Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-07-14

these questions a good deal, and 1 shall,
without evasion, in the coming canvass,
enter into details. II is now sufficient for
me to say that l am utterly opposed TO
continuing at high rate, the taxes on ar
ticles of prime necessity, in common use
among all our people, merely to be able to
reduce the taxes on those articles which
enter into competition with our own in
dustry. Nor is it wise by protection laws
to force our home industry into unnatural
channels. A reduction of duties on
necessaries, large duties on luxuries, and
average duties on articles competing with
our own, this Is the general idea which, in
my opinion, should guide us In reducing
our tariff, and they surely will guido me.
Under our present tariff laws all depart
ments of mechanical industry have sprung
into healthy life, diversifying our products,
consuming our farm products and extend
ing our railroads.
/ am for the reduction of taxes by the
repeal or modification of all that are ex-
cossivo, but | am not in favor of following
any wild theories of political economists
to the destruction of any home industry,
or to the diminution of our revenue 80 rs
to endanger deficiency.
1t is charming business to repeal taxes,
but we must remember that by taxes alone
we have been able to pay off fully 800 mil
lions of floating debt and claims since the
war was over. We have also paid off
since the war nearly five hundred millions
of the funded debt. Since General Grant
was inaugurated we have paid 230milions
of the bonded debt, and thus saved four
teen millions of annual interest in gold.
We are also diminishing the interest on
hat I,t 81, ~ al
condition is now 30 assured, that after all
the strain of the war, our credit is now
better than before the war. The debt is
no longer the mountain that threatens to
overthrow us. Our expenditures, our taxes
and our debt are all rapidly diminishing
while our population, our resources, our
wealth, and our industry, are all rapidly
increasing. such is the result of a Repub-
lican administration. In what respect can
the Democratic party improve this condi.
ton of thingsY
such is now our financial condition that
we can make careful balance ofaccounts,
we can tell very nearly what any given
tax will produce, we can estimate accurate
ly our expenditures, and may limit our
taxes to the bare sums necessary TO fulfill
our loan laws and meet our necessary ex-
penditures. Our taxes may now safely be
reduced to this extent, for now the people
may be sure that under this policy the
debt will be constantly diminishing, and
the taxes be periodically lessened 1t is
the glory of General Grants administra-
ton that, with the reduction OF taxes and
debt we have also large reduction of ex-
penditures. The army was largely re-
duced by the last Congress the civil SER
vice is diminishing. In every branch of
the service, except the postal service,
which necessarily increases with the
growth of the country, the number of en-
ployes is lessening, and now we have, TO
! crown other reforms, movement that will
| bring about civil service reform. A com
mittee of practical men are now framing,
under the authority of law, a series OF
regulations To secure efficiency in civil ser.
vice and to protect faithful officers from
arbitrary removal. l never doubted ~lhe
power of Congress to regulate the dura.
| ton of office and the causes for removal
| therefore voted for the tenure-of. office
act, but every Democrat voted against it,
alleging it was unconstitutional. Now
they resolve in favor of civil service re-
| form, and denounce us for not bringing il
about. All the evils complained of had
their origin in the prccepts and practice OF
Democratic administrations ITO the
!
and the amount of spoils according 70
| political service, was their rule. No
doubt all parties will choose from among
political friends for political offices but
the tenure of their offices, the causes OF
their removal, and the requisite quslitica.
tions, should all be fixed by regulations
with the form and sanction of law. With.
out such regulations the army and nav
would be unorganized mobs. How far
this system may be established in the civil
service is one of the problems this admin,
istration will solve, with the hearty con
currence of the President and Congress
In the whole round of political and social
life there is not one single reform, progress
or advance that may not be entrusted with
more safety to the Republican party thar
any other. Gen. Grant has fulfilled every
promise he has made you. He is execut
ing the laws AS we'll as it is possible fol
any one to do. He follows rather thar
leads public opinion, and does not in any
way force policy upon the people agains
their will. His military success broke the
power of our enemies, and his civil ad
ministration is marked with prosperity
Let us, then, enter on this canvass with
active confidence, ready to reason with oul
adveTsaries-to gather wisdom from oppo
sition--but with proper appreciation q
the merits of our cause and party. VIZ
have now ticket carefully selected, o
gentlemen worthy of your choice. Upor
the election will depend General Assem-
bly,, the election of a United States Sena
tor, and of the most important State legis
lation. More than all. the maintenance q
Republican principles in the sdministra
tion of the National Government will b,
greatly affected by our election.
Ohio often speaks for the whole coun
try, and hope will do so now.