Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-01-09

II will thus be seen that in the Proposed
distribution under this bill, the Southern
states above named will have the advantage
over the Northern In the proportion of about
i0tot.
what then is II the Blair bill proposes
TO do and what are the objections urged to
It's passage by its opponents? In the first
place 1t does not propose to levy a tax. II it
did should certainly oppose it, and have
no doubt the great majority of the southern
people w0uld oppose It, for whatever advan-
tages might be derived from the distribution
~ the fund. would never consent to an
arrangement IS which the National Govern
ment should levy q tax on our people, send II
when collected through the ciTcumlocution
Office ut Washington, AID thence back to
Tennes see to he devoted at last 10 the educa-
ton of our children. 1 would always prefer
that the County Court should levy the tax,
the Trustee collect II, and the whole business
he transacted at home. Besides, what the
country needs and must have, is reduction
OF taxation, aud nothing should be allowed
to stand in the way OF this much desired OBJ
iect.
The Blair bill proceeds up1n the idea that
there Is a surplus In the Treasury at Wash
lngton that this surplus must remain there,
even should the tariff raiormerS control the
government, vt least eight years; that there
IS no prospect OF its being needed in that time
for auy Of the legitimate expenses of govern
fnent, and that the best thing to be done with
tis to return II TO the people of the States in
proportion, not to population, but 10 Hitter
acy. the States being required TO use the fund
for educational purposes,
That the;e Is n large surplus in the National
Treasury Is unqueStionable. President Cleve-
land, in his late message, says: "Fhe ordinary
receipts from all sources for the year ending
June 20, lSSj, were sS22, 700 S.. The total
ordinary expenditures of the government for
the fiscal year We're SIG, 226,935 50, leaving
surplus in the Treasury at the close of the
year of S63IGl.77l q. The total receipts for
thr current fiscal year ending June 30, 1886,
ascertained to October /, 1885, and estimated
for the remainder of the year, are SSl5,OOO,OOO
The expenditures ascertained and estimated
Tor the same time, are s2i5,OOOOOo, leaving a
surplus at the close of the year estimated at
S7O,eOOOOO."
1t will thus he seen that in addition TO the
large surplus on hand June 80, 1881, the reve-
nues are now exceeding the expenditures at
the rate CT about sixty million dollars per
annum.
But why not reduce taxation at once so as
ut least 10 prevent the accumulation of any
further surplus in the Treasury: Because our
tariff Is in the main u protective tariff. Our
people pay about eight hundred millions a
year to get two hundred millions in the Treas
Ury. when you begin To reduce the tariff the
the drain will come for long time from the
six hnndred millions outside of the Treasury
before il reaches and dIminishes the surplus
In the Treasury. The Morrison bill, which
was GeEeated In the House last year, would
not, II was admitted, have reduced the reve-
aue a eenf, though It would have reduced
taxation hundred millions. When Con-
xress began Co reduce taxes In lSS2, II took ten
years 90 retain nom n protective basis 10 q
revenue basis. We might wipe out the Iu-
ternal Revenue tax, wSiCh no good Democrat
wants TO DO, or reduce tie trir on the few
articles that are now taxed solely for rcve n ne
But the Democratic fisht Is on protection
wewant 70 S,o? ,S,' fearful drain from the
poeEess 81 T." Pc0plc. Worse than the sur
H.. l. ths Treasury Is the surplus that is
80 e.,,, n.,r pockets ana never reaches
49, ,...,,s,rv We must cut down taxation
.V a. ,r,,,eetea articles sad the work must
'ae, n will not remove our surplus In
-, A., wears. To rcducs taxation al
-, 4, the revenue point would bank
cunt fa.s eountry. >.-.,--,
W. ,,,,t nav the surplus on the National
.,etS ~ can a. le&st do thaaF No ne VA