National Republican., 1881-11-23
The Democracy and Revenue Reform

The Democracy and Revenue Reform.
Numerous organs of the Democratic
faith-a faith, by-the.way, of which moth
ing remains save delusive name and
many unfragrant memories-are Justify
shrieking for revenue reform" As a
rule they deal only in the broadest and
mazicst of geEeralities, asserting that
the tariff is literally packed full of iniqui-
tous impositions on labor, and grandilo-
quently rounding off their ponderous pc.
RODS with stale remarks about the
"bloated monopolies"
When called on for specifications they
fail to locate the "iniquities." They give
no bill of particulars. They only demand
"rcforn," ignoring all requests TO state
what changes they desire. Or, if one of
the organs ventures to suggest that this
or that commodity is taxed too much, or
that another article should go on the free
list, dozen or more of its brother or
gans pounce upon its proposition and
proceed to demonstrate that the sugges-
ton is in the interest OF some corrupt
combination" or some greedy mo-
nopoly."
In view Of the Democratic record on
the tariff question for the last ten or fif-
teen years one would suppose that Demo-
cratic newspapers and other exponcnts
of that extinct creed would court the
graceful charity of silence on the subject
of "revcnuc reform" Every national
convention Of that party, and almost all
its minor gatherings, where half dozen
or more of the brethren have assembled,
have hurled anathemas at the tariff and
demanded reform. But during the six
years of Democratic ascendancy in the
House, including one Congress Demo.
cratic as to all its purts, there was never
an hour when the majority of the Ways
and Means Committee was not, by careful
contrivanco of n Democratic Speaker,
pledged against any single step in the di-
rcction of reform.
HE insignificant achievement of re-
moving the duty from quinine stands
forth alone-"grand, gloomy, and pecu-
liar"-as the great reform record of that
reform party during the six years in
which it has had the responsibility OF
Ill revenue bills. This little quinine bill
is the ridiculous mouse presented to the
country in return for thousand pledges
and as the sole result of six long years of
travail on the part of the Democratic
mountain. The history of no other party
reveals such n disparity between promise
and performance. If the Democracy
may be regarded as owing what it had so
often and so solemly pledged itself to do
in re@ard to duties on imports it may be
credited with having paid about one
thousandth part of per cent. in that OBJ.
legation.
1t will be seen that decent regard fol-
appearances would bring the hush of q
deep and solemn silence on the Demo.
cratic press and oracles. Having promised
all things and accomplished nothing
they should have dccenCy enough to keep
quiet and see what Il Republican Congress
will attempt. 1t is very evident that
here ought to be reduction of revenue
Thij can be effected only by reduction
ol takes. The protective character of our
tariff cannot be successfully assailed in
Congress, for the ranks of the party op.
posed to protection are becoming thinner
every day.
But there are certain interests that are
too highly protected, so highly that their
gain works injustice to oothers. Whether il
will be possible to effect thorough and
| careful revision during the life of the
Forty-seventh Congress is doubtful. Tc
do equal and exact justice to all in SC
intricate and complicated matter is
scarcely possible. Wise men will not ex-
pect absolute equity. But reduction OF
our enormous revenue by judicious
amendment Of tho internal revenue and
tariff schedules is a duty that Congress
will not ignore. II is not necessary to
make headlong haste in paying the public
debt. We have gone too fast and too far
in that direction.