Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-24
nnnaCRACr ANp rnE rAsIFT.

cate anu q Oem0cfat ~ tuo Same
said Congressman FoRAN, of Cleveland,
Ohio, who Is the leading labor repre-
In the House Of Representa-
tiyes. VThey put It much as WATrER-
SON did last November, that II Demo-
crsey doesn't mean tariff REFORM as
they call it, doesn't mean anything.
Now I claim right to the contrary. l
say true Democracy Is better defined by
n protective tariff than by - tariff for
revenue only, and I'll prove it. l have
been looking this matter up, land l think
1t would be well for those Democrats
who are declaring that the Government
has no constitutional right to levy taxes
except for revenue, to go back to the
fathers Of Democracy, JEFFERSON ana
JACKSON, and see what they say about
it. THOMAS JEFFERSON in 1895 found
an overlooking treasury, with both in
ternal and external taxing systems at
work, and what did he recommend?
Listen while i read from his inaugural
address:
The suppression of unnecessary offices,
of useless establishments and expenses,
enabled Us to discontinue our internal
taxes. These covering our land with ofti
cers, and opening our doors to their intru.
sions, had already begun that process OF
domicilisry yexation. which, once entered,
is scarcely to be restrained from reaching
successfully every article of produce aud
property. The remaining revenue, on the
consumption Of foreign articles, Is paid
chiefly by those who can afford &c add for
eign luxuries TO domestic comforts, being
collected on our sesboard and frontiers
only, and incorporated with the transac-
tons of our mercantile citizens, it may be
the pleasure and the pride OF an American
to ask, what farmer, what mechanic, what
laborer ever sees taxgatherer OF the
United States? These contributions enable
US 10 support the current expenses OF the
Government, to fulfill contracts with Tor
eign nations, 10 extiDguish the native right
of soil within our limits, to extend those
limits, and to apply such surplus to our
public debts as places at q short day their
final redemption, and that redemption
once effected the revenue thereby liberated
may, by a just repartition among the
States, and by a corresponding amendment
of the Constitution, be applied to rivers,
canals, roads, arts, manufactures, educa-
ZION, and other great objects within each
State
ain his message to Congress in De-
cember, 1906, President Jefferson, after
recommending the abolition Of some
special taxes, says:
There will still, ere long, be an accumu-
lstion, of moneys in the Treasury beyond
the installments of public debt which We
are permitted by contract to pay. They
cannot, then, without a modification as
sented to by the public creditors, be ap-
piled to the extinguishment OF this debt;
nor, il our peace continues, Will they be
wanted for any other existing purpose.
The question, therefore, now comes for
ward, to what other objects shall these
surpluses be appropriated, and the whole
surplus Of impost, after the entire dis
charge Of the public debt? Shall we sup
press the impost, and give that advantage
10 foreign over domestic manufacturers?
On few articles Of more general and nee
esssry use, the suppression, in due season,
will doubtless be right; but the great mass
Of the articles on which imPost is paid are
foreign luxuries, purchased by those only
Who are rich enough to afford themselves
the use of them. Their patriotism would
certainly prefer It's continuance and sppli'
cation to the great purposes Of the public
education, roads, rivers, canals and other
Ohessss Of P9oi tr lmg5eSs m G 10 uzsurvr
he advantages to the people to be
gained by public Improvements. No
lice how well he states the ease, that
even when We do not absolutely need
The money IL is better to levy the tax,
for the advantage to domestic over for.
eign manufactures, and to eXpend the
money in proper works OF improve
ment. That is JefierSOnian Democracy
and good enough for nae. Now, let u
turn TO Jackson. In his first message
10 Congress (lS29l he said:
The agricultural interest Of our country
IS so essentially connected with every
other, and so superior in Importance to
them all, that it is principally as manufac-
lures and commerce tend to increase the
value OF agricultural productions and to
extend their application to the wants and
CON forts OF society that they deserve the
fostering care Of. government. Looking for
ward to the period not Tar distant when
a sinking fund will 40 longer be required,
me duties on those articles Of importation
which cannot come in competition with
our own productions, are the first that
should engage the attention of Congress in
the modification Of the tariff
al have heard able members of Con-
gress declare" continued Mr.. FOran,
that Andrew Jackson firmly believed
Congress was without the power to
levy IA protective tariff. But | should
like 10 lave them tell me what this
means. Read this from Old Hickory's
message of 1880:
TIE power TO impose duties on imports
originally belonging to the several States.
The right to ADJUST these duties, with a
view to the encouragement OF domestic
branches Of industry, is so completely Incl
dental to that power that it is difficult to
suppose the existence of the one without
the other. The States have delegated their
whole authority over imports to the gen.
eral Government without limitation or re-
striction. This authority having thus en-
tirely passed from the States, the right to
exercise it for the purpose of protection
toes not exist in them, and, consequently,
if il be not possessed By the general Gov.
eminent it must be extinct Our political
system would thus present the anomaly OF
a people stripped OF the right to foster
their own industry, and to counterfeit the
most selfish and destructive policy which
might be adopted By foreign nations. This,
surely, cannot be the case. This ipdispsnsa-
Die power, thus surrendered by the States,
must DO within the scope Of the authority