Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-10-06
he Daily Intelligencer.
LANCASTER, OCTOBER Q, isss.
Is He an Houest IuouIrer 4.


Mr.. Mercer may be inspired only by an
honest desire for the truth, but our con-
0denco In the catholic spirit Of his in
Quiry is disturbed by the malice toward
The president and the Democratic party
hat Is very manifest in his letter to us
o1sewhere printed. One who is so sure
oAat the people have long cease 10 take
the presidents assertions as facts, and
Who seems to have 50 lively hope that
there will be no Democratic party after
3he November election, can hardly ex-
pet to be held to be in the frame of mind
Shat should be possessed by an anxious
eoarcher after truth for the truths lovely
oake. Mr.. Mercer, wien he undertakes
Jntroversy as partisan while pretend.
Ing to be unprejudiced, should remember
20 hide his cloven foot.
As we understand Mr.. Mercer's CON-
plant against the president and the
Democratic party it is that the surplus
aud Its increase will not be extinguished
by the Democratic measure of tariff
reform. He gives the surplus at sl13,-
10000 and the increase at slo, 600 900 per
month, stating his authority to be the
president and the Democratic members
OF the Senate finance committee. The
presidents letter of acceptance states
the surplus at $3.50 900 900 and the annual
increase at 0,000, 900. The Senate COM
mittee estimates the present rate Of in
crease at sl0, 100000 month.
1t is manifest that the measureof tariff
reform embodied in the Mills bill, will
not suffice to stop the increase Of the
surplus, IL the estimate of the Demo-
Gratis on the Senate finance committee is
correct aud is understood TO mean slO,-
000, 900 Of increase for every month in the
year which it does net say, but simply
that the surplus is now being increased
at that rate. The Mills bill, II is sup.
posed, will reduce the revenue ESQ 900 900
q year. The calculation, mads by the
House committee of ways and means, of
the effect OF the bill upon the revenue
from importations OF 1887 shows that
there would have been a reduction of
90, ,4s6, ,240 In that revenue IL the CON-
mittee's bill had then been in force.
Mr.. Mercer needs to remember that
prudent craftsmanship does not warrant
the reduction of revenue below the pos
s sible needs of the nation. We had sup
posed that he was sufficiently practical t.
understand that 1t Is safer to cut dowI
by degrees to the measure wanted, ant
that he would rather be disposed t
applaud than to condemn the presi
dent and the Democratic party TO
f not reducing the revenue too suddenly
and not taking the risk Of providing to-
small an income for the government needs
As Republican, desirous that his part
Should retain all the tariff duties tina
possibly can be retained for the protection
OF home industries, he certainly shoult
not complain of the Democratic part.
Tor seeking to do the same thing. If h
was an innocent searcher after truth, h
would rejoice to iind both parties 80 con
servative in their reduction Of th
revenue, and he would note tina
the .roSa E3posed by the Rt
> piaud sd members Of the Sanat
sommittee cuts down the revenue s75
900, 900 as estimated; which is remarkabl
close to the estimated reduction OF th
Democratic measure. AS both partie
are 80 united in sentiment upon th
measure of reduction, why cannot Nj
Mercer be happy Only because L
Republican can be happy under IL
present outlook.