Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-12-27
A Specimen OfRepubIican Statesman
ship.

| The craftsmanship OF the country is
soon to be called upon to provide some
means for getting ria of the surplus
revenue which is now piling itself up
IN the Treasury. Under the system
OF oppressive taxation which the war
produced, but which has not passed
away with returning peace and pros
perity, the Government is annually re-
ceivlng more revenue than it can well
dispose OF. and the party which is
charged with the duties OF govern
ment is at least forced to admit that
something must BE- done to tighten
these public burdens, They do not
know exactly what to 10 about il, and
yet they fully admit that something
must be done. The Republican party
has been ve,y successful in levying
and collecting taxes, bur when the
amount has grown SO great that the
surplus becomes at once matter of
public interest, as we'll as public
burden, the cry then comes: How
shall this matter be remedied? The
gentlemen who are getting rich by the
blessings of high protective tariff
don't want anything which may inter-
fere with their profits, and are willing
to see the internal revenue system go,
while the heavy !n3noyed interests,
the banks, are equally anxious that no
extra steps may be taken to cancel the
Indebtedness of the Government, for
fear Of the danger it may do them,
and the party is in strait to know
what to do. They found it easy
enough to pile taxes on the people, but
now when the amount is so great that
1t cannot even be squandered with any
show of decency, the wise men are
putting their heads together to dis
cover some way to cure this evil. But
it was easier to tax the people than it
is to find some means of escape from
the consequences of this excessive tax
alton.
With all the boastiDg and the clam
or of the great financial ability of Re-
publican party leaders, they must now
confess their lmpotency to find the
proper remedy. The very fact that
the people of the country have for
years been bearing burdens which
were unnecessary, and piling up taxes
for no earthly reason except that it
was part Of the political system by
which the country is governed, should
of itself be an argument why the party
which permitted this to continue ought
not longer be entrusted with party
power. Millions upon millions of
money have been collected, and what
has the country to show for it all ex-
cept the building up of few great
corporations which are not a public
benefit. but just exactly the reverse?
Instead now of seeking to afford the
relief which the piled-up millions in
the treasury show is necessary for the
general welfare, they are considering
all sorts of foolish devices, not to les.
sen taxation, which would be the com.
nonsense way of affording relief, but
for the disbursement of the millions
they cannot use. They dare not re-
duce the revenues, for the party is
pledged to the protection of tariff
which such reduction wonld possibly
dammage; they cannot reach the bulk
of the public debt on account of their
peculiar Legislation, and that part
which could be reached they dare not
touch for fear of destroying the ma
tiona' banks which is the pet OF the
Republican party. They thus confess
their inability to deal with one of the
great problems of the day, and yet cry
out against the craftsmanship of the
Democratic party, which has its rem
edy for the public ills complained of.
If the system now in operation is con-
tinued, the country will be drained Of
its circulating medium, only to have
it locked up in the treasury, and if the
system of extol tion is interfered with
we are told public danger will follow.
Was there ever great party reduced
to more pitiable condition and con-
fession of political imbecility? Does
such condition of things invite furth.
er confidence, and urge the contin.
uance in power of such q party?-
american Register.