Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-04-29
The Vindicator VS.. Hon. J. r. Tucker.

The indicator, of the 25th inst, in
commenting on an article from the Lynch
burg Nevs, writes as follows:
"Mr. Tucker has many warm admirers
in this part of the district, also, among
whom you can number the Tindicotor, but
his free-trade theories have no admirers to
speak of, and, able lawyer that he is con-
coded to be, he would be unacceptable to
those Democrats of the Tenth district who
lay more stress on legislation that will
bring prosperity to Virginia, and particu-
larly this part Of it, than on great ability
to advocate views which they are convinced
will be of detriment to the material inter-
est of the State. As to the two gentlemen
named as possible candidates." we have
had no intimation even from either of them
that he would consent to occupy such
position; but we are sure the economic
views of either would be more acceptable
to us than would be tariff which left the
iron ore of the Valley almost defenceless,
and the coal and salt of the State wholly
so. The sentiment is gaining ground with
the masses of the people, that instead of
being taken care of by Statesmen, however
distinguished, they must take care of them
Selves and it is hardly likely that the land
owners of the Valley, hardly a square
mile of which is without underlying min
eral of some sort, would cheerfully accept
legislation adverse to that interest"
The Hon. John Randolph Tucker has
served his district and State so long, SO
ably, and SO faithfully in Congress, that
any eulogy on his service would seem to be
superfuous. As learned Constitutional
lawyer, as ready debater, as an accom-
plished Statesman, he ranks among the
foremost members of the House of Repre-
ssntatives, and, above all, his sterling in
tegrity, in these days when political cor
ruption' is SO rife, signalizes him as one
whom no constituency could afford lightly
to thrust aside. Even the indicator, de-
spite the disrelish which it has of late dis
played towards him in his representative
capacity, desires, it seems, to be numbered
among his swarm admirers" 1t thinks,
however, that Mr.. fuckers ''free-trade
theories have no admirers TO speak Of" If
by ''free-trade theories" is meant Mr..
fuckers sstariff reform" views, the Editor
of the indicator will find himself in the
end grievously mistaken, We think. Mr..
Tucker desires to lessen the tariff taxes,
which the people are now called Oh to pay
to most unnecessary amount, and when
did the people ever object to lessening of
the burdens of taxation! The Federal
government is now, through its war-tariff
Fand Internal Revenue system, talxiug yearly
from the pockets of the people at least
eighty millions of dollars more than is
| needful fer its support. This immense
surplus thus wrung from them fosters ex-
travagance, and corruption, and all sorts of
unconstitutional expenditures. Virginia's
fshare of this surplus, in proportion to her
population, would be SO, 400, 900. Thus, it
appears that sum about equal to all the
taxes that Virginians pay into the State
Treasury for the support Of the State gov
eminent, is taken from them by the Federal
government without any legitimate pur-
pose. This is wanton spoliation Of the
people. Mr.. Tucker desires to protect
| them against this robbery by abolishing the
internal revenue tax on tobacco, and by re-
| ducing the tariff taxes. Now, whatever
the merits may be of the tariff resolution
in the Lynchburg platform, it is impossible
| to show that tariff reform and reduction is
in anywise inconsistent with it; on the con-
! trary, in order to accomplish the several
ends at which that resolution seems to aim,
81 e. vi
likely be absolutely necessary. True, this
platform demands the abolition of the In
ternal Revenue system, but then it must be
borne in mind that Virginia is but a small
portion of the United States, and when it
is remembered that but short time since
the House of Representatives declared, by
vote of one hundred and seventy odd to
thirty-od against the abolition of the in
ternal tax on whiskey, it is evident that to
relieve the country from the burden and
curse of a surplus revenue, the tariff must
be reformed and reduced. But to be in fa-
vor of tariff reform and reduction of the
taxes which it imposes, constitutes man,
in the favorite phraseology of the Vmdica-
tor, ga doctrinaire," ''theorist" Now, it
seems to us, that the reduction of the bur-
dens which are laid on the people by I'M
necessary taxation is eminently practical,
and would work benefit which all cen
suners of articles which are lakeland
what is it that is free from tax in these
days?-will readily appreciate. The Yin
dictator, however, declares itself sure that
'tthe economic views of either" of two gen.
temen, who are named as Mr.. Tucker
opponents, ''would be more acceptable to
it than would be tariff which left the iron
ore of the Valley almost defenceless, and
the coal and salt of the State wholly sou
Now, we do not undei stand that the Nor
rison Tariff Reform bill, which Mr.. Tucker
properly favors as. we think, proposes to
interfere with the iron interests of the
Valley, nor to do any injustice to any other
interest of the State; b it must be borne
in mind that the farmers, the mechanics,
and all the laboring classes of the Valley
and their families, wear clothing both of
wool and cotton, and use blankets, and
carpets, and iron in various forms, and
salt, and many of them coal, while there is
not one in five hundred of them who owns an
ore-bed, or coal-mine, or salt-well, and
that, therefore, a representative may be
pardoned who seeks-without interfering
with the just profits of any interest or in
dustry-ro lesson the cost of living to the
toiling thousands of his constituency, and
to save them, as far as can be wisely done
at present, from the unjust operations of
the existing tariff, which wrings from them
millions of their hard-e rnings to pamper,
at their expense, certai in favored and pro-
tected industries.
But few weeks ago, we saw in the col
umns of the Vindicator, the following in
teresting item. "During the last fourteen
years the Eagle and Phoenix Cotton Mill
at Columbus, Ca, has cleared SO, 1877, 4S3.
The average annual dividend to stockholders
has been Is per cent