Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-14
REDUCE THE TAXES.
A solemn Warning Which the Democrats
Ought to Heed.

Ought to Heed.
WASHINGTON, December l2.-Last
A pril General Weaver, 4 Democratic
member ofthe House from Ohio, said in a
speech in the House: There is no policy
or purpose in this House to-day in either
of the great political parties represented
upon this floor. You may be high pro-
tective tariff man or free trader, and still
be a Democrat or a Republican, just As you
choose. You can be an anti-bank man or
a bank man, and be member ct either of
the parties represented upon this floor eX-
cept the Greenback party. You can he a
mOnOpOliSt or an anti-mOnOpOlist, you can
be a Blair bill man or an anti Blair bill
man, aud still be an acceptable member
of either of the old parties. | defy any
man to name thing that q man has to
believe in order to become . member of
either of these two great parties,
nor can he point out what
it is that, if he does be
lieveit, will debar him from membership.
There is no policy here in either party, no
purpose, nothing, fear, but death and
disintegration. Evils are rampant, but
Congress is deaf and blind. The remedy
must come from purpose on the part of
the majority of the House; the remedy
must come from those having power, from
the majority, from this Democratic House,
taking hold of these questions with cour-
aye and then pressing them for considera-
tiOn and passage. We must have pur-
pose. We must have tests ofmembership.
The MaSOnS have them; the Odd Fellows
have them; the Knights of Labor have
them; the churches have them, but here
the great political parties of this country
have none, and man may believe any
thing about he aven, hell or human gov
ernment and be an acceptable member OF
either organization
These remarks were received by both
sides of the House with Laughter and
applause, " so the Record reports, and with
cries of That true 1t was as though
Republicans and Democrats alike were
naked and not ashamed
General Weaver spoke in April. In
November following the people cut dowo
the Democratic majority from forty-SiX on
fifteen, and, counting the members not
Ienominated with those not reelected, over
seventy men were left at home.
In the same election g., 900 voters in the
Democratic city of New York seeded from
the party and voted for Henry George.
Most of these seceders were Democrats.
Allthisought to act as solemn warning
TO the Democratic leaders in Congress.
Perhaps it will.
During seven years Secretary Manning
reports to Congress that an average of
Sl25, 900, 900 year WAS forced by the Re
publicans from the peoples pockets into
the Treasury beyond the needs OF the Gov
ernment; $l25. .000, 900 year of surplus
revenue. In 1884 the Democrats, in ma
tional Convention, made this declaration:
Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation.
Surplus taxation of more than 800, ,OOO,-
600 has yearly been collected from q suf-
ferinS people. We denounce the Republi-
can party for having failed to relieve the
people from crushing war taxes which
have paralyzed business, crippled indus
try and deprived labor of employment and
unjust reward. Instead of friendship for
American labor, expressed by imposing
taxes. we demand, in behalf of the Democ-
racy, freedom for American labor by re-
ducing taxes, 10 the end that these United
States may compete with unhindered
Powers for the primaey among nations in
all the arts of peace and fruits of liberty.
In 1885 the Democrats, having carried
the election under the promise TO reduce
the taxes and abolish the surplus, met and
sat for eight months without reducing the
taxes single dollar.
They have now something less than
three months left in which to redeem this
promise to the people. The Democratic
President urges them this year, as he did
last year, to do their duty.