The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-12-07
BLAINE'S FIRST BID.

Ex-Secretary Blaine apparent
thinks the time has come when
should start his quadrennial boo
for the Presidential nomination.
was hoped by his wise friends th,
the gentleman would not engage
the business this time, but woal
let others do the booming for hin
Heretofore his am bition and anxiet
both oYerleaped themselves and b
has fallen in the dirt. He wante
the prize so much, was so crazy i
his desire for 1t that perhaps peopl
withheld it out of sheer meanness
Human nature is more or les
tantalizing.
The nomination has been twic,
held before Blaine's longing eyes
but both times just beyond
his reach. In one instance the
glare from the jewel was SC
powerful that it overcame the poor
man as if by sunstroke. If Blaine
hadn't displayed such great anxiety.
it is quite probable he might haYe
been nominated. 1t is believed by
many that he has his overWeening
ambition to thank for his defeat
Hence, his friends and admirers
hoped that this time he would keep
in the background, as he had been
promising he would do; but he
couldn't hold himself down. He
pops up with the first gun in the
cannonade. More are certain to fol-
low. The beginning is proposition
that the surplus revenue of the
government be distributed among
the States in proportion to popula-
tion; that is to say, he says it
would be the proper thing
to give the money gathered from
the internal revenue taxes on whis-
ky dealers and cigar makers, to the
different States. It is doubtful if
under the Constitution ATTY such dis
position of the national funds could
be made, for the fundamental law
Of the republic does not contem>
plate the collection Of money for
any such purpose, or for any pur-
pose in fact other than the payment |
of the expenses of government. |
When the nation collects more than |
it can find legitimate use for it |
Oyersteps its authority, and halt |
should be called. 1t has no right to !
give back the money, any more |
than it can lawfully squander it for |
purposes other than are contem>
plated in the law. Mr.. Blaine,
however, thinks it will be a popular |
Thing to suggest the helping of the |
States by this pretended national
But we believe he is
without his host. The
people are net downright
dots. Once IN awhile they cease
heir levity, become sober and
effect, and when they do this
hey are very apt to set
heir reasoning faculties into
he right kind of motion. They
will not be long in discovering that
f it were not unconstitutional it
would be improper and outrageously
Unjust to indulge in any such prac-
ice as Mr.. Blaine suggests. They
will ask, if government does not
heed the money, why should it be
collected only to be refunded? and
hen they would want. to know what
ustice there would be in the un-
,ven distribution that is proposed.
For instance New York, Pennsyl-l J
7ania, Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois |
,ay a very large proportion of the
internal revenue taxes on the rum
md tobacco trade, but they would |
get a very small proportion |
If the money distributed. For in
stance the millions that Kentucky |
pays for whisky would be sent to |
Connecticut, Massachusetts,, New |
Hampshire, Rhode Island and Yer
mont. In other words, the pro-
thrifty states would have
o support the non-progressive
md slow-going. The scheme
would work even more un-
satisfactorily than does our
ocal school law, which takes the
'unds from some counties and dis
;ributes them among the others.
If Mr.Blaine'ss second bid for popu.
arity is no better than the first, it is
feared that he will bull matters
worse this time than ever before.
He should be careful how he under
axes to please States and win fa-
yor among the masses.