The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-09

gloss II over with various pretenseS; they
gloss it over with high sounding phrases: but
from first TO last the argument is in favor al
high taxes. Even my Staid. judicious col
league AYERS that no one complains; that
81 popular thar the people are greedily crying
Tor more.
Mir. Blaine in his letter to Mr.. Smith OF
Philadelphia in November, 1883. demands a
continuance OF the internal revenue system
that the surplus may be easily collected and
distributed 10 the States.
Everything. anything TO increase and to OK
pend the surplus. Nothing 10 prevent its ac-
cumulatiOn, and let il remain in the pockets
OF the people.
We hear much vain beating the air on the
subject of the tariff. Let Us clear OFF some
rubbish.
There is no free-trade party, scarcely any
individual free traders i'll the country. There
are no enemies OF American LABOR; no enc
mics of American manufacturers. We must
have tariff for revenue, AM 1t should be so
laid as to do the most good, AMI. the least
harm TO all interests.
The present tariff is the product of the COM
petinZ and combining and compromising
selishnesS of private Interests seeking boun-
ties at the expense of the people.
Mr.. Sherman, in his speech before the wool
growers III this CITY, explained the cOm5ina-
ton between the wool goods manufacturers
and the growers of cheap wool on the extern
sive grazing fields OF the Southwest. He
might EaVe shown similar combinations. with
equal ease, in almost every case where a duty
is laid.
Three rules, and three only are necessary
guides in this branch of reform. FirSt-To
REFUGE the expenses OF the Federal Govern
ment to the lowest possible point consistent
with its fair administration Second-To so adj
Just taxation that every dollar collected from
the people shall go into the public Treasury.
Third-That in the application of these two
rules care shall be taken as to time aud
changes to protect existing interests, and the
labor of our country. Can any sane, unselfish
man object to either? Their application will
complete t.ie work. The Supreme Court of
the United States said Ito lay with one hand
the power of the Government on the property
of the citizen and with the other to beStOw it
on the favored individuals to aid private enter
priSeS, 10 bui.d up private fortunes, is none
the less TObb Try because il is done under the
forms of law and is aled taxation. This is
not legislation. 1t is a decree under legislative
forms. Nor is it TAXATION. There can be no
tax which is not laid for public purpose"
The Democratic party teaches thus:
The Democracy pledges itself TO purify the
administration from corruption. to restore
economy, TO revive respect for law, ana to re-
duce taxation 10 the lowest limit consistent
with due REGARD to the preservation of the
faith of the Nation to its creditors and pen
SiOnerS
knowing full well, however, that legisla-
ton atre cting the occupations of the people
should be cautious and conservative i'll
method. not i'll advance OF publ opinion, but
responsive TO its demands, the Democratic
part is pledged to revise the tariff in Il spirit
of fairness 70 all interests.
But in making reduction in faxes, it is not
proposed to in ure any domestic industries,
but rather to promote their healthy growth.
From the foundation OF this Government taxes
collected nj the Custom House have been the
chief source of Federal revenue. Such they
must COntiuue to tie. Moreover. many in
dustries have come 70 rely upon legislation
for successful continuance, so that any
change of lay must be at every step regard
FIJI OF the labor and capital thus Involved.
The process OF reform must be subject in its
execution to this plain dictate of justice.
''AD taxation shall be limited to the require
mentS of economical government. The nee
cSS;;ry reduction in taxation can and must be
effected without deprying American labor of
the ability TO compete successfully with for
cign labOr aai without imposing lower rates
of duty than VIII be ample to cover any in
creased cost o. production which may exist
in consequence of the higher rate of wages
prevailing in this country.
Sufficient revenue to pay all the expenses
of the Federal Governments economically adj
miniStcred, intending pensions, interest and
principal of the public debt. can he got under
our present system of taxation from Custom
House taxes on fewer imported articles,
bearing heaviest on articles of luxury, and
bearing lightcst on articles of necessity.
1--WE therefore denOunce the abuse of the
existing tariff, and. sub ect to the preceding
limitations, we demand that Federal taxation
shall be exclusively for public purposes and
shall not exceed the needs of the Government
economically administered"
| read side by SHE, in Il very able newspaper,
two strong articles. The one asserted that
the business failures the scarcity OF employ
ment, the suffering of labOrcrS were due to
the low AMI falling prices. The other asserted
that high protective tariff is great blessing,
because 10y reason of home competition, the
prices of all products fall. Mark the con-
SiStency OF the two propositions.
In proof of the second it was averred that
wooden blankets of the same quality and make
under very high protective tariff. were sold
at half the price, and at greater profit, than
when the t.Tiif was lower. 1t was averred
that steel rails which, when the tariff was
low, sold at 500 per ton, sold for SD per ton
when the duty was raised to S2o per ton. The
argument is that the American manufacturers
can not compete with foreign producers and
make money when the product will bring
500, but can compete with home producers
and make money when their produce will
brin" only So. The argument is that miners
of iron, miners of coal. makers of steel. forge
men. furnIcemen, laborers of al kinds are
better paid, better clothed. better fed, their
families are more cOml Ortable, and capital
Yields large interest. when the product of
their labor Is sold al $2j instead OF SOB Tell
that to the hungry III 1nin the Hooking Valley
to-day and they will mob You.
The Republican party has had absolute
Legislative power for twenty four years with
two short intervals Their tariff and financial
measures have been carried according TO their
own sweet will.
BanNs. even National Banks. are falling.
Merchants are becoming bankrupt. fOundries
y
laburerS are without employment,
without living wages. In the midst of ahun-
dant harVeStS men and women and children
are hungry. The home market does not keep
up the price of wheat. Corn sells at twenty
cents at the farm and eighty cents at Chicago.
read in one paper the other day, the follow
ing announcement:
I'm the sIahOainr and ChcnInrO Districts
there are f1rty-SiX furnaces, and thirty-nine
have stopped making iron. In the Hanging
Rock DiSlrict there are twenty-eight charcoal
furnaces, and only eight will DO anything at
all. certainly not more than q small fraction
of their capacity. In the Hooking Valley
there are fourteen furnaces; only one, and
the smallest, IS running. In the Lake Superior
region there are thirty -Scven stacks. and only
nine at work, and these to be reluced. In
near Pittsburgh, eight thouS-
and coal miners are out of employment. At
JOhnStOwn, the Cambria works, employing
five thousand men. cut down the wages from
ten 10 twenty per cent.
In New York the wholesale clothing house
of RindSkOn X Co.. wei known to Cincinnati,
has failed for million. In cincinnati the
house of Buch nan < Go. has failed also.
dun reports the business disasters ten per
cent. greater than last year"
And yet the coal and iron and wooden goods
interests are protected by enormous duties.
Do yOU see in this exhibit Il good reason fer
continuing the Republican party in power!
An attempt is made to group together by
nationality our fellow citizens of foreign
birth. and induce them to go altogether TO the
party.
Appeals are made to Trishmea, TO Germans.
to band together and 10 support Ell masse the
Republican, candidate. In the name of Ameri-
can citizenship protest against this wicked
ness. / wOuld not try in this fashion to bring
them TO our all. | scout the idea that there
is reason why they should in this fashion go
f rom us. In lS5I-5. when the immediate an
ceStOrs of the present Republican party were
men of foreign birth and OF certain
religious convictions, seeking to enlarge the
term before natursilZa ion. p lssing the COM
mand Put none on guard tonight except
mo iriShmen need apply" the
one AMI the same aud only Democratic party
stood firm IN reforming them TO our shores,
firm for our liberal naturalization laws, firm
in the equality OF naturaliZet with the
tiTe-born citizen. Its whole history has
proven it TO be faithful TO the utteranceS of
the last plaffOrn.