Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-02-07

DESIGNS YIN hA
Republican versatility and inventive
ness. when it comes to the question OF
disuosing of the surplus are marvellous.
The average Republican statesman is as
full of schemes for getting rid of Uncle
Sans spare cash as a bunko steerer is
full OF articles for e%ntrapping the un-
wary. From Blaine down to the modest
Republican delegate from the remotest
Territory, a large share of their profound
meditations is concentrated upon this
burning question of the surplus. Blaine's
proiect was to divide the whisky tax
among the States-to parcel out the
'eboodle" precisely as bighwaymen dis
tribute their ill-gotten spoils. Logan
was not far behind his Maine rival, so he
advocated an appropriation OF the sur
plus to educational purposes. These
quixotic propositions have been supple
mented by a whole raft Of minor plans,
one of which, we are sorry to say, was
presented by a Democrat-the. plan for
supporting the Erie Canal out Of the
National Treasury.
The true Republican policy touching
the surplus was laid down the other day
during the debate upon the bill appro-
priating 81, OOO, 900 for improvements
upon the Mississippi River, by no less a
parsonage than Congressman Belford OF
Colorado. Bedford is a curious product
of the West, but he possesses a fair share
of ability, backed by a considerable sup
ply Of candor. In the course of some
remarks on the Mississippi appropriation,
Bedford said
/ do not pretend to speak for the Re-
publican party, but l can ~truthfully say,
as l said a few days ago, that | am will
ing to vote, if it be necessary, thirty
millions OF dollars to improve this great
highway of What is the duty
of this House? 1t is to unlock the vaults
OF the National Treasury. Laughter
and cries of EXACTLY |" ''That is it RI
Oh you may laugh. But you have a
0ulQTcQ mlkllOuS VI QOlldAo III JOui
Treasury out of the channels of business
and trade.
This frank confession recalls the re-
markabIe rhetorical effort of Flanagan
of Texas at Chicago in 1880. "What do
we come here for" said the Lone Star
delegate, eff not for the Offices There
is a striking similarity between this sen.
tentious enunciation of Republican doc
trine and the terse p~rotestation of the
Congressman from Colorado. "What is
the duty of the House ?" he asks. And
quickly the answer follows cit is to
unlock the vaults of the National
Treasury"
Representative Belford gives us an ex-
act definition of the policy entertained
by a majority of the leaders of his party.
First get your surplus, and then don't be
afraid to spend it, is their theory. Once
an excessive revenue is exacted from the
people through the medium of extor.
tionate taxation, it becomes a very easy
matter for the Republicans, when they
have the power, to skillfully put it where
it will do the most good. This idea wa
very c~leverly worked out by the Forty
seventh Congress in its ~extravagant ap
preparations for Rivers and Harbors, fol-
the Navy Department and in various
-Ll-. -l-.1. t. avIaa,Nr1s
scramble for the surplus revenue, and
plainly pointed a moral.
The Democratic project is not to fine
a way for distributing the surplus, but
rather to prevent its accumulation. Ever
the conservative platform of the Ohio
Democrats provides for a tariff for rev
enue, limited to the actual necessities o
the Government economically admins
tered and levied so as to encourage pro
ductive industries. 1t is obvious tina
such a tariff, though inficting i~njustic'
on none, is designed to prohibit the ere
alton of an annual surplus and to remove
the greatest curse of modern legislation
As long as the revenue remains so far il
excess of the needs of the Government
our legislators are subjected to aeon
slant temptation to prodigality and cor
ruption. The fact that the Democratic
party is laboring to remove this tempta
tion is alone adequate to win for it pop
ular confidence.
Congressman Belford spoke bluntly
but he interprets correctly his party
policy. 1t would be difficult for thu
Democratic press to construct SO forcibl'
an argument against Republicanism a
that which he uttered on the floor. of thu
House of Representatives.
&RNE HIM ~ n MN TU Y