The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-03
CONGRESSMAN REED.
His Views ON MIR. Blaine's Plan, the
Tariff and the National Ranking Sys-

tCAhs
correspondent of the Philadelphia Press
met Congressman Reed in New York ON Thur
day and requested his views on Mr.. Blaine Is
plan OF disposing of the surplus revenue. Mr..
Reed said:
II have been away for the last six months,
and my views upon politics in general would
pe TOO vague to be worth stating or reading,
but II thought could do anything to invite
or help discussion of the contents of the letter
OF MT. Blaine to the editor of the Press, which
Is pnDhsned THIS moraing, should like to do
50. IL may possibly be solution, or part of
the solution, OF the difficulties of surplus reve-
nue. under which we are certainly laboripg.
we have large surplus reve-
nue. and no satisfactory use for it..
mat surplus arlses from tax which every one
approves of-which every one believes should
bear all the burdens that can be put upon it..
whether man be for temperance or the re-
verse, he does not think on that account that
tue tax on liquors is taken from the industries
OF Tue country. NO one wants the, tax repealed
NO one advocates it except to get rid of sur
plus
But how would it do to get rid of the sur
plus by reducing the tariff"
MY Judgment is that the business men of
the country want the tariff let alone. Not
alone do changes in the tariff hurt business,
but while the subject is under discussion busi-
ness has to wait. Business don't know what
30 do. Everything becomes stagpaut, Bust
ness can accommodate itself to bad legislation,
but threatened legislation cannot be SO met,
Ior no man knows what it will be- 1t seems to
me also that tariff legislation is not possible.
Which half of the Democratic party ia the big
gest, the tariff or free trade half will be decid-
ed on Saturday. If Mr.. Randall is chosen the
tariff question is closed. If Mr.. Carlisle is chos-
en- the tariff question is opened only to be clos
ed little later. Parties have got to change
their size great deal before measure, if OBJ
posed by all the Republicans and half the Dem
ocrats, can be carried. In addition wish to
add that the reduction of the tariff would not
necessarily be a reduction of revenue. Less
duties, more goods, and, perhaps. more rave
nue."
But why not use the surplus to paw the
debt as we have been doing?"
I'VE have national banking system. the
pest we ever had. The people are we'll salts
ned WA II, and will never give it up until
something better is proposed. The system is
based on the national bonds. We have now
reached the period when our payments are be.
| ginning to undermine the banks. Now the
most ardent Greenbacker would not have the
| banks destroyed at the cost of vast contrac.
| ton OF the currency, and yet, whenever the
banks cannot get bonds they must drop cur.
rency."
But would you keep On paying interest On
the debts merely to let banks live?'
by no means. The bonds for the banks
Some good fnanciers think banks might take
the bonds at per cent, or even without inter.
eat. La the latter case the bonds would be az
good as paid. At sny rate we can afford tc
keep the debt question in allegiance until some
means OF preventing violent contraction is in
vented. To sum the whole matter up, we have
revenue from two sources. First, from the tar.
| i'll, which ought not to be touched and will moi
be, and second from internal revenue, which
ought not to be given up. We have surplus
which comes without distressing the people
which we cannot use at present without finan.
| cial danger.
Under these circumstances, Mr. Blaine's
| proposition ought to have full discussion The
proposed remedy is new, but the complaint il
also new. In the North large share of the
taxation is caused by war debts incurred fol
the nation. Relief from the nation would be
only repayment. In the South large expense
must be undertaken to expel the ignorance
consequent upon the late system of slavery
National aid has been and will be demanded
The assignment of this tax would grant aid in
way that could arouse no sectional feeling. .