The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-06-26
Republican Policy of Obstruction.

There was a lively debate in the House
of Representatives on Tuesday, Morrison,
Hewitt, Randall, Reid, Hiscock, Bragg,
McComas others taking part, pensions and
the tariff being discussed, with few
personalities thrown in. In order to save
time all the pension bills were consolidated
into one, and provision made for the pay
ment of persons by imposing an income
tax. A rule was under consideration, pro-
viding that it shall be in order when gen
eral pension bill is reported to the House
to attach thereto a provision for raising the
revenue necessary to meet the expenditure
involved. 1t was necessary to have the
rules so changed, in order to get the bill
before the House.
The Republicans vigorously opposed the
measure, and the only object seems TO be
to make political capital. The Democratic
House is responsible for revenue legisla-
ton, and the Republican Senate has passed
all sorts of bills to dram the treasury, and
the House calendar is loaded with bills,
introduced by Republicans, for the same
object. The Democratic party promised
revision of the tariff, so as to remove in
CAPABILITIES and to Tighten the burdens of the
people, To prevent the redemption of this
pledge. schemes of all kinds have been
conceived by Republicans to absorb the
revenues so as to make reduction of taxes
impossible In other words, the Republi-
cans, now feeling no responsibility by rea-
son of their minority position, are trying
to embarrass the treasury and hinder needed
legislation, in order to be able to charge
the Democratic party with extravaganza
and incompetency in the approaching con-
gressional elections and thus better their
chances of re-capturing the House.
Such tactics will not prove availing. In
these days when newspapers are numerous
and people read and decide for themselves,
the people will not easily be deceived. The
Republican party has not awakened to the
change in public opinion, and does not seem
to realize that the people are interested in
other legislation than pension bills, and are
becoming more and more convinced that
purely protective tariffs are in the interest
of manufacturers and corporations rather
than beneficial to employees and the people
generally. In the great protection city OF
Philadelphia forty thousand workingmen
and mechanics have recently asked for the
enlargement of the free list and general
revision of the tariff, while cou inter- move
ment could muster but twenty-seven people
at a meeting, including the band. And
the Philadelphia Ledger, the most infuen-
tial journal in the Keystone State, and
Republican in politics, so late as Wednes-
day last, declared "there is no end to the
demagogism in the matter of pensions.
The projectors of pension bills act or ap-
pear to act on the principle that Congress
men are incapables and that the surviving
soldiers of the warhave no sense whatever,
except what little can be caught by any
kind of penson chaff. This pension legls-
lation makes very active business for claim
agents, and glorious times for lobbyists.
They are the considerations at the back OF
most of the pension projects"
The Democratic party desires to be just,
and even generous, to deserving soldiers.
In this it has even surpassed the Republi-
can party, that has posed as the only friend
of the soldier and arrogated to itself all the
patriotism of the country. 1t proposes to
continue pensions, and to add to the lists
all who are entitled, but it proposes at the
same time to provide for their payment.
1t is not party of buncombe, but party
of well defined principles. 1t came into
existence with the Constitution, and its
principles are to be found in that revered
charter. 1t is the same to-day as in the
beginning. 1t has seen half score of
other parties spring up and disband after
short existence. 1t holds together in ad-
versity as well as in property, and the fact
of its long existence is proof of the virtue
of its doctrines. 1t has lived and must
live as long as the Constitution lasts. Its
pledges to the people have always been re-
deemed, when it had the power to do so,
and its character in that line has not been
impaired in these days when party plat
forms, so far as the Republican party is
concerned, are mere declarations to lure the
people for campaign. When it votes
money, it will see that it is paid, and that
is why it is proposed, if the pensions are
granted, to provide means of raising the
necessary revenue to meet the expenditure.
The scale of income tax proposed is =
Below $4,000 net, no tax; between $4,000
and $4,000 net, p per cent; between
$4,000 and $4,000 net, per cent; over
$4,000 net, 10 per cent. As Congress
man Matson expressed it, the bill proposes
s'to tax the wealth of the country-to tax
the men who got rich when the war was
going on"