The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-04
THE DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE.
A Ringing Speech by Goveraos ==yeadricls'

THE DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE.
A Ringing Speech by Goveraos: ssss'eaario'ss.
ISDrAsA,tr.5;f;s, August So.-The cam.
pkgl in this State was formally 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 dia not hold 8
meeting. The Democrats had large
street dercnstration, many uniformed
cleb. carrying torches and Transparent
| oies, participating. The speeches took
place from the stand in circle, where
Ex-Governor Hendricks addressed the
audience, numbering several thousand
psFTSelpIo; FslIou.citisens, / ii appreciate the
privilege and honor of addressing you,
! and recognize the duty of speaking
frankly and 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 and
| hazards of war. It takes from man that
which is his and aper'' ,fistes it to the
| public use. zt seizes Lpon the earnings
of labor as we'll as upon the accumula-
| tions of capital. To every man the
inquiry is of personal concern, and the
answer is of public consequence. How
far may the Government 60 in the eaer.
else of the power to tax tho people !?
Freely and cheerfully we all answer that
there shall be no limitation or restraint
upun the absolute and entire maintenance
of public authority with all of its facul.
ties and functions unimpaired. 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
ehall 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 and maintain great
armies, but with the war and the expen.
ditures consequent upon it then passed
away the necessity for war standard of
taxation. Why, then, was such stand.
ard continued? The party that has held
almost unbroken power for nineteen
years in peace must answer that question.
In his message of December 4, 1882,
President Arthur admonished Congress
that at the prior session he had urged
upon its attention "the importance OF
relieving industries and enterprise OF
unnecessary taxation" In the same
message be said the people have been in
substantial accord on the doctrine "tbat
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 30, 1881. the sur
plus revenue amounted to 100000, ,O00:
For the fiscal year ended on June 80 of
last year the surplus was more than
S145, 100000. What say you, my coun-
trymen? 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 excess in the revenue.
The modification of the internal system
and of the tariff made on March follow
| ing left an excess of sS5, 100000 of reve-
nue.. In his last annual report on De.
cember last the secretary of the treasu'
ry estimates the surplus of the current
wear at 1856 100000 and adds: $50 the
question still presses, what legislation is
necessary to relieve the people of unnec.
essary taxes" Yes, it is question of
$S5, 100000 unnecessary taxes in one
year; the accumulation is constant. In
speech recently made at Richmond Mr..
Caikins, the candidate for Governor,
bosstiug of the achievements of his par
ty, made statement which I adopt
without examination, "that the Repub'
lican party found an empty treasury.
fNow it has surplus of S4OO, 1000"
That is an enormous sum OF money
more, l believe, than half the paper
currency of the country. Estimating
our population at 50,O00,0OO it is 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. It would stimu-
late and strengthen old and develop new
enterprises. 1t would restore to the
merchant his market and give the farmer
good prices again. In the language OF
The secretary of the treasury, "the ques,
ton still presses, what legislation is
necessary to relieve the people of un.
| necessary laAeS 1b 40 q 4oCoeioot va
revenue reform. Solve this question, my
couutrymen, by reducing the 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
us 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 and 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
and ar s1giaS argument are exhausted in the po
litical papers of these times in support
of high taxation, to th end and for the