Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-06-15
Revenue Changes and the Tariff Com
mission.

Revenue Changes and the Tariff Com
mission
[St. Paul Pioneer Press
1t would not be easy to recall, the
! time when the treatment of the sub
ject of changes in the revenue was
characterized by a more utter lack OF
knowledge and of craftsmanship than
that exhibited by the present congress
and the present administration. This
is particularly good time for the man
who has hoped against hope that some
thing would be done to reduce the sur
plus revenue by lessoning the burdens
of the people, to "free his mind"
And certainly he is justified in say
ing that never WIS there corrupter
display of the lack of ability in deal
ing with q great economic and indus
trial question than the recent actions
of congress and the president They
have been called upon to gct with ref
erence to changes in the tariff and in
the internal revenue system; and in
neither have they made an effort to
raise above the level of the politician,
scheming for q reelection. No matter
what views man may hold on princi.
pie upon the revenue question, be he
q protectionist or free trader on con-
viction, he must harbor a secret dis
gust at the poor, half penny way in
which the interests of the people have
been treated by a union of ignorance
and selfish anxiety. The matter of
tariff revision is now definitely laid
aside for the remainder of the session,
and it is opportune to review what has
been done.
If there be any man 80 incapable of
guile as to have supposed that the
bill for the creation of a tariff commits
sion was really intended to do anything,
he must by this time have formed an
humble opinion of his own sagacity.
Probably there is rome such. Outside
of the circle of solid protectionists,
those who favored the measure were
influenced by two considerations; first
that it was more desirable than to have
the whole subject dropped out of sight
by an adverse vote in congress, as half
a loaf is better than no bread; and Sec
ond, that it gave the president an op-
portunity to display real statesman
snip, if he had any of that article care
fully concealed about him. AS
far rs the makeup of the commission
is concerned, it might just as we'll have
been appointed to carry out the anti
polygamy law, or to review the action
Of a Louisiana returning board, or to
conclude treaty with the Flathead
Indians. 1t is hopelessly and inexcus-
ably mediocre. The only possible way
of improving it would be for every
member of it to follow the sensible ex-
ample of Mr.. Mitchell, in declining a
service which requires special qualiti-
cations possessed by only a few. The
gentlemen named are all honorable
men, possessed, so far as heard from,
of average intelligence, but the en-
comium of Mr.. Kelley is their con-
domination. They are, as he says, all
moderate men," which being interp-
reted, means that they do not know
anything about the subject, and will
concentrate their endeavors upon
doing nothing with the great
est possible show of industry
The principle which determined their
selection is also we'll expressed by Mr..
Kelley, when he says tnat the various
"interes 8" and the different "sections"
of the country are well represented.
That is Just about the size of it. 1t is q
politicians commission, made up to
offend nobody, and not strong enough
to leave bad taste in anybody's
mouth. Had it been packed with high
Ia riff men, Mr.. Swank at the head of
it, its conclusion might not have been
reputable, but they would at least have
commanded respect, as repr esentlng
one side of the question. The lament
of Mr.. Morrison that there is only one
revenue tariff man on the list" is as
much out of place as the gloritication
of Mr., Kelley. The thing which makes
the body a nonentity is the conspicuous
absence of ability. 1t is rs if COM
mittee Of postmasters were chosen to
compare and codify the laws of the
several states. It is not only an un-
fairly constituted body, it is the es-
sence of obscure mediocrity, if that
word does not suggest an exaggerated
praise. In selecting it the president
has been governed by consuming
anxiety to placate everybody, and he
has pleased none except those who die
tated the nominations. Without i'm
pugning his motives, it must be said
that he has thrown away his one great
opportunity for display of statesman
ship, and has shown himself a great
economic question. His commission
bears the stamp OF the narrowminded
local politician.
The fiasco of the tariff commission
bill is finely supplemented by the dis
cusslon upon the proposed reduction
of internal revenue. Not for mo-
ment does it appear that the deduc-
tons of reason or the experience of
the past is to have any weight i'll the
action to be finally taken. Regardless
of the automatic truth that tax upon
Injuries should be the first to be i'm
posed and he lat to be removed, the
high tariff men are unit in favor of
sweeping away the whisky and tobacco
taxes that the financial requirements
of the government may preserve pro-