The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-18
The Real Issue.

Inc country HOW HAS DesOTo IL IDe
platforms of the various parties, the
letters of acceptance of the principal
candidates, and the pronunciamento of
Mr. Butler, who prefers to be regarded
as the candidate of no party in partic-
ular, but the piS dLJer of the discon-
tented of all parties. One fact will oc-
cur to any one who has the patience to
master the great volume of this sort of
campaign literature and to compare its
several chapters, and that is the sub
stantial agreement which all have, with
more or less emphasis, come to upon
| the treatment OF the revenues. The
Republicans, while still ciinging to the
proUectionist idea. and while pointing
| out various channels" into which the
surplus can be turned without reducing
taxaton, still promise revision of the
tariff. The Democrats place tariff re-
vision in the front rank OF the subjects
IF legislation. General Butler denOun-
ces the inequalities of the tariff, and
proposes principles which, logically APP
| Piled, would give more radical results
| than either of the organized parties
| have ventured to contemplate. So far,
| therefore, as the authorized declara-
| tions of the conventions and candidates
are concerned, there is every reason TO
expect a treatment of the revenue sub
stantially the same, and for the first
| lime in any National canvass all are
agreed that thai treatment must be in
the direction of moderate, gradual, but
/ real, reduction.
This singular harmony among the
political parties has been brought
about by the awakening of public
opinion to the actual situation and the
! desire that the revenue policy of the
Government shall cease TO be the foot
ball of intriguing politicians, ana shall
be dealt with with reference to the real
and permanent interest of all the in
dUstrieS of the country. Our people
have come TO understand that system
of taxation VIII ch takes from their cur
rent earnings one hundred millions
year beyond what is needed for the
regular expenses of the Government
can not be permanently maintained.
This fact has been made more obvious
by the changed condition OF trade and
industry since the last Presidential
election. Then everything was boom
ing" Demand was active. prices were
well maintained, speculation was hope
full, profits were large and rapid, and
the burden of taxation was not felt.
But, with the reaction that neceS 5arily
followed the over-stimulation and
over-production of that period, the
burden is not only felt, but is felt
heavily, and the points where it presses
most sorely are easily perceived. 1t is
seen that, whether the protection prin-
ciple be sound or not. the present tariff
is not protective; that its ia orS and its
disadvantages are very unfairly dis
tributed; that it clogs profitable manu-
features doubly by its increase of the
cost of raw material and by its limita-
ton of the markets. The feeling has
grown up, and all parties think them
selves bound to respect it, in profess
sion at least, that the tax system
should be readiusted and its eXactions
reduced in order that the enterprise
and energy and labor of the country
should have freer play and fairer
chance.
An indirect advantage from this state
of pablic opinion is tnat the political
field is left more clear for the voters to
act according to their convictions on
the issues other than the tariff. The
most important of these is unquestion-
ably the reform of the public service for
the purpose of weakening and ultimate
" abolishing the spoils system that has
dor e 50 much to demoralize party man
agement in the United States On this
issue there is no room for doubt that
Governor Cleveland occupies the strong
est position. He is the only candidate
who has shown an intelligent compre-
nension even of the principle on which
the reform must proceed. He is the
only one whose public career affords
any adequate security that lac will or
can carry that principle into practice.
1t would be absurd to think of Mr..
Blaine or Mr.. Butler as a reformer OF
the civil service. Their characters and
their records forbid such an asSump-
ten, and the Elaine organs hardly ven
ture it. They are content with trying
to rid. ule those who believe in the re-
form as over-righteous. But Mir. Cieve-
land in two Years of the most difficult
and responsible administration has
shown that lie knows clearly what ought
TO be done and that he has the honesty
and the energy to do it.-A. Y. Ere1l-
ing Post.