Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-06-30
The Tariff Commission.

The country has now an opportunity
of fairly estimating the value of the
tariff commission bill. The most press
ing question presented at the present
congress was the readjustment of the
revenue system. The industries of the
people have for ten years been taxed
unJustlv and iniquitously. We sre
now paying annually into the national
treasury $l50,00o,00o more than is
needed to carry on the business of the
government with all the official extrav-
agance and public plumber duly con-
sldered. This enormous surplus is
constant temptation to lobbyists and
to claim agents and to dishonest mem
bers of congress. 1t opens up oppor-
tunities for jobs and dishonest schemes
and tends to the public demoraliza-
ton.
And there is no reason why we
should Keep on taxing ourselves in this
exhorbitant way for the benefit of the
sharks and cormorants who prey on
public funds. There is no reason why
we should keep on paying $150,000,000
a year into the national Golfers, while
the custodian of the national Golfers is
kept at his wits end devising means for
It's disposal. 1t was the first duty of
congress to so adjust our tariff system
that the people would only be called
upon to pay the necessary expenses of
the government. Congress refused to
do this. 1t debated the question at
considerable length, and finally came
TO the determination TO indefinitely
postpone it.
In other words it voted to appoint a
commission which would still further
add to the public burdens in the shape
of salaries and expenses, while the
$3.50, 100000 surplus continues to
be paid in. The commission has
been named by the president and
every man who has studied
the question of tariff reform must be
convinced that Mr.. Arthur was in
fuenced by party necessity, we say it
renretfully, because we love the
republican party, in the Sc
lections he made, and that the indefinite
postponment voted by congress was
ratified by the executive. The com
mission has been packed in the inter-
est of increased projections and delay.
In the fall campaign the commission
will be CREST power. The manufac-
turing industries, the monopolies and
the merchant will be menaced with an
unfavorable report, and large campaign
funds will be extorted from them by a
sort of heightened blackmail. A des-
perate effort will be made to commit
the country to the high and Ubiquitous
| protective tariff which robs the indus
tries of the country of the largest share
of their legitimate profits. Even the
wage classes will be approached
again with the specious argument
that what protects the monopo-
lies protects labor. All the
machinery of the party will be used to
bring about popular Endorsement of
the procrastination policy adopted by
congress, so that the tariff laws and
regulations can be left as they are now,
and the surplus continue to be paid
into the treasury for the benefit of the
lobbyists and jobbers who make for
tunes by grabbing the loose cash that
seeks an outlet from the national vaults.
But what are the people going to do
about il? There are really nine advo.
Gates of protection in some one or
other fo:m upon the commission, and
not one member who represents the
great commercial and laboring inter
ests of the country. 1t would be diff
cult to find a parallel in our political
history for such an enormous injustice.
This proceeding on the part of the
president will defeat its own ends.
The report of such body can carry
no weight with it. The commission
will have no more authority than that
of a board of attorneys to manage q
case against government. The whole
proceeding is mockery. Fortunately,
its character is too transparent to prove
a snare. This body Of men may post
pone action on the tariff; it cannot re-
ceive the respect of the country for any
action that it recommends"