Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-17

NEW YORK, November Jo.-Oen. DenJ~
min +. Butler, the governor-elect OF Mass1I
chusetts, was at the Fifth Avenue dotei
to-day. He arrived early in the morning,
having travelled at night, as is his usual Gus
tom. He was busily engaged during tne
greater part of the day, having come TO New
norS to attend 10 some professional engage
ments. Before he returned 10 Boston on Inc
late train a Tribune reporter talked to hlm
an hour on the general political situation.
The general looked very well and seemed 10
be IN the very best of spirits. He carefully
avoided speaking about his success in Mas
chusetis- When asked if he was q candidate,
ne stared and spoke quickly, as he inquired,
For What? and when the reporter sugges' ed
Tor the Presidency in the next Democratic
national convention, he said, emphatlcaily;
"No, sir"
In answer to the question ITO what causes
DO you attribute the results shown BY me
late election" the governor-elect said: Inc
general answer would BE-, 10 the widespread
dissatisfaction of the people with the msn-
ner IN which the general government nas
conducted its administration in its admins
tratlve as we'll as executive branches. IL
must be due TO the conduct of the general
government, for the action of The people
would not be 80 universal and unanimous II
arising from any local cause. There can
have been only one thing done by the gen.
effect, and that is extravaganza IN expendl-
ture and the enormous burdens OF taxation
The collection of over 81 ,250, 900 for every
working day in the year makes a drain upon
the resources of the country that would
never have been endured as it has been by
US for few years by any other country, and
could only have been borne by us because OF
the enormous protection of our agricultural
resources. This taxation comes upon the
middle classes and the workingmeu. OF
course they are the largest consumers
of whisky and tobacco, upon which
the burden has been. Again, they
consume the largest amount of every
thing except luxuries on which tar
if revenue is collected. They have
borne this burden without complaining, be-
cause they have supposed it was The necessary
conse quences of the war, and of the necessity
of paying the national debt. But when they
were awakened BY the passage of the river
and harbor bill for the expenditure of $751;
100000 over the veto of the President, they
saw that there must be some other cause than
public necessity for such vast appropriation
OF public money. They naturally attributed
this to the desire of those who passed it to
have funds put in their districts to carry
the pending elections, and they were encour-
aged in thar idea by the Presidents words in
his veto. The worse the bill grew the more
votes it got, and when the public learned,
In addition to this specime n of extravaganza,
that there would be surplus of 800, 900, 900
in the treasury, they became Satisfied that
such an amount of taxation could no longer
be borne. They also heard it declared in
Congress by members of both parties, and
uncontradicted, that the tariff which raised
the msjor part OF this great revenue needed
revision, and yet no steps were taken TO revise
or diminish it,"
6HnW and from, vol Do vor, tb;nL 49,
change is to come because of this election?'
The impossibility of any immediate re-
cults from this election is one of the in
felicities of our form of government. There
can be no change in the executive substan-
TALLY which will afford any relief to the
country until the meeting of Congress in
1885, unless the President does what every
president has been unwilling TO do, except
in great mergencies-csll an extra session
in MAY of that year. In the meantime, no
relief can be expected from Congress be-
cause the Congress which has been chosen
this year will not meet until the last month
OF 1888, and the appropriation bills passed
by that Congress will not take effect until
July, 1884 Nothing can be hoped from the
next session of Congress, as / have hereto
fore mentioned, for want OF time, because
there will be scarcely more than sixty days
Of that Congress, and experience has shown
that such an outgoing Congress rarely does
more than pass The necessary appropriation
bills 10 keep tie wheels of government
moving"
as it probable, in your opinion, that the
internal revenue taxes will be reduced?"
"There may be an attempt to get off the
internal revenue taxation in whole or in
part. II will be natural for the leaders of
the Republican party in the House to do that
so that the credit of afordipg 80 great a re-
lief of many millions to the people should
not be obtained by the incoming Democratic
Congress, and it is possible that the Dtmo-
cratic members of the present Congress may
oppose that action by this Congress in order
that their coming Congress may have the
credit of it. At any rate 1 do not look TO
see 1t done, as the proposition OF the chair
man of the House Committee on Ways and
Means of the last Congress was 10 cut off a
few millions only from the internal revenue.
If this great draia upon the business re-
sources of the country shall be continued
for long years-and see but little hope that
it will not be-a single short crop in a year
would bring financial ruin and dis
aster such as this country has never seen.
I have said there is no intention of revising
the tariff, and as a manufacturer pretty
largely concerned in wooden, cotton, copper
and stone manufactures, quite as largely as
any man in our State OF my means, am
quite willing TO say, as put in my letter of
acceptance OF the nomination, and have said
many times during the campaign 10 our pro-
pie, that theoretically free trade, we're 1t pos
sible, would be the best for all"
"What do you think of the chances Of
electing a Democratic president?"
You have heretofore been asking my
views upon administrative, financial and
business questions about which l know some
thing; but am not prophet, or the son Of
prophet, and ought not TO be called upon
to prophecy"
"Wbat can the Democrats do to be sue
cessful?"
"Carry out the principles OF Jefferson and
ackson in enacting proper laws wherever
they have an opportunity; adopt judicieus
tariff, striking off every surplus, exceptional
and questionable expenditure; bring down
every kind of taxation 10 the lowest possible
point consistent with defraying the most
economical expenditure of public money;
take in hand the monopolies which are rails.
ing the price OF provisions and other neces-
saries OF life; bring back in this time OF
peace the action of the Federal government
within the narrowest limits possible for its
efficiency; leave all local questions of gov
eminent TO the several States, and show by
their moderation, economy and statesman
ship that they are fitted to govern, and the
people will give them the government for a
long series OF years, as they gave it to their
fathers"