The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-18
THE IROOUOIs BANQUET.


Hon. John G.. Carlisle.
CHICAGO Nov 1.-THE fourth annual ban
quet of the Iroquois Club occurred night at the
Palmer House. Among the large number of dis
tinguished Democrats to whom invitations had
beer sent, the following are the most widely
known who accepted and we're present: Hon.
John G. Carlisle, Hon. ]. B. Beck Hon Edward
S. Bragg and Hon. j. Sterling Morton. The
following letters of regret were received:
EXECUTIVE MANSION
WASHINGTON, Nov. H. 1886. s
Edward Forman ESQ Corresponding Secretary:
My Dear Sr-I regret exceedingly that official du
ties just at this time unusually exactng and impor
tant, preyent my acceptance of your lnvitstion to
attend the fourth annual banquet of the Iroquois
Club, on the 18th inst. am much impressed with
the present Importance of thorough and timely dis
cussion by the people of the various questions which
related to good government and the prosperity of
the country and which. because they related,
concern the welfare and success of the Democratic
party In the work which must be undertaken of
presenting these questions to the judgment of our
citizens in such a to remove misapprehcn-
sions and aid correct conclusion believe that the
1roquois Club will prove most effective instrument
aity. Hoping that the approaching banquet will be
occasion of pleasure well interest and useful
ness, am yours sincerely GROVER CLEVELAND.
NEW YORK, Nov. II.
Dear Sir-I beg you to make my grateful acknowl-
honor OF invitation to their fourth annual banquet
and to them of the regret with which am
PEELED to inform you of my inability to be present at
the reunion of Democratic friends devoted to the
maintenance of sound political principles and the per-
petuation of free institutions. under which we
have progressed beyond the experience hopes of
the lovers of liberty in other lands Sincerely yours,
ABRAM S. HEWITT.
Among the prominent personages who sent
merely formal letters OF regret are Abram S.
Hewitt, S. 8 Cox, Roswell P. Flower, William
G. Endicott, Perry Belmont, Governors j. NJ.
Hill and Fitzhugh Lee, A. G. Thurman and
Fitz John Porter.
After the banquet, at which between two
hundred and fifty and three hundred guests and
members of the club sat down, the follow
ing toasts were made and responded to as indi-
Gated:
THE Treasury Surplus and Tariff Hon. j. B. Beck
Public Lands, the Peoples Heritage
'The Great Republic Hon. NJ. W. Fuller
THE President OF tho United States.
Her Edward s. Bragg
Monopoly Shall Not Rule Hon, j. Sterling Morton
"Sanctty Of American Homes the
Safeguard of American Liberty
Hon. James r. Doolitte
Young Man IN Politics ois Hon f W Lehpan
American Industries, Their Growth
and Prosperity Cannot be Promoted
by Unnecessary Unequal Taxa
ton. ..................Hon Hon John G.. Carlisle
Mr. Carlisle was received with great applause
and spoke as follows:
Although the toast just read asserts truth
we cannot afford to ignore the fact that even in
this age of philosophical speculation and practi-
cal knowledge there are men in the front ranks
of literature, politics and business who seriously
contend that the government can make its citi-
zens rich and prosperous by taxing them. If
these gentlemen should attempt to convince the
public that the farmer could be made more pros
porous by increasing the tax on his land or that
the manufacturer could be benefited by COM
pelling him to pay high rate of taxation on his
machinery or his income. the absurdity of their
position would be apparent to excite uni
versal ridicule; and yet such propositions would
be no more absurd or unreasonable than the as
sertiop that the prosperity of the people general
ly can be increased by imposing taxes upon their
food, their clothing, their building materials
their means of transportation, and the tools and
implements used in their industries. Taxes
do not create wealth; they destroy
rect or indirect. aud no matter
how ii may be disguised or in what manner its
payment may be enforced. is ultimately a charge
upon labor, while its immediate and invariable
effect is to withdraw the full amount of the ex
action from the productive industries of the
people. When it is equitably imposed for public
purposes only and its proceeds are honestly used
IN defraying the necessary expenses and meeting
the just obligations of the government, all
equally benefited, and no one has right to com
plain; but when tax is imposed upon on 10 part of
the people, or one class of industries, simply for
the purpose of increasing the profits of another
part of the people or another class of industries,
or when tax is so laid that its necessary effect
is to increase the profits in some industries at
the expense of others equally meritorious, the
impoicy and injustice of the proceeding are too
obvious to require comment Absolute equality
in the adjustment of the rates of taxation
and in the designation of the articles
upon which it shall be imposed is not to be ex
pected, and In fact Is not BILE; but sub
stantial equality and uniformity are essential
elements in every just revenue system. So long
as the power of taxation is exercised only for
the purpose of raising revenue for the support
of the government. the principles of equality
and uniformity can be recognized and enforced,
in large degree at least; but when the power
is perverted and used to increase the profits of
private individuals and prevent the collection of
revenue. by the government, it is impossible to
regulate its exercise by any rule or principle ex-
cept favoritism and selfshness In such case
equality and uniformity would necessarily de-
feat the primary object of the tax, because it is
evident that If all were compelled to pay equal
tribute to each other nobody would be benefited.
aud it is just as evident that If all do not nav
equal tribute somebody must be cheated
American iudustries-and by these mean to
include every honest and useful occupation-can-
not be promoted by any system Of taxation or
any policy of legislation which discriminates be-
tween them and compelS one to contribute n
part of its own earnings to increase the profits
or prevent losses in another. There should be
no expatriated or prosecuted industries in this
country there should be no ranks or degrees
among the legitimate occupations of the people,
nor any road to the favor or bounty of the govS
ernment not open to all alike. Mining and man
ufacturing, and the occupations dependent upon
them, great and valuable industries. and
should be cherished and promoted in every
proper way. They afford employment to many
millions of capital and many thousands of labor
ere. and their products contribute largely to the
wealth and comfort of the people: but they
are not by any the OILY Ameri-
can industries. In the households of the
poor, in the fields and forests in the mines and