The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-05-21
A PITIFUL EXHIBITION.

Mauy tHouSahd copies OF Mr.
Conkling's greatest effort" are be-
ing, prin ed for distribution through
out the North, and the speech is re-
lied upon as one of the principal
Iagencies for creating public opinion
in support 1.-THE candidates and
platform of the Republican parity
1t has receivedrTin marked and ex-
ceptiohal manner, the Endorsement
Of the press and leaders Of his party.
The resources of standard lexicons
| have, been exhausted in eulogy of
this "great argument" and its dis
tinguished author. We have. been
disposed to let the shallow sophis-
tries Of smaller men pass nnnoticed,
relying upon Unpopular Intelligence
Ito defect and expose them, and had
this speech been made by one Of
them, it might safely HAYS been
treated in, the same way. But as it
goes out under the name of the most
prominent leader Of the Republican
party, the label gives it an cxagger-
ated Importance.
The foundation of Mr.. Conkline,s
oratorical ndifice is the assumption
that the locality where revenue is
collected contributes the amount col
lectedtowards the support of the Ma
tional Government. AS most of the
revenue is collected in the North, he
argues that it is paid by the North;
as but small amount is collected in
the South, he concludes that that
section is not contributing much to
the National exchequer. The pre-
posterous absurdity Of this pueriIe
proposition is readily demonstrated.
The total receipts from customs for
the last fiscal year amounted to
$230,170,6S0. OF this amount 1884,
059, $40 were collected at the port OF
New York. Taking these figures
and the population, as given in the
last census, we find Mr.. Conkling
claiming that each man, woman and
child in the City Of New York paid
into the Treasury for import duties
for the year ending on the 30th Of
June last almost one hundred dol.
lars, while the rest of our popnla-
tion paid less than seventy cents
per head. It would be easy to con-
tinue these illustrations to an indef-
mite extent. We could show that
according to Mr.. Conkling, the head
Of family in New York has to pay
as tariff $500 year, while the head
ola family in Washington, Balti-
more or Boston pays less than $3.50.
We do not accuse Mr.. Conkling of
the dense ignorance which would be
his predominant trait il he really
believed his own speech, and the In
evitable logic Of his own PROPOSE
lions. Mr.. Conkling knows as well
as any other man Of public affairs
that the consumer, and not the i'm
porter or producer, pays the tax on
taxable goods. But we do accuse
him land what is worse, lie convicts
himself, Of assuming that the people
are SO ignorant that his statements
will pass current with the Masses
He deliberately, and with labored ef.
fort, constructs a long ''argument'
based on the glaring absurdity that
we have exposed, and he and his adj.
mirers are flooding the North with
it in the belief that such stuff, Under
lhis label, will be accepted as truth
and will help TO solidify the North.
|such an insult 10 popular intelli
igence was to have been expected .ef
"a Logan, or q Chandler, ora Teller,
Ebutsthe distinguished Senator from
New York makes en- his political
opponents feel sorry for him when
he engages in such paltry trickery.
1 Il Washington Post