The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-30

in the platform, yet he will not vote 10 con-
slider a bill unless it gives opportunity
for doing hat which he pledged himself
not to do-repeal internal revenue.
If the gentleman from Pennsylvania
Mr. Randall continues in his re-
fusal TO vote on bill to redeem his pledges
of tax reduction until ne is given an oppor-
tunity to violate his pledges by reduction
of internal taxes he may never vote at II
on the subject which all his actions show
he is dsnclined 10 do.
The Democratic party so far from hav-
ing sanctioned" the repeal of the whis-
ky tax has voted in Congress almost
solidly to continue it, On the 9TH of
April, 1884, the vote in the House on
the Thompson resolution, declaring that
it was "inexpedient' to repeal the tax
stood, ayes, 179; nays, SO. On every
test vote in the present Congress the
Democrats have exhibited the same
unanimity in favor of continuing the
tax. So much for the statement that
the Democratic party does not sanction
the tax. Maj. Barksdale voted for the
Thompson resolution with the body of
Democrats. If Col. Hooker had been in
Congress he would have voted "solita-
ry and alone, " of the Mississippi delega-
ton, against the resolution and for the
repeal of the tax.
In time of peace when no war debts
are to be paid the Democratic party has
not favored direct tax; but when war
debts are to be paid, it favors the tax as
i is platf orm and its record in Congress
prove.
The extracts taken from TIE CLAIR
ION when under Maj. Barksdale's con-
troll, and paraded by Col. Hooker only
show his anxiety to put Maj. Barksdale
on the same platform with himself, and
that he feels the loneliness of his situa-
ton. But these extracts have no rele-
vancy to the present issue. Since they
were written not only has the collection
of the internal tax been simplified and
made more economical, but the tax
itself has been largely reduced. THE
internal revenue taxes, which yielded
J three-fourtns of the entire revenue
derived from that source when internal
taxes were highest at the time Mai
Barksdale wrote the extracts referred
to have been repealed, and the internal
revenue tax which yielded thea the one
fourth, has been continued. They are
not so crushing. The war taxes that
were put on the tariff or the custom
duties, aside from that on tea and
coffee, substantially remain still crushing
to-day, and in nearly every line of the
platform we promised reduction, and
we are bound to do it by everything that
binds honorable men," This is the
language of the Democratic leader on
the floor of the present House, uttered
on the 22d inst.
The tax on whisky, which yielded
part only of the "one-fourth" referred
to by Mr.. Morrison, remains, and what
now concerns the people, is not what
appeared in THE CLARIoN when both
the three fourths" and the one
fourth" were being collected, but how
does Maj. Barksdale, as a member of
Congress, stand ON the whisky tax, how
has he voted, and how does he propose
to vote? His vote on the Thompson
resolution and in opposition to every
proposition in the last and present Con-
gress for the repeal Of the whisky tax.
answers the question.
The issue between Messrs. Barksdale
and Hooker, as candidates, cannot be
lodged or evaded. 1t istoo plain: Maj.
Barksdale is in favor of continuing the
whisky tax at least until the war debt
is paid. He stands on the National Dem
ocratic platform and with the Nation
al Democratic party. Col. Hooker is in
favor of repeating the tax on whisky
and putting it on the necessaries of life.
He stands with the protectionists.
1t is a matter of small consequence
that Maj. Barksdale said in 1876 mot in
1882 as printed in the New Mississippian)
that the "liquor business could not be
broken up by taxing the article itself"
or by taxing the privilege" Who ever
said that it could? And what has that
10 do with the issue between Col.
Hooker and Maj. Barksdale (forced into
the canvass deliberately by COL Hooker
himself), whether or not Congress shall
repeal the tax on whisky and raise it
higher on the necessaries of life?
Col. Hooker's evident discomfort at
the condition in which the present State
of his canvass finds him, growing out of
the feeble defence he has interposed to
the sledge-hammer attacks of his adver-
sary, is made more manifest by his rak-
ing among the ashes of the past for
some evidence by which his superior
claims to the confidence of the people
may be proved. He has concluded to
flle an alternative plea to the effect that
II his position on the whisky tax and
internal revenue is not defencible. still.
he is better Democrat than Mai.
Barksdale and for that reason should be
preferred.
VI Col. Hooker bases his assault on Mai.
Barksdale's Democracy on the following
!, extract which he says appeared in The
! CLARION Of January and 81. 1874:
r That the Meridian Gazette and the vicks.
burg Herald did not agree with him In his
idea that the Democratic party had outIiyed
: ITS day, and that il ought after Seventeen
/ years Of ignominious failures and defeats
% give place TO newer, purer and more
. public confidence, and their party had beer
again and again repudiated.
He prefaces - follows:
Aud finally when the ablesf and n.v..,
men Of the country vera sfrns<rrlissss- II