Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-12-14

III SBtlil5 NtIl III ObtlDII lil"O AAI''sN' 49,
reductions III the duties on imports
will be made in the near future. Al
least circumstances are most favorable
for such an event. The revenue OF
the national government exceeds the
legitimate expenditures more than one
hundred millions Of dollars annually.
There is a strong probability that
under our present revenue laws the
annual surplus would continue to
increase rather than diminish. And
for some years the surplus revenue
can not be adyantageouSIy applIcl 10
the redemption Of bonds, as has been
the case heretofore. We think that
uuder such circumstances it Will be
impossible for any party or set OF men
to satisfactorily explain to the Amer
lean people why taxation ought not TO
he reduced by lowering the duties on
imports, the most burdcnSOme OF All
taxes. The present state OF the imam
ccs has come about i'll the face OF the
direct opposition Of the protecllonlStS,
AID il passcth the understanding OF
thr WiScst Of them to dcYiSG ways ana
means to get rid Of the surplus rcvc-
nue. in the treasury. Every eXtrava-
cant measure proposed in congress for
wears past has received support from
protcctlOnists who hoped to thereby
prevent Il redundancy Of revenue. IL
is safe to say that the monStrouS river
and harbur bill passed ut the first SEES
sion Ct the last congress was passed
more with 4 view Of relieving the
treasury Of IN enormous sum OF money
than of improving the MYERS ana mar
bors. In like manner the reduction III
our internal taxes wa5 made, not be
cause Of any hardship in paying them,
but in the hope to reduce the revenue
and prevent or delay the reduction OF
duties which furnish bountics to man
ufrcturcrS. This same sell interested
support given 10y protcctloniStS to
these two measures can be traced IN
every net of legislation calling for IN
appropriation from the treasury; but
IL has been To- no avail. The people
IN the elections of lSS2 severely re-
hukcd CNtravagant appropriations
and the champions Of the protected
harons find themselves in Il most awk-
ward prCdicamCnt. 1t il amusing To
witness how these champions Wriggle
and twist to avoid acknowledging that
4 redundancy of revenue ought TO be
prevented hy lowering the tariff taxes,
Statesmen VIM. -. Kelley and sam j.
Randall would cut down the revenue
by abolisIling the excise taxes on liquor
and tobacco, But no very large class
Of men will be found with the hard
ihood TO rally To their standard while
the necessities Of life are heavily taxed.
statesman John \. Logan, who claims
TO have mastered the science of political
economy by two weeks study, desires
to appropriate the whiskey and tobacco
taxes to great national school fund.
Statesman Wharton Baker wants TO
have the surplus revenue reduced by
distributing it among the different
states. Statesman james G.. Blaine
holds nearly the same views as states
man Baker; but modilirs his position
10y calling for the distribution OF only
the excise duty on liquors. Statesman
Chester \. Arthur wants II portion of
the surplus revenue applied to the
work of providing first class dcicnSeS
for our harborS. But none of the prop
oSItiuuS of these statesmen of the pro-
lection school ELECTS very hearty
support. And the democratic party
with \ large majority in Che lower
house has taken 4 firm stand for rev
ennr reform. 1t would therefore seem
that the upholdcrs OF the Spollation
system have somewhat lost their grip,
aud that there is a reasonable ground
for \ hope that the consumers of the
country will soon he relieved of some
or the heavy burdens which they have
patiently borne for many years.