Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-02

Hendricks Speech.
Mr.. Hendricks speech, delivered az
indianapolis last Saturday, is apparently
having a very good effect. 1t was ex-
A,Iy the Kind Of a speech that was needed
to dispel any doubts that might have ex-
listed in the public mind respecting the
position of the Democratic party upon
the important issues of the campaign.
Republican orators and organs have done
the best they could to create such doubts,
and, doubtless, they propose TO continue
their work in that line.
Mr.. Hendricks handled the tariff issue
boldly. He has had experience enough to
know that bOldness commands respect
and admiration, and that timidity excites
pity and contempt. A few Democratic
journals express regret whenever allusion
is made to the tariff by Democratic ora
tors. The speech Of Senator Jones, Of
Florida. at the mass meeting of Irishmen
in New York last week, called out regrets
from some OF the Democratic protection
journals. Mr.. Hendricks, also, VIII
receive perhaps mild censure for dis
cussing the tariff. These Democratic
protection journals appear to think that
the people will hear nothing about the
tariff if Democratic orators refuse to dis
cuss it. How they can make such mis-
take is one of the things that is not easily
understood. The Republican papers and
orators are doing all they can to keep the
tariff question prominently before the
people. They depend upon it largely to
elect their candidate. If Democrats do
not discuss it. the fatal impression will
get abroad that they are afraid of it.
The position of the Democratic party
on the tariff ought to contribute a great
deal towards the success of the party
in the present campaign. Any one
who reads Mr.. Hendricks speech car
hardly help reaching the conclusion thai
the greatest need of the country at pres
ent is a reform and reduction in the tariff
There are $500, 100000 locked up in the
Treasury. This great sum does not rep
| resent anywhere near all that has beer
unneces sariIy taken from the pockets o
| the people. Bonds to the amount Of many
millions more than the law required have
been purchased simply because it was
necessary 10 do something with the accu
mutations in the Treasury. Nearly 500,
| OO0, 900 more than is needed to administer
| the government is annually collected. II
the face of all these startling facts tn,
Republicans oppose a reduction of thu
tariff.
The $4,000 900 in the Treasury is 81
much money Withdrawn from the bust
ness Of the country. That the greater
part Of it ought to be in circulation il
shown by the stringency Of the none!
market and the difficulty in getting none!
to carry on legitimate enterprises.
1t cannot be very long before all tn
/ bonds that have reached maturity, or tina
will reach maturity for quite a number o
| years, will have been paid. What thel
| will be done with the surplus? Will it b.
/ allowed to accumulate in the TreasuT.
| to encourage corrupt legislative schemes
OF course the tariff taxes must be re
duced, and it is the purpose Of the Demo
| cratic party to reduce them. What is tn
use of saddIing an extra burden of 500,
OOO, 900 a year on the peOple' The bur
| den is really greater than that, becaus
the present high protection tariff enable
manufacturers of many kinds Of goods I
| get extraordinary profits.
| No sensible person believes that it j
the purpose OF the Democratic party t
make such violent or radical reduction
as will damage business interests. Tn
Republicans, however, are doing thei
| utmost to create a false impression o.
this point. 1t is the duty of the Demo
cratic press to see that they do not sue
coed. The position of the DemOcrati
| party is that the point at which Onl
! enough revenue Will be produced to NEE
the expenses of the government, ecOnOmi
cally administered, must be reache
gradually; but there ought to be no dOub
that it must be reached. The cOuntr
! certainly can never be converted t
! Blaine's scheme of dividing the surplu
revenue among the States or of Logan
scheme of setting apart the whisky ant
tobacco tax for educational purposes
The people have already borne a heav.
burden too long to build up mOnopOlies t
| soroffon cohnn,ns of that kind