The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-04-26
THE SUBTLE scHENERs.

The New York Sun is a pro-
tectionist organ. 1t has been pre-
tending that it desires the success of
Democracy in 1884, and to this end, as
it claims, it has appealed to Demo-
Gratis to modify their tariff views. 1t
claims that to fight on the doctrine
of tariff for revenue only, would be
the party's destruction. Now, like
the Greeks before Troy, it advances
strategically, and would destroy with
what it terms compromise"
This is:
The free-trade enthusiasts are, after
all, right in their idea that the true
platform for the Democracy in 1884,
is tariff for revenue only; and yet
they are but half right, for their idea
is not half the truth.
ut is time to utter the whole truth
for them and for all branches of the
Democracy, and here it is:
IL. 4 tariff for revenue only.
III. The tariff the only source of
revenue.
This, 1t saws, will meet the views
of those who dislike protection, and
it will meet the views of those who
fear free trade. The revenue tariff
will impose an average of 40 to as per
cent. duty upon all imported goods;
and these duties will be levied not for
the sake of protection, but for the
sake of revenue. Then we may all
be happy together, and the great bat
tie of reform may be won by the
Democracyin 1884" Then, under the
advice of Mr.. Sam Randall, the Sun
formulates it's propositions as char
monious principles" as follows:
81. Let the tariff be for revenue. 1t
will then be protective also.
III. Let the revenue tariff be the
only source or revenue.
Iii. Let all the internal taxes be
abolished at once, except only the tax
on spirits.
"IV. Let the tax on spirits be re-
tanned only to meet the necessity of
means to pay arrearages of pensions.
When those arrearegeS are provided
for let the spirit tax be likewise abol-
ished.
these are principles on which all
patriotic men can unite and co-ope-
rate"
a few weakened Democratic pa
pers may be inclined to accept these
propositions. Those in earnest in their
purpose to move steadily and directly
toward real revenue tariff must, with
one accord, reject and denounce these
propositions as cunning and danger
Gus, and positively destructive of
Democratic success. Their adoption,
as is commended by the Charleston
News and Courier, would mean an alb
ject surrender of the llfe-giving prin-
ciple of the Democratic party, a VIC
lation of the pledge upon which it
swept the north and west last fall,
and an abandonment of the main issue
upon which it is going to win in 1884.
Whisky and tobacco are luxuries,
which now pay an enormous revenue
to the government. The only rea-
sui Juo gun d1u NIL hdhucti1
want to free them from taxation is in
order to create so large deficit that
the tariff taxation of all the imported
necessaries of life may become pub
lie necessity which can never be
shaken off. In this way the manu-
facturers' ring, for whom the Sun
speaks, would continue to fatten and
grow rich upon the hard earnings of
the American people. The strategem
of the Sun shows to what an extent
this great issue has taken hold of the
people. 1t is an effort to fasten per-
manently upon the country the policy
of enriching the few and impover-
ishing the many, and the cunning eff
fort to create diversion, may be
positive proof that the barons feel
the people are now determined to sue
coed them as rulers.
1