The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-04
THE DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE,
A Ringing speech by Go,erpo~ ..,ena.drick'

INDIA NArrt..s, August 30.-The cam
pagO in this State was formslly opened
by both parties to day, and hundred
speeches were delivered in the cities and
towns in various parts Of Indians. IN
this city the Republicans di1 not hold
meeting. The Democrats had large
street denomination, many uniformed
cleb. carrying torches and Transparent
oies, participating. The speeches took
place from the stand in q circle, where
ex Governor Hendricks addressed the
audience, numbering several thousand
persons.
Fellow. Citizens. : appreciate the
privilege ard honor of addressing you,
and recognize the duty of speaking
frankly aud without cQncealment or
exaggeration OF any material fact or
opinion. May first ask your attention
TO the necessity and importance of reve-
nue. reform. The power to levy and
collect taxes is among the highest and
most responsible Of the attributes Of the
Government. 1t ranks With the right
and faculty Of taking private property
for public use and with the right and
power Of transferring citizens from the
pursuits Of private life TO the duties end
hazards Of war. 1t takes from man that
which is his and aprropriates it TO the
public use. u aciZes upon the earnings
Of leto. az we'll az upon the accumula.
tions of capital. TO every man the
inquiry il Of personal concern, aud the
answer is of public consequence. How
far may the Government 20 in the eKcr-
cise of the power to tag thr people?
Freely and cheerfullv We all answer that
there shall be 10 Limitation or restraint
upon .he absolute and entire maintenance
of public authority with all of its facul.
ties and functions unmpaired. Whatever
the Government can lawfully do and Of
right should do the taxpayers will fur
nish it the means to accomplish. Beyond
this is the providence Of private right,
to invade which is usurpation The
Government economically administered
shall be supported. Are your men from
the farms, shops and stores willing that
any other rule should be adopted? May
they take your money for uses not au.
thorized by the Constitution or not for
the public welfare? or that it may be
piled UP in the vaults to tempt the greed
of the INSCRIPTIONS. When the war
came taxation was necessarily and right
fully increased. Large revenues were
needed to supply aud maintain great
armies, but with the war aud the expen-
ditures consequent ppor it then passed
away the necessity for a war standard of
taxation. Why, then, was such stand.
ard continued? The party that has held
! almost uhbroken power for nineteen
years in peace must answer that question.
In bis message of December 4, 1882,
President Arthur admonished Congress
that Mt the prior session he had urged
upon its attention "the importance of
relieving industries and enterprise of
unnecessary taxation" In the same
message he said the people have been in
substantial accord on the doctrine that
only such taxes should be levied as are
necessary for wise and economical
administration of the Government"
The President continued: "Of late the
public revenues have far exceeded that
limit, and unless checked by appropriate
Legislation such excess will continue to
! increase from year to year" For the
fiscal year ended June 80, 1881. the sur.
plus revenue amounted to 800, ,000,0 600.
For the fiscal year ended on Juno 30 of
last year the surplus was more than
$l45, 100000. What say you, my coun-
trymeD2 Did that showing not call for
revenue reform? During that Congress
the House was made up positively of
Republicans, largely by partisan action.
Not much heed was given by it to the
startling statement made by the President
OF the enormous exceas in the revenue.
The modification of the internal system
and Of the tariff made on March follow
lug left an excess of $85, 900, 900 of reve.
nue.. In his last annual report on De.
cember last the secretary Of the treasu.
~ estimates the surplus Of the cnrrent
year at $85 900, 900, and adds: so the
question still presses, what legislation is
necessary to relieve the people Of unnec.
essary taxes ?" Yes, it is question Of
se5. 600 600 unnecessary taxe- in one
year; the accumulation is constant. In
a speech recently made at Richmond Mr..
Calkins, the candidate for Governor,
Boosting of the achievements of his par
ty, made statement which I adopt
without examination, "that the Rcpub.
lican party found an empty treasury.
Now 1t has surplus of $400 ,000, ,00O."
That Is an enormous sum of money;
more, believe, than half the paper
currency of the country. Estimating
our population Mt 50,000,000 it ia eight
dollars for each man, woman and child
That great sum Of money lies idle in the
treasury. If it had been left with the
people it would become the willing and
active servant of labor. 1t would stimu-
late and strengthen old and develop new
enterprises. It would reatore to the
merchant his market and give the farmer
good prices again. In the language of
the secretary of the treasury, "the ques.
too Sill pEes5es, what legislation is
necessary to relieve the people of uu.
necessary taxes2'" It Is 9 question, of
revenue reform. Solve this question, my
countrymen, by reducing tho taxes, and
thus leaving the money not needed BY
the Government in the pockets of the
people and channels of trade and com
merce. The partyin power will not give
ns this reform. As the years have rolled
by with them In power the machinery of
the law, inexorable In its action, has gone
on collecting from the taxpayers in ex.
cess, boarding aud accumulating. The
candidate for Governor boasts of the
accumulations. In contrast with low
taxes and short revenue and the empty
treasury of former days, the high rates
and overaowing treasury of these times
became, in the appreciation of himself
and his political associates, achievements
of exalted craftsmanship. Learning
and argument are exhausted in the po.
litical papers of these times in support
of high taxation, to the end and for the
purpose of relieving favored classes from
competition. OF course revenue reform
must come from other quarters. It can.
not come from the representatives of the
favnrnS o1oesoo x,hn i,oonolsk., -,