The National tribune., 1882-12-07
The Presidents Message.

Elsewhere in our columns, this week,
viii be found n carefully prepared abstract
/ of the Presidents message, which in many
/ respects is one of the ablest that has ever
/ bean transmitted TO Congress. 1t is tersely
I written and in its treatment OF national ques-
/ tjous eminent!y practical The Presidents
recommendations, with one or two excep-
/ tions, command our hearty approval. We
are glad that he has had the courage to
follow up his veto of the River and Harhor
bin with a strong indictment of omnibus
bills in general, and it is certainly to be
hoped that one of the two plaus which he
suggests with a view to putting an eflectual
check upon congressional extravaganza will
ultimately be adopted. 1t is our own
opinion, as it also seems TO be that of the
President, that nothing short of a constitu-
tional amendment, empowering the Execu-
tive to veto separate items of appropriation
bills, viii answer the purpose.
We also heartily concur with the Presi-
dent in what he has TO say on the subject OF
civil service reform and political assess
ments. 1t ought to be esteemed privilege
on the part of those who are indebted for
the Offices which they hold to party success
to contribute to the campaign fund of that
party, but they should not be subject to
removal for failing to do so. There is good
reason for believing that the manner in
which political assessments were levied dur
ing the late congressional canvass was pro
ductive OF much harm to the Republican
party, and in fact amounted TO putting
weapon in the hands of the opposition to
slay it with. President Arthur exhibits
great political sagacity rs well as states
manship in recommending the passage
| Of a law to cure this evil We
wish it were possible to say as much for
his recommendations touching the reduction
of the internal revenue taxes, and the
revision of the tariff President Arthur,
like his Secretary of the Treasury, seems to
be under the influence Of that familiar bug
aboO-the prospective contraction of the
currency-and is apparently very much
exercised lest the failure of Congress to
repeal the revenue taxes should resultAin
needlessly piling up money in the Treasury.
Indeed, he takes the ground that the rapid
extinguishment of the public debt is a cause
for apprehension rather than satisfaction,
and is in favor not only of taking off all
domestic taxes, except those on distilled
spirits, but of making large reductions in
the customs revenues, and placing Oh the
free list many articles that now pay duty.
But for the demands which the payment of
pensions viii make upon the Treasury, and
the obstacle which the entire abolishment of
the excise taxes would offer to a revision of
the tariff, he frankly admits that he would be
in favor of the absolute repeal Of all internal
revenue taxes. These recommendations are
all based, it will be observed, on the
assumption that there is a large sur
plus in the Treasury which cannot be used
TO the public advantage-in fact, that the
very existence Of such surplus is detri-
mental to public interests. This assumption,
however, as THE TRIBUNE has frequently
taken occasion TO show, is not well founded
In the first place, if Congress does its duty
by our ex-soldieTs and passes the pension
and bounty measures now before If, the
Government viii have need of all this sur
plus, and it viii be paid out in such way
as to make any contraction Of the currency
impossible. In the second place, even
should Congress once more prove direlict
in its duty to our veterans, this surplus
can be applied, as heretofore to the
eztinguishment Of the public debt, and
the money so paid out viii find its way back
into the channels of trade and render any
contraction impossible. In the third place,
it IS not true that the rapid extinguishment
Of the debt is public evil az the history of
the payment by France to Germany Of
the enormous war indemnity of 1870
abundantly shows. In the fourth place, it
is not fact that the inteual-revenue taxes
are a heavy burden upon the country. On
the contrary, they are scarcely felt by the
mass Of the people, and their repeal will
only swell the profits Of wealthy manufac-
turers and monopolists. In the fifth place,
the Government cannot hOnorably surrender
any part of its present income until it has
made provision for the payment of its
obligations to the soldier as well as to the
bondhoIder, and that viii certainly not be
until the Equalization of Bounties Bill has
become law.
1t is to be presumed that the Presidents
recommendations in regard to taxation and
the tariff viii have great weight with Con-
gress, but that is only an additional reason
why our ex-sO soldiers should endeavor to make
their own influence felt in that body. 1t
is now of more Importance than ever that
they should let their representatives, know
that they are unalterably opposed to any