Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-01-23
THE TARIFF ISSUE.
The Press and the Public win Discuss
it Despite Politicians aud the
Action of Congress.
Hence the Necessity for the Democracy
I Arriving at Definite Understand :.
ing OF the Subject. ~

WASHINGTON, January 2l.-There Is an |
apparent lull in the agitation of the tariff |
question; but that it has become a sort OF |
a Jack-in.the-box, and will frequently pop |
up and demand attention, many Con
gressmen believe. Mr.. Springer, of Hi |
nois, when asked if he thought revenre |
reform would be an issue In the fUrthtom- |
ing Presidential election, said that, no |
matter what action CONGRESS n..,, ., .,n, nc !,
I'M, ...s session, it will be impossible to keep
the tariff question out of the contest, as
the people and the public press would dis
cuss it in spite Of the politicians, and In
spite 6f Congressional action. "a systeti
of taxation which draws from the tax
payers Of the country 500, ,000, 900 or SSOU,-
100000 year, only S200,000,000 of which
goes into the public Treasury, and the
balance as subsidies to favored individuals
aud corporations" Mr.. Springer continued,
.txSil. attract the attention Of the people
and will be. discussed in every political
Contest Until Sentiine reFeIt;e ref5rIff
shah have been secured. The revenue of
the gorernment now
"nyCEEDs ITS NECESSITIES
This surrlus IsAentie must be gottet ria
of in some way Or other. The sources of
revenue are from internal taxes, which are
now confined to WHISKY, tobacco and Ter;
mented liquors, and customs rcvenUe5, as
provided for under the act of March 81,
1888. While the machinery OF the inter-
nal revenue laws is Objectionable, and in
many instances oppressive, yet the people
will resist any further reduction or any
| abolition OF these internal taxes so long as
dollar of the public debt remains TO be
paid. No party can so before the people
III the feIt election with record favoring
| free whisky, free tobacco and free beer,
and a tax OF from fifty to 100 per cent. on
woolen and cotton goods and other neces-
/ saries of life. The politicians may as well
understand this now as any other time
| We must therefore, look for a reduction
of revenue to the tariff schedules. But
few, if any, anticipate any practical legis-
lation during this Congress upon this sub
| ject. for the reason that
| "NHATEIER THE HOUSE NAY DO,
it will be opposed by the Senate and Pres
| ident. All that can be accomplished will
be the formulation of principles upon
which the people can take issue in the
election of the next Congress and of the
next President. Hence the importance OF
| arriving at correct understanding Upon
the subject, so FAR as the position of the
Democratic party is concerned, To attempt
to ignore this question would be fatal The
tinue to discuss it until correct, practical
and efficient legislation has been secured
"But will not other questions of great
importance enter into the Presidential
contest, some OF which may even over
shadow the tariff issue?"
"There are many questions which may
and will, in all probability, enter into the
Presidential contest. ii the old ticket i:
nominated, the issues of 1876 and the
fraudulent and villainous transactions O
the Southern returning boards and parti
san decisions OF the Electoral Commission
will occupy prominent place in the cam
paign. / am in favor OF the nomination
of the old ticket.
"THE DEMOCRATIC MASSES
are almost universally in favor of Tildel
and Hendricks, and nothing but Mr.. Fill
den's death or declination will prevent hi
nomination. If this ticket is nominate,
success will be assured from the begin
ming. The demand for a change i'll all TIL
departments of the government is gettin
stronger and more effective from year t
year, and the Democratic party will plac
itself squarely before the country in favo
OF genuine reform in the tariff, econom
in public expenditures, honesty and at
countability OF public funds, the forfeitur
OF unearned land-grants to railroads, tn
public domain to be held sacredly for tn
people, opposition to monopolies an
special privileges, and nominate Pres
dental candidate whose past record wi
be guarantee that such a platform Wi
, be carried out in good faith, success i
1884 will be assured beyond all cavil c
: doubt"
, SENATOR +. VI. CoCKRELL,
! of Missouri, says no consideration OF tn
| tariff question can hurt the Democrat
party in his State. Mr.. Cockrell is in fave
of abolishing all custom, duties as soon q
| that is possible, but recognizes that it car
: not be done until our debts are paid, whic
: will be several years after the new centur
has dawned. He believes that the recer
!, discussion of the tariff in Congress and OF
: of it has had a powerful educating effe
upon the people at large, and that if I'll
issue between free trade and protectio
could be sharply made, tariff duties woul
o be thing of the past. Such an issue cal
not be made now, however, because v
must have the revenue"
n He thinks the term Incidental prote
. ton, mere clap-trap, as an import dut
n levied on an article necessarily protects
a He claims that the Republicans are vel
c unfair in their statements. They accus
S the Democrats of trying to inaugurate frc
o trade, whereas there is no Democrat WI
: is in favor of free trade, as everyone reeo
d nizes that the income derived from it
n important and Indispensable. For h
i part he would prefer to see the revenue
?, government derived from a tax on Hquo
Il tobacco, etc. He believes in fact, that
o carefully drawn bill reducing importal
: duties would be an eminently prop
I, thing for the Democrats to undertake.