The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-09-25
WHOLE No. I 1872

Wing party, it has been extended and
strengthened during the twenty years
that the Republican party has been in
power. For political as well as material
reasons the South would gladly destroy
it.
The business public is menaced with
still another disturbing possibility. The
Southern Democrats are openly hostile
to the existing system Of internal taxa
ton, which places the heaviest burdens
on whisky and tobacco. The taxes on
these two articles are exceedingly unpop-
ular at the South, and there is probably
in that section who has not pledged him
self to vote for heavy reduction if not
for their entire repeal. SO intense is the
dislike of the Southern people to this
manner Of raising revenue that the skill
and courage Of the treasury officials are
taxed to the utmost to enforce the law
against illicit distilling and illicit vend-
ing of tobacco. Skirmishes between the
moonshners y and the government Off
GERS have frequently occurred in the
mountain districts of the South, and
Sinated.
When an outlaw is killed in an encoun.
ter with the law, the sympathy of the
community is invariably manifested in
his favor, and the officers though acting
strictly in sclf-defense, escape a trial for
murder only by virtue of Il United States
statute authorizing transfer of eases
against them to the federal courts. No
revenue scheme to take the place of the
tax on distilled spirits and tobacco has
been proposed from any source that would
entitlc it to be considered as the South
ern plan, but from the utterances and
votes of most of the Southern members
of Congress, we may fairly conclude that
they desire to supply the deficiency of
government income, which would arise
from the repeal or reduction of these
taxes by larger tariff revenue to be Oh
ttihNi W NiiSoblt, ihpSl
of foreign goods. The present revenue
system meets with the general approval
of the North. Taxes OH whisky and to-
bacco are regarded in all civilized coun-
tries rs the best method of raising large
revenue at small expense for collection,
and with but slight burden to the produc-
tive energies Of the people. If these
taxes are to be abandoned, they must be
replaced either by new taxes levied upon
articles of necessity or by a heavier GUS
toms income, which can be obtained only
by !, tariff that will give foreign goods
the advantage in our markets and thus
cripple our manufacturing industries.
Such change as the South-which for
Legislative purposes is practically the
Democratic party-desires to make in the
revenue system, even if only partially
carried into effect, would seriously de-
range the business relations of the coun-
try.
In reply to these arguments advanced
from n business standpoint by men en-
gagged in large commercial, financial, and
manufacturing undertakings, to show
why the Democratic party should net be
put in possession of the government, it
is often urged that party grows conser-
vative when it gets into power, and mod
iieS its policy. This is true as a rule.
Probably the Democrats would be wiser
than they are now if the responsibilities
of shaping the policy of the nation were
placed upon them. But why make the
experiment? The policy of the Republi-
can party on all questions touching bust
ness and financial interests is approved
by large majority of the men who have
the greatest state in these interests, we
might almost say of the entire business
community. Tie best that can be said
of the democrats is that they will proba-
bly not do as much mischief as they pro-
pose and that we need not quite take
them at their word. We are to put the
public debt, the currency, the banking
system, the tariff, and the internal rcve-
nue. system into their hands i'll the hope
that they will conclude not to do what
they have been saying, for the the past
ten or twelve years, they would do if they
ever got an opportunity.
Why take the risk? the business man
asks. What compensating benefits do
the Democrats offer to offset the damage
they are likely to do? Will they reduce
government expenses No, because they
have had control of the appropriations
for five years already, and after Il spas
modic and injudicious effort i'll that di-
rection their bills have been steadily in
creasing. General Garfield told them
when they got control of the House that
the limit of reduction would soon be
reached, and that the appropriations
would thereafter increase with the
growth of population and the settlement
of new territory, and his prediction has
been exactly verified. even to the date he
named as the turning point. Will they
harmonic the North and the South and
put an end to sectional feclingo BY no
means. for their scheme of putting the
South in power, and thus .justiiying the
rebclliun would be sure to create fresh
agitation in the North. and Il new sec
tional struggle that would not end until
the ideas of the North. which are the
ideal of civilization, again prevailed.
Would they improve the civil service?
The mere suggestions is preposterous in
view of the horde of Democratic politi-
clans waiting to siezc upon the Offices
and turn out the present competent, we'll
trained incumbentS. if General Hancock
is elected. In what way, then, will Dem
ocratic success benefit the country? No
satisfactory answer to this question has
been given.
DO the duty which lies nearest to
thee, which thou knoweSt to be a duty;
thy second duty will already have become
clearer.
A young man with moustache can
not obtain a position as school teacher i'll
Ionia county. The large girls are too
| susceptible.
Young housewife 'What miserable
little eggs again. You really must tell
them, Jane. to let the hen set on them Il