The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-27
THE QUESTION OF TARIFF TAXA
TION

IariH TAXATION, as IL mas existed In the |
United States for about q quarter of GEN.
fury, has been universally recognized as a
Republican curse. Its modification or re-
moval has been universally acknowledged as
the Democratic policy. Every improvement
owes its origin to the Democratic party. Out
of power, it has been potent in creating q
widespread opposition to the most stupen-
dous iniquihes ever practiced upon free
people. Tariff reform" has been the shib-
bolitn motto in every campaign. and in
spite Of money and monopolists,
fraud and corruption, forgery and
perjury, and all the combined forces which
inscriptions Administrations of the Gov
eminent could bring to bear against it, the
Democratic party has won substantial victo-
ries, and now sees its way clear for a grand
triumph in 1884. We do not disguise the
fact that there have been other questions
which have exerted potent influence in
convincing the people that the Republican
party ought 10 be retired from power; but
everywhere tariff reform has been the battle
cry, and as Democratic journals and
statesmen have exposed the iniquites
of the Republican curse, the people have
rallied to the Democratic standard and helped
on Democratic victories Those who deny
such statements, without reference to party
affiliations, are imbeciIcs. So persistent has
been the warefare waged against the Rspub-
lican tariff curse, so cogent has been the res-
soning, so solid the facts, so clear and con-
Vincing the arguments, that the most inhu-
entail organs of the Republican party have
been compelled to join with the Demo-
Gratis in the fight against tariff which
honest men could not afford to
approve. The Democratic party of Indiana
is so overwhelmingly opposed to a tariff
which creates and maintains monopolies,
which taxes the many for the aggrandizs-
ment of the few, that those who favor such a
policy are utterly contemplate in numbers,
talents and influence They are looked upon
and regarded as vision interchangeable of
grssping facts which relate to the general
welfare, or of solving problems of statesman
ship which call into active exercise ability
for the severest analysis and COM
prehension of farreaching consequences.
In the narroTnesS OF their conceptions the
men who advocate high protective tariff
a monopoly tariff; a tariff which taxes the
farm to support the factory; which taxes
labor to enrich bonanza kings-s-e as in
capable of legislating wisely as blue-tailed
| fly is to soar with an eagle. They are the
blind votaries OF the lobby. Their ears are
attuned to the music of monopoly, and as
| deaf to the demands of tax-burdsned peo-
! pie as thumbscrews to the groans they extort.
| When Democrats demand that the
/ tariff tax shall be reduced to the
lowest practicable point consistent with the
expenditures of the Government to keep the
wheels of its machinery in healthy operation
these slaves of monopoly, cringing sycoph-
ants of the money power, cry oot "FREE
TRADE" and that the Democratic policy is t.
abolish the tariff and create universal dis
aster. Hitherto this vulgar 0emagogism
has been able to frish:enIjn la5oring men and
secure few votes, but laboring men begin
to perceive the trick, they comprehend the
chicanery of these masters of dupncity
and are thinking and voting for
themselves. They have learned that they
have been and are still being taxed enor-
mously, not for their own benefit nor for the
good of the Government, but for the support
Of set of soulless monopolists, who care no
more for them than they do for so many
pack mules. Under the cry of "free trade"
the monopolists and their henchmen in and
out of Congress, workingmen have been
persuaded to vote against their own in
terests, to make the cost fliving higher, and
that, too, without a farthing's advance in
wages to help them meet the advanced cos.
On the contrary, working people have learned
as soon as their votes have been obtained to
create and maintain monopolies, that the
screws are put to them for the purpose of
reducing wages, and that to live at all they
must resort to strikes, and when strikes or
labor troubles occur it then transpires that
monopolists are prompt to denounce work
ing people as enemies of peace and order,
as communists, Nihilists, etc., through
out the whole catalogue of oPpro-
brious epithets. The trouble is they
have been the victims of falsehood,
deception, demagoguery of the lowest type.
They have been hoodwinked and cajoled and
made to vote for men who are their sworn
enemies, and this has been going forward for
} years. But, fortunately, working people are
waking up. They fail to see why diamonds
} should be free, while salt, sugar, rice, cloth
| lLRB CEOCkoly ware anu many Olu6I ueOe55l-
ties are enormously taxed. These overbur-
dened people are listening TO the
Democratic thunder, reduce the
tax" and they are turning away
from the demagogues who have misled
and oppressed them. The monopolists and
their vssssls may shout "free trade" and q
: tariff for revenue only" until they burst,
7 but they will never again command the
} blind adherence OF the workingmen oil
America. The Democratic policy is fully
outlined when it is said that the tariff tar
must be reduced to the lowest practicable
point consistent with the welfare of the
largest number of people-millions for the
Government, but not one dollar as tribute
3 money to make the rich richer and the ZOO
poorer.
The REPUBLICAN, RELIC SOCIETY
a The Cincinnati Commercial Gazstte en-
$ ploys q writer who signs himself s. r. r
n | Vuhan vrvffl Il.