Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-10-02
Hendricks, rarin Reduotion.

Mr.. Hendricks will be conceded to be
a proper spokesman for the Democratic
party in the present campaign as to its
designs and policy if successful in No
venber. He is one of the oldest and
ablest of it's politicians as well as its
candidate for Vice President. In a re-
cent speech at Indianapolis he said the
tariff must be reduced; that the Chicago
Convention had committed the
party to that course, and cOntin-
ued: "When the Democracy comes
into power, I undertake to say that the
machinery viii be turned for while
x x in favor of reducing taxation to
the wants of Government economically
administered"
He went further into detail, and point
ed out Just how much the reduction
should be, when he said the surplus now
was $85,000.00 or more yearly beyond
the needs Of the Government.
That, then, is the minimum
measure of the tariff reduction
which the Democrats propose. He did
not mention internal revenue taxation,
but it is likely he would make a part of
his reduction in that direction, though it
would better suit the free trade wing of
the party to run down the tariff duties
to the lowest notch.
The entire revenue for last year was
$348, 100000, of which $780, 600 came
from customs and 1922, 100000 from inter
nal revenue. Making reasonable allow
ance for the natural increase in business,
the surplus would represent about
% per cent. of the total Of both, or 40 per
cent. of the tariff duties alone. The
Morrison bill showed that the policy Of
Democratic tariff reduction Is on the hOr
iZOntal plan, an arbitrary uniform reduc
ton without reference to the cOnse
quences in any particular direction, so
that it is fair to expect another horizon
tai cut of duties to point at least one
fourth lower than at present. This is the
Interpretation of the gospel of taxation
''for public purposes exclusively" accord
ing to Apostle Hendricks. The Morrison
bill took off only 20 per cent. Of the
tariff, but was only a first step to what
Mr.. Hendricks proposes.
Mr. Hendricks plan would take off
all protection to the native producer
from many articles which are now suf-
fering because of too easy foreign compe-
tition. Take wool, for instance. Under
the last change in the tariff the duty is
10 and u cents a pound. The impOrta-
tions of wool, raw and manufac-
tured, for the year ending June
80, 1888, was over S65 100000.
The figures for 1884 are not yet at hand,
but the result on the wool industry was
so marked and the effect on the farmers
so disastrous as to compel distinct issue
last Fall in parts of Ohio where it was
prominent. To make a still further re-
ductiOn Of One-quarter IN the duty would
be simply ruinOus to the farmer with
large hocks. If the wool growers of
Missouri like the prospect, they should
vote for Mr.. Hendricks.
The iron industry is now depressed to
a very low point. The irOn-WOrkers are
protected against English competition by
duties of $6 Y per ton pig iron, S17 on
Bessemer rails, and $1792 on bar iron.
Mr.. Hendricks would cut the barriers
down to at least $5.04 on pig iron, to
Sl275 on rails, and S13.H on bar
iron. Missouri has vast resources
in ore and coal. With a ready mar
ket at a fair profit the State would
equal Pennsylvania in manufactures Of
iron. But to reduce the present tariff
One-Quarter under the rate at which the
mills and furnaces are unable to run at
full time, would be to put the screws still
tighter. This proposed policy can hardly
commend itself to the iron workers of
Carondelet.
Mr.. Hendricks does not seem to have
made any calculation for paying off the
national debt, the interest on which is
nearly $55, 100000 a year. Republican
usage has been to pay this of as rapidly
as was consistent with good business
policy. When he wipes out the surplus
revenue he stops this decrease Of both
interest and principal, and renders
it impossible to reduce the yearly
expenses of the Government ex-
cept as the natural increase of
business and property allows. The Re
publicans have simply used good bust
ness sense, with an eye to the future, in
these matters, and refused a temporary
advantage at the expense of future hard
ship. That is the main difference in the
two policies that are offered to the peo-
pie as they shall choose between Blaine
and Cleveland.
Pays to Feed wen.