Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-22
INCOMPETENCE FAILURE AND FOE.
FIXTURE.

The people at the late elections gave Con-
gress full warning that they are no longer
willing that the immense taxes rendered
war shall be kept up. This expression by
the people necessitated attention by Congress
to the axation system, and 30 tar as that at
tention has gone it has not made the reduc-
ton in the taxes the people require. The
tariff, as far as il has been considered, still
retains substantially the high duties that the
people demand shall be lowered. The gov
erning party, as the New York Post has
shown in a very striking article, is putting
itself into a very serious position by its
failure to carry out the popular decision.
That party loses what memories of the past
had conferred, and it forfeits both claim and
title to the further confidence and support Of
the people. Its sentence is coming, Meme,
ssene, tekcL, uphaTsiB-weighed In the bal
ances and found wanting. Circumstances
and the country demand measure which the
party in power proves unable to accomplish.
Such a want ofpower carries with ite1pulsion
from the exercise of power. A reduction of
the taxes and revision Of the tariff with a
view to reduction, was required plainly and
uumistakably by the people, yet the great
work committed to the present session of
Congress is not done. The tariff is under
revision, but the task Oh lowering the duties
is left upperformed. Private Interests,
greedy demands, rapacious grasping by cor
morants, whose perpetual cry is more, more"
haze been listened 10, but the mighty voice
of the people has been treated as the whis-
pers OF the idle wind. Whether the tariff
ia left unchanged after all the contoriions
Congress has exhibited, or whether a tariff
is substituted for il that leaves taxation sub
stantially as high as before, the governing
party has equally failed TO perform its duty,
and is equally smenable TO public condemn
alton. Either result will show that the gov
erning power is unable to perform the work
required of it, or that it is unable TO under
stand the expression of the popular will,
or that il is resolved to brave and defy and
oppose that will. Tho rieiders OF
the national power, the msjority in
Congress, stand convicted before the
nation of failure 10 carry out the popular
will and reduce taxation. This is I confess
sion of delinquency or of incompetency,
and amounts TO solicitation. The fault can.
not be laid upon opponents, for those oppo-
nents desired reduction. To say that they
themselves also were willing TO reduce, but
those interested in iron, and sugar, and salt,
and wood pulp, and lumber, the host of har-
pies shrieking for prey, would not permit
them, would be only an acknowledgment
that the work the people require 10 be done
must be done by other hands. Should it be
found necessary TO call an extra session of
Congress to do what the present Congress
has failed in, then, in the words OF the New
York Post, the meaning of the Presidents
proclamation calling an extra session, will
be: "a reduction of taxation, including q
revision of the tariff, is necessary. The PEG.
pie demand it. The Republican majority
in the last Congress has shown itself unable
to accomplish it. 1 am under the necessity
OF calling an extra session of the new Con-
gress, that the Democratic msjority in the
next House of Representatives may satisfy
an evident requirement of the day aud a
popular demand which the Republican ma
iority in the last House proved itself unable
to satisfy" This is bitter pill, but all the
iron, wood, pulp, rice, sugar, and salt monop-
olis:s will not save party unfaithful to
the public from having to swallow it.