Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-05-08
our smrpIns Roxannn.

Mr.. j. $. Moore, ina comnunica-
ton printed in another column.
calls the attention of congress ia a
matter which certainly concerns ev-
cry democrat in the body. IT q ad-
mitted by every one at all c0nver-
SAINT with the subject, no matter
from what point of view he regards
II, that the existing tariff Is a bum
ole OF anomalies, and that il attains
the various objects proposed IN Il nc
a needless and inordfnate cost to
the people OF the country. Senator
Morrill, would probably make Iris
admission as plainly if not as read
which has hitherto proved fatal to
projects OF revenue reform is that
the country needs large revenue,
which the present tariff, with all It's
faults, provides. Senseless as Is
this objection, from the point Of
view of revenue reformers. and clear
as IS the demonstration which has
repeatedly been made that the
amount of customs revenue might
be increased while The extortions
now practised under the plea OF rev.
enue were abated, the objection has
hitherto sufficed TO prevent any re-
vision Of the tariff.
But now, as Mr.. Moore points out.
the republican secretary OF the treas
ufy declares, in tone almost Of
complaint, that the public revenue
is so large that he cannot convent
emily dispose of It at all without
buying government bonds AT the
rate OF ten millions a month How
can any representative deny that
this state OF things demands of him
to make some effort to tighten the
burden OF taxation? How can any
democrat especially, unless he hap
pens TO be Pennsylvania. be In
any doubt that this is not only a
propitious time, but the most propi-
tiOus time possible, for the fulfill
ment of those pledges of revenue re-
form which the democratic party OF
the country has repeatedly made,
and which the Representatives OF
that party have thus far done moth
ing to redeem? ? The duties which
Mr.. Moore points out are undenia-
bly, grievous and oppressive. They
are of the class Of duties which Weld
revenue and afford what Is called
"incidentalN protection. The aues-
ton whether a greater revenue
might not be raised from a lower
duty on all of these articles becomes
Of less Importance, In the lightof
Mi. Sherman's statement that he
has more revenue already than he
knows what to do with, than the
fact that the duties impose a griev-
GUS tax upon the people. A repuh-
lican secretary of the treasury has
admitted that the burdens oil the
tariff are unnecessary, and has thus
deprived democratic congress of
the only excuse IL has ever had for
not alleviating these burdens.
Other taxes there are in the tariff
in which protection cannot be called
an incident. Nobody would dream
of calling the duty on wood ptilp n
duty for revenue which affords In
cidental protection, when il Weld
ed TO the revenue last year the sum
Of AZ cents. How much ii Welded
to the FIVE firms which control the
patent for making wood pulp Il not
publicly known, though two mem-
bers of the house might be able TO
enlighten that body if they chose
upon the amount OF the incidental
protection they derived from tax
upon all readers of newspapers from
which the government derived less
than half-a-dollar. Mr.. Warner
Miller, of New York, and Mr.. Will
liam A. Russell, of Massachusetts,
are the two members in question,
but it is not likely that they will
afford congress the information It is
N their power TO give. 1t is ex-
.remely likely, however, that Mr..
Warner Miller, OF New York, and
Mr.. William A. Russell, Of Massa-
ehusetts, are in favor of maintain
ng the tariff in its integrity uDon
he aVowed ground that the govern
nent needs revenue.
Secretary Sherman, however, de-
'lares that the government does not
reed revenue, but that, on the con-
Fary, the government has more rev.
niue than it needs. is it consider
ltion for the two wOod-pulo repub-
leans that restraints the house from
moving at once to abolish a duty
which taxes the whole country for
he benefit of these wOOd-puip menu
Ders, and yields AZ cents which Mr..
sherman declares that the treasury
an perfectly well do without? f? The
ruth is that no excuse can be Of
cred for the present tariff. 1t hangs
ogether simply, to use the we'll
,nown phrase, by the cohesive
orce of public plunder." Every
nan whose private interests are
promoted by it at the public ex-
'ense knows that whenever any
'igorOus and successful attack Is
made upon any item i'm ii the whole
agot of absurdities and inconsisten-
les must fall to pieces. Every such
nan is concerned, therefore, to pre-
'ent any amendment, and every
ueh man parrots the saying that
the government needs revenue.n
Now that this saying has been
ublicly denied and shown to be
bsurd by republican and pro-
ectionist who is also the secretary
f the treasury, how can the demo-
rats in congress Justify themselves
D the country IL they fail to make
ood their pledges and the pledges
{ their party for revenue reform2