Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-10-01
ITS TOO WEAK.

The Democrats are trying very
hard to excuse their duplicity on
the Internal Revenue question:
They hope by artful lodging and
false charges made Painst the Re
publican party to d live the peo-
ple still longer and get their votes.
The Democrats are always ready
TO make promises and are reckless
" careless or Indifferent about
keeping them. Everybody knows
how earnestly they plead to be
placed in power that they might
at once get rid of the Internal Rev
enue laws. For years and years
this was ;he burden of their song.
Oceans of crocodile tears were shed
by them over the enOrmities of the
Revenue system and for hours and
hours they would talk to the peO-
pic of the "iniernal revenue" spies,
and the outrage OF not letting the
brave men of the mountains distill
their fruit and grain without pay
ing a license. Oh, yes, they said,
"put us in control of the govern
ment and we will at once put an
end to the mean system Of espionage.
We will see that humble citizens
are not dragged to Abingdon and
elsewhere TO answer the most frivO-
lous charges, trumpcd up by the
Deputy Marshals for the purpose
of making fees. The people were
deceived by these promises. They
thought that such earnest pledges
would be kept; that such warm ap'
peals were made in good faith. TIE
Democratic party was pat in charge
of the Executive branch of the gov.
eminent eighteen months ago. The
House of Representatives, the most
important part Of the Legislative
branch Is in the absolute possession
of the Democracy and has been for
the last three sessions of Congress.
We ask what has the Democratic
party done that looks to the aboll-
ton of the Internal Rev enue laws !
Positively nothing. Upon the con-
trary the laws have been enforced
with a greed and cruelty by the
Democratic MarshallS and their
deputies that was never equalled
in the extreme days of Radicalism,
so.called. The Republicans used
to have one revenue officer for each
three counties. Now there are
nearly three officers for each coun-
tv. and an innumerable host of Sc
cret spies who ply their work for
the collectors and other officers
Office and money were the things
the patriots in the Democratic
party wanted. They have gotten
these things, and with r1blushing
cheek they fail to comply with the
sacred promises made the people.
But how does the artful and dis
honest party try to escape the re-
sponsibility OF its violated promis-
es? They tell the people that the
Revenue System was a Republican
measure. This is not so. 1t was
a war measure. 1t found its origin
in necessity. ReveI re had to be
raised to pay the Ell onses Of the
war and save the Union. Repub-
licans and Democrats i'll the Fed
eral Congress voted for the passage
of the Revenue laws. While the
Republicans were in control of the
government, subsequent to the war,
their continuance was necessary for
the reduction of enormous public
debt. But before retiring from con
troll of the government the Repub-
lican party saw there was no ne
cessity for the continued existence
of the Internal Revenue system,
that the revenues derived from i'm
post or import duties were sufficient
to carry on the government and
pay off the public debt Hence, we
find President Arthur, the last Re
publican President, sending a mes
sage to Congress recommending the
repeal of the Internal Revenue laws.
IfMr. Blaine had been elected Pres.
ident and the Republicans had con
troll of Congress this suggestion
would have been carried out.
The Democrats have made big
promises and failed to keep them.
Can they excuse themselves by say
ing that the Internal Revenue laws
are Republican measures Have
they done anything looking to their
repeal? Nothing. DO they think
the people are fools ? 1t seems so.
Patriot dRd Hcrdd.