Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-07-20
TAXATION.
Popular Indignation Beginning to Make
Itself Felt.

Popular Indignation Beginning to Make
Itself Felt.
For the first time i'll history the
Senate, or, to speak more properly,
that portion of the Republican party
that dominates that body, has origi-
mated a ven bill. The extempo-
rizing of this proposition is no doubt
due to the notes of warning lately
given by ex-senator Conkling to his
ouondam confreres concerning the
small hold the Republican party has
on its old membership, and the evil
dent disposition of Congress to col
lect and appropriate too much money.
This disposition of Republican con-
gressmen to ''make hay while the sun
Shines" is natural enough in short
sighted politicians; but Conkling is
looking forward to the fall elections,
and beyond them to the presidential
contest, and is evidently anticipat-
ing the very worst results from the
brazen prolifigacy of the House. His
clear vision indicates that appeals to
sectionalism will no longer keep the
Republican party together, OF blind
anyone to the corruptions that are
being openly practiced. Moreover,
he has been and still is not only a
political boss and partisan, but an
acknowledged advocate and leader,
and no act of his, either previously or
subsequently to his resigning his seat
in the Senate, has manifested disloy-
atty of any sort to the principles upon
which Stalwart Republicanism is
based. For years the party in power
has been running On its war record.
Mr.. Conkling has himself not unfre-
quently successfully appealed to it in
the past but that sagacious politician
now sees that it can no longer be
relied on as a blind, and it is not
strange that his views have great
weight.
The bill gotten up in the Senate,
however, being only a pretense and
designed mainly for electioneering
purposes, has two sides to it, and is
otherwise highly Objectionable. While
conceding some reductions, it places
on other articles of prime necessity
heavier duties than at present exist,
and Senator Bayard has denounced it
as Il move in the interest of party ex-
igency. Expressing no opposition
whatever to that part of the bill that
relates to internal revenue, that gen.
tleman demonstrated that the reduc-
tions contemplated fell far short of
what had been demanded and of what
should be granted. He commended
that the sugar clause of the bill was a
deception, and that no true relief
would be provided as long as the Sec
rotary of the Treasury retained power
to regulate the duties on that necessary
article by a complex system of color
and polariscopic tests. He admitted
that the proposition to lower the duty
on steel rails to 500 per ton was a con-
cession, and yet demonstrated from
the large profits realized in their man.
ufacture that the tax On them ought
t. bc reduced to S14. He exposed
with great effect other f~ar-reachine
aid oppressive clauses, nearly doub-
ling the duties on articles made of
hoop, band and schroll iron. He
showed also that the causes upon
which high duties had been formerly
justified had ceased, and made a mas.
tegly exhibition of the sound primer
pies upon which desirable tariff ref.
olmation should be based. He com.
batted. too, the idea that taxes should
be levied for other than public inter.
ests: declared that Congress could moi
r~ghtfully exercise its taxing powers
for the benefit of special classes OF
industries, and that to do so would
be 4 species of communism or rob-
berry; and inquired what become OF
the country if it were understood that
those that headed the strongest politi.
Cal cohorts, were entitled to raid the
Treasury for their especial benefit.
Protection should be the incident and
not the principle, and it was to pro.
lection, for projections sake, that
Senator Bayard attributed the limited
market open to higli-priced American
productions and the consequent labor
strikes organized everywhere. The
change could not come too soon that
would give American manufacturers
al outlet, and enable them to furnish
steady employment to those depend.
ent Oh them. That was the only wa,
in which periodical labor agitation:
could be prevented.
Church Concert.
The concert at the M. f. Church
South. last Thursday night was .