New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-07
UNWORTHY OF MR.. MORRISON

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UNWORTHY OF Mr.. MORRISON
President Arthur has refused to help either
faction of Democrats by his Message. He has
not recommended reduction of the internal
taxes according to the notions of Mr. Randall,
nor reduction of the tariff according to Mr.. Car
isles ideas. But Colonel Morrison has no right
| to say that the President refrained from either
recommendation for partisan reasons. 1t Is
absurd for him to call the Message "mean-spir-
tied or cowardyn because it did not precisely
crafty the faction of which Mr.. Morrison is
leader. His own motives are at least as open to
suspicion or criticism in this matter as those of
the President, whose course will be approved
nv Intelligent and conservative men in every
branch of business and of every shade of party.
Indeed, any public man who does advise an
other overhauling of the tariff this winter before
the country has half recovered from the pro-
longed uncertainty and embarrassment which
the last revision caused, justifes grave doubt
either as to his patriotism or as, to his capacity
for public trust. For more than five months,
every branch of trade and industry was embar-
raised by the discussion and the wavering action
in the two houses of Congress Then, after the
new bill had been passed, there was stagnatlon
for nearly four months more because the most
important changes of duty did not take effect
until July /. And from July l onward, the
VARYING course of importatiOns has been
watched with deep interest, especially by the
employers and working people in some branches
of industry because the very existence OF many
manufacturing establishments in this country
has denended upon effects of the new tariff
which could not be altogether determined as
vet. Thus business has been sorely disturbed
for more than year by a revision OF the tarln,
and however great the benefits expected from
that revision, it is certain that it has cost the
country a great deal. What possible reason can
be given for renewing the agitation and uncer-
tainty now
The faction of which Colonel Morrison is
leader will plead that the surplus revenue is
undesirably large This is true, if that surplus
is to be applied to the extinguishment of public
debt, because it retires too rapidly the bonds on
which the bank circulation rests. But Mr.. Car
Isle and his followers can hardly give that
reason. They have not shown such comprehcn-
sion of the National banking system, or such
frendllncss toward it, that they can bo ex-
pected, for the sake of saving that system, to
subject all the industry of the country to dis
order and loss What other reason can be
given9 1t il said that the taxation is too heavy.
But the truth is that the people do not feel the
taxation by the United States at all and the
State county and local taxes, which they do feel,
it is the policy of Mr. Carlisle and his friends
not to relieve by any act of the Federal Govern
ment. The sacred doctrine of State rights
might come to grief, if the burdens imposed by
alocal self government" should in any such way
be lightened.
II is the truth, moreover, rs the President
suggests, that there are important public needs
to which the whole of the surplus revenue for
the current or coming year can be well applied.
The defence of our coasts, and especially OF the
great seaport cities, ought to be no longer de-
layed. There could be no greater folly than to
repeal taxes which the people do not feel before
making provision for the public defence.
Again, it is of great importance to orr manu-
features and agriculture that the foreign com
merce of the country should be aided by steam
ship lines to foreign ports As long IA the
mails even on official business, go under for
eign flags, and our merchants are dependent
upon foreign ships for communication with any
customers they may have abroad, it is alto
gcthcr too early to talk Of cutting down the rev.
enuc as an object of supreme Importance.
Something ought to be done, too, whether by
the mode suggested by Mr.. Blaine or some
other, to promote more efficiently the free edu-
cation of the people. The very existence of our
Republic, all admit, depends upon the mainte-
nance of education, and yet the recent census
discloses a lamcntable prevalence of illiteracy
and lack of educational facilities in seine parts
of tho country VIII Colonel Marian maintain
that all aid to popular education should be re-
fused in order that taxation may be Immediately
reduced again AT least, if he is ready to take
that position, he ought to be able to realize that
the President and his Republican advisers and
supporters, in urging different course, may be
quite as sincere, and quite as free from personal
ambition partisan bias, us Mr.. Carlisle or Mr..
Morrison or any of their followers.