Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-05-11
Broken Pledges.

Harrisburg Patriot.
The present Congress came into ex.
istence upon pledges from all the politi-
cal parties that federal taxation would
be reduced and especially that the bur.
dens of the internal revenue would be
alleviated. During the canvass pre-
ceding the election at which the present
house of representatives was chosen
there was an attempt TO make the tariff
question an issue, but it was confined to
the districts in which the population
was largely engaged in manufactures.
II cannot be fairly claimed that the sub
ject OF protection was national issue
in that election, because outside OF four
or five States 1t was not discussed or
even mentioned. But the promise that
the federal taxes would be lightened
was distinctly made in the several party
platforms and reiterated in the press
and on the stump during the progress
of the canvass. How has Congress kept
this pledge 30 solemnly given TO the
peoplel Has IL taken a single step to.
ward the iultillment Of the promise Of
the platforms on which il was chosen
Has it attempted to revise the tariff or
taken the weight OF a single dollar from
the load of internal taxes under which
the people groan? In order to invent
a pretext for shirking its duty, 1t has
brought forward bill to commit to a
body unknown to the constitution the
task OF considering the tariff question,
work which exclusively belongs to
Congress itself. As a sop to the agita.
tors for the repeal OF the internal re.
venue system it has talked about abolish.
ing the stamp tax on bank checks,
matches and patent medicines. But 1t
has baked at even these pretended con.
cessions 10 the popular demand for a
reduction of federal taxes II has
really accomplished nothing in the way
of relieving the country OF the incubus
Of superiluous and oppressive taxation,
and it Is plainly evident that 1t proposes
TO do as little as possible in that direc.
ton. Some months ago Hon. William
d. Kelley, of Philadelphia, who by
virtue OF his position in Congress was
naturally and properly regarded as the
spokesman of the Republican party on
questions OF taxation, delivered a speech
IN New York city in which he took
strong ground in favor OF the repeal OF
the entire internal revenue system. lie
admitted the propriety and necessity Of
q reduction of revenue aud as protec.
ZIONIST he consistently preferred that
the CurtaIlAent should begin with the
abolition or the internal taxes. When
Congress assembled il vas generally be.
lieyed that majority of the reprcscu.
tativ,s conceded IN opinion with Judge
ii 1.
tacturers organized aud laid siege to
Congress. a Republican caucus was a..
sembled and at the bidding of the
whisky men 1t made a straight party
issue against Judge Kelley proposition
TO repeal the internal revenue system.
Emboldened by its success it invaded
the house with a scheme Of its own to
continue whisky IN bond until 1t would
suit the convenience of the dIstillefs to
pay the tax. This Is simply plan 20
strengthen and perpetuate the present
monopoly OF the large manufacturers OF
whisky and to enable them to plead
sort Of vested night with future Con.
crosses for a continuance OF the internal
tax on thatartlcle OF manufacture. They
are perfectly willing to pay the present
exorbitant rate IN order To be able to
monopolize the business. But they
would be exceedingly happy II Congress
would permit them TO store IN the
bonded war~ houses of the government
all the whisky they may manufacture in
the future and thus enable them to raise
the price OF the article by producing an
artificial scarcity. OF the various in.
veutions to plunder and oppress the
public which distinguish the present
Congress from its recent predecessors
this Is probably the most atrocious and
hateful. Thus The reasonable expecta.
ton that the federal taxes would be ma.
terially lessened during the present
session IL uiocked and disappointed.
The Republican party rules AZ Washing
ton and the whisky ring rules the Re.
publican party,