Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-05-27
The Tariff.
Taxation is a necessary G

ldAdblOu 10 HeCooSdIy wi VI SO
ment. Government is essential to the hap
piness and well-being of man, and to sup
port government, revenue is required. Inns
can only be obtained from the people. All
taxation u.s. however, burden and only to
be endured because it is a less evil than the
want of good government.
The first duty, then, of our government,
is to limit its expenditures to the lowest
amount compatible with the requirements
of government.
Secondly, To levy just sufficient taxes to
meet the expenditures of government so
limited.
Thirdly, To so levy its taxes as to insure
that the burdens of taxation shall fall upon
each citizen as nearly as possible in proper
ton to his relative liability to pay.
And fourthly, To levy all taxes IN the
manner which will render the burden least
perceptible to the people.
How many of these requisites of good
government are complied with in the re-
publican theory of taxation, 'A high pro.
tective tariff?'
Under their present tariff rates, in vain
are the expenses Of government raised to
the highest pitch, and millions of money
suuandered to drain off the surplus, still
there remains yearly a vast accumulation
of many millions of unneeded money. and
still the question s'Why unnecessarily rob
the people of their earning?" remains I'M
answered.
Thus the two first requisites Of good gov
eminent, as regards taxation, are utterly
disregarded by the republican party.
Again, this party proves itself faithless
to the power it holds by levying taxes in a
manner, and with the clear intention, that
the burden shall fall unequally upon the
people, and that the lighter burden shall
fall upon the manufacturing capitalist, who
least of all requires it, and which, we. shall
hereafter show, brings no benefit whatever
to labor.
Further, our present tariff system is not
only contrary to every principle Of good
government, but is also directly antagonis-
tic to the very fundamental theory of the
| right of taxation, in that it is avowedly
laid for the primary purpose of protection,
whereas the raising of revenue is the only
lawful object Of taxation.
| Thus the question of revenue with us is
made merely an incidental and collateral
consideration in the levying of taxes.
The many evils, both individual and ma
| tional, that result from this illegal and IN
just system of taxation it is our intention
to endeavor to demonstrate to the people,
through our columns, as well as to show
the fallacy Of the absurd advantages claimed
for this system by its advocates.
Among the many other, and no less i'm
portant duties and purposes Of the demo-
cratic party, is that Of bringing back our
system of taxation to its legitimate object
under the constitution.
Intending to raise the necessary revenues
I<Nff
densome to the people, the democratic par
| ty is i'll favor of a tariff laid on imports, but
| laid for the primary purpose of revenue,
and so levied as to affect as nearly equally
as possible the different industries of the
country, having respect to their respective
needs and to throw the burden of support
ing government alike upon the whole peo-
| pie.
| This is what the democratic party means
| by reform Of the tariff, which, it will fail
i'll its mission, if it does not accomplish.
| We have alluded thus briefly to the posi-
| ton Of the democratic party upon the ques-
lions of revenue and tariff at this place for
the reason that we have been frequently
| asked by professed protective tariff advo-
Gates in our county, how the party pro-
posed to raise the revenues of the govern
ment. if it succeeded in carrying cut its
views of reform of the tariff
Disabusing their minds once for all of
any intention of direct taxation on the part
of the democratic party, we desire to make
it plain to the people that it desires to raise
the revenue by means of tariff on imports
laid primarily for that purpose. Neither is
the party in favor of such sweeping and
radical changes in the tariff system as will
unsettle business but such gradual reform
and adjustment of the tariff on a revenue
basis as will allow the various beneficial in
dustries Of the country time to accommo-
date themselves to the change without dis
aster to the interests of the country
Woodstock Virginian.