.