The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-09-10

!. the people, and thus increases the eXten
k OF their power for wrong doing.
8 With an unalterable hatred OF all sucl
schemes we count the checking OF thei
a baleful operations among the good re
e suits promised by revenue reform
I, While we cannot avoid partisan mis-
! representation, our position upon tn,
/ question OF revenue reform should be 81
plainly stated Us to admit OF no misun
+ derstanding.
OH, 40, OF COURSE NoTl
We have entered upon no crusade o
Free Trade. The reform We seek to in
: augurate is predicated upon the utmos
care ofestablished industries and enter
! prises, a jealous regard for the interests
OF American labor and sincere desire
to relieve the country from the injustice
and danger OF condition which threat
ems evil to all the people Of the land
We are dealing with no imaginary danger
Itsexistencel has been repeatedly confess
ell by all political parties, and pledges o.
J a remedy have been made on all sides.
Yet, when in the Legislative BODY
where, under the constitution, all rene.
dial measures applicable TO this subject
must originate, the Democratic majority
were attempting with extreme modera,
ton to redeem the pledge common to
both parties, they were met by deter
mined opposition and obstruction and
the minority, refusing TO cooperate in
the House OF Representatives, or pro.
pose another remedy, have remitted the
redemption OF their party pledge. to the
doubtful power OF the Senate.
LITTLE ATTEMPT AT BLUFF.
The people will hardly be deceived
by their abandonment Of the field of
Legislative action to meet in political
convention and flippantIy declare in
their party platform that our Conserva-
tive and careful effort TO relieve the sit
uation is destructive to the American
system OF protection. Nor will the peo-
pie be misled by the appeal to prejudice
contained in the absurd allegation that
We serve the interests OF Europe, while
they will support the interests OF
America.
They propose in their platform to thus
support the interests Of our country by
removing the internal revenue tax from
tobacco and from spirits used in the arts
and for mechanical purposes. They de-
clare also that there should be such
revision Of our tariff laws MS shall tend
to check the importation OF suCl articles
as are produced here.
OH, DO THEY?
Thus, in proposing to increase the du-
ties upon SUCH articles to nearly or quite
prohibitory point, they confess. them
selves willing to travel backward in the
road OF civilization, and to deprive our
people OF the markets for their goods,
which can only be gained and kept by
the semblanCe, ut least, of an inter-
change oil business, while they abandon
our consumers to the unrestraincd op-
preston OF the domestic trusts and CONF
binations which are in the same platform
perfunctively condemned,
They propose further to release en-
tirely from import duties all articles OF
foreign production Except the luxuriesl,
the like of which cannot be produced in
this country. The plain people OF the
land and the poor, who scarcely use ar
ticles OF any description produced ex-
clusively abroad and not already free,
will find it difficult to discover where
their interests are regarded in this prop
osition. They need in their homes
cheaper domestic hecessaries, and this
seems to be entirely upproylded for in
this proposed scheme to serve the coun-
try. Small compensation for this neg
| 1nnIn1 tnnI 10 fnurI II, fIa fUTt I, nr INt,ts
pose here announced and covered by the
declaration, That If after the changes al
ready mentioned there still remains a
larger revenue than il requisite for the
wants of the Government, the entire in
ternal taxation should be repealed
rather than surrender any part OF our
protective system"
A DEMAGoGUE'S CONSTRUCTION OF IT.
Our people ask relief from the undue
and unnecessary burden OF tariff taxa
ton now resting upon them. Ehey are
offered free tobacco and free whisky.
They ask for bread and are given stone.
The implication contained in this party
declaration that desperate measures are
justified or necessary to save from
destruction or surrender what is termed
our protective system, shopld confuse
no one. The existence OF such system
is entirely consistent with the regulation
OF the extent to which it should be APP
piled and the correction OF its abuses.
OF course, in q country us great rs
ours, with such . wonderful variety Of
interests, often leading in entirely diff
ferent directions, IL Is difficult, ii not
impossible, to settle upon u perfect tar
itr plan.
PLEADING FoR THE WHISKY MONOPOLY.
But in accomplishing the reform we
have entered upon, the necessity OF
which is SO obvious, believe we should
not be content with n reduction Of rev.
enue involving the prohibition OF impor-
tations and the removal OF the internal
tax upon whisky. 1t can be better and
more safely done within the lines
and granting actual relief to the
people in their means OF living,
and ut the same time giving IN impetus
to our domestic enterprises and further
ing our national welfare. II misrepre-
| ScutuLlou Vi OuI pulPOSVS auu otINcS
ars to gain credance and defeat our
present effort in this direction, there
seems to be no reason why every en-
deavor in the future to accomplish RIVE
nue. reform should not be likewise at
tackled and with like result.
And yet, no thoughtful man can fail
to see in the continuance OF the present
burdens of the peopleand the abstraction
by the Governmentp Of the qurgencyoi the
country inevitable distress and disaster.
All danger will be averted by timely
action. The difficulty OF applying the
remedy will never be less, and the
blame should not he laidsat the door OF
the Democratic party if it is applied too
late.
With firm faith in the intelligence and
patriotism OF our countrymen, and
relying upon the conviction that
Misrepresentation will not influence
them, prejudice will not cloud their
understanding and that menace will not
intimidate them, let us urge the peoples
interest and public duty for the vindiCa-
ton OF our attempt to inaueurate right