The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-01-19
ABOUT RIGHT


Word, IN defining its position on the tariff
question, upquestionabiy places Itself il
line with the grea; body Of the Democratic
party of the Union:
/ The Commercial .idciser Is perpleXcd
over our position on the tariff question.
We regret TINS because, as we always sci
forth our principles with clearness, II i'm
plies that our contemporary has read the
World care.essly, and has thus neglected a
valuable opportunity for Information ana
Improvement.
We are IN favor
/. OF cutting down the expenditures of
the government and of putting q stop to
stealing.
.. OF discounting gailoping payment
Of the public debt not contemplated when
the debt was contracted aud unjust to the
present generation because it taxes them
unnecessarily and dis,urhs banking iacl!i-
! ties
| 3. OF raising the revenues necessary
for the government by q moderate excise
tax on spurious liquors, ana tariff Tor
revenue so distributed as to afford Incl
dental protection TO home manufacturers
and home labor wherever ii is needed and
| just.
We canaot in any way lessen taxation
while republican administration Is
sQuGndeuug the public moneys, while
corruption permeateS the departments,
while stealing goes unpublished, and while
! an excuse has to be found for heavy taxa
/ lion and a large surplus.
The present democratic house may en-
force some economy by reducing appro-
pratioGs But IL cannot even to this eX-
! tent now secure revenue reform, because
| the senate and the president will not allow
! the present tariff to ho touched. Hence
we are unwilling 10 waste powder by fir
ing in the air at - tariff beyond our reach,
causing needless agitation and giving the
republicans an opportunity to divert the
attention Of the people from the plain
issue between honest and dishonest govern.
ment
We supported Nj Carlisle because we
understand him 20 favor a tariff for revenue
with all the incidental protection it can
afford, and to be opposed 70 foolish tariff
agitation calculated ~ disturb business.
That we are not IN error The speakers
uttcranCes alter his election, which We
reproduce, will show He said to The
house over which he was called to pre-
SIDE
Sudden and radical changes in the laws
and regulations affecting the commercial
and industrial, interests of the people
ought never to be made unless Imperative
ly demanded by some pubic emergency ;
and, IN my opinion, under existing cir
cumstanCes such changes would not he
tavorably received BY any considerable
number OF those VINO have given serious
attention to the subject.
"If there be asy who fear that your action
OF this or ary other subject vii. actually
reasonable cause for alarm, | am quite
sure that they will be agreeably disap-
pointed What the country has n right 10
expect Is strict economy IN the administra-
ton OF every department OF the govern
mcni, just and equal taxation for pubic
purposes, q faithful observance OF the
limitations of the Constitution and &
sCrupulous regard for the rights and inter
ests Of the great body Of the people in or
der that they may be protected, as far as
congress has power to protect them, against
encroachments from every direction
! Senator Payne says;
| Free trade has never been accepted by
| The government 81 any CIVILIZED nation
and is impracticable and impossible, and
those words "for revenue only" unwlsely
inserted IN the platform of 1880, lost to
the democracy the presidency and all
which that loss implied, and a like fatality
Will assuradly follow 4 repetition of the
folly IN any future campalgn.'
This Is exactly true, ltls exactly wha,
the World said months ago. The word
"only" must go.