Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-08-02
Shall We Have Tax Reduction?

The Mills tariff revision and revenue
reduction bill passed the House finally
on Saturday by 1862 yeas to 149 nays. Ii
was substantially a party vote, with
Sowden alone in Democratic opposition
from Pennsylvania and Randall sick
and absent, and with Fitch and Nelson
alone in Republican support of the
measure.
These isolated cases of opposition to
the declared policy of their respective
parties, do not obscure Incorporating at
titudes of the two leading political or
ganizatiOns of the country on the con-
fessedly paramount issue of tax reduc-
ton and tariff revision to be decided bv
the people in November next. The
supporters of Cleveland are now fairly
and aggressively before the country az
the supporters of the Mills bill; the
supporters of Harrison are as fairly be-
fore the country as opposing the Mills
bill and as unable to offer any substi-
tute for It in fulfillmeht of their solemn
pledges to the country in favor OF tariff
revision and revenue reduction.
It is possible tnat the Senate will
frame and submit substitute for the
House bill, but the latest advices are
not favorable to such action. All the
Republican leaders confess that our
taxes are too high; that the tariff needs
revision in the interest Of our industries
and that surplus revenue should not be
extorted from the people by needless
taxes; hut they are divided on the tar
iff from free traders to moderate prO-
tectionists and monopoly protectionists,
and they fear to expose their antagon-
isms by presenting revenue bilIss as
party platform.
The one unpardonable attitude OF the
Repu blicans in the House was in their
failure to present tariff bill of their
own; but the true reason was in the
fact that, after many efforts, they could
not harmonize on any measure and
were thus compelled to battle only as
an aimless opposition. Will the Re-
publlcans of the Senate offer the coun-
try measure Of relief from admittedly
extorti0nate taxation as a substitutes
for the House bill? III so, both PARTIES
will be before the country with their
tax policy clearly defined; If not, the
Republicans will invite defeat by con-
fessed cOwardice.
Let it not be forgotten that the House
revenue bill puts the Cleveland forces
in the attitude of open manliness before
the country. They have clearly iefin-
ed policy to meet q universally ad-
mitted :.ational want--a want ex press
ly declared by the platforms of all
parties since l8S4--and the people will
honor courage even in error rather
than cowardice that shuns the respon-
sibility of correcting what IL wrong or
declaring what is right. 1t is u vast
in an appeal to an intelli-
gent sovereignty like the American
people, TO declare policy and fnrinu-
late it in q legislative bill as the Demo-
Gratis have done; and that measure will
be specially commended to the people
by the failure Of the Republicans to or
fer substitute for it.
If the House bill is wrong, let its err
rOrs be stated by distinct amendment.
and let both the bill and the proposed
60 to the country for final
Judgment. If this shall not be done:
II the Republican Senate shall skulk
from its own party pledges as the Re-
publicans of the House have doue. it
will be next to hopeless task to enter
a national contest simply as obstruc-
tionists and too cowardly or too inhar-
m0nlous to propose any measure OF
relief from nearly one hundred millions
of annual taxes literally robbed from
the industries of the country.
The revenue and tax question is Of
vastly more Importance to the country
than the success or defeat OF any party.
It will matter little or nothing which
party shall rule, II business shall be
prosperous and industry relieved Of
needless oppression; and there are
scores Of thousands III both parties who
will so consider the issue In this CAM
paign. Let the Republicans nf the
Senate reject the cowardice Of the Re-
publicans OF the House and give the
country Q distinct and positive Repub-
lican tariff policy. They are soiemnly
them to do it, and II they fail ID slo ii.
they will invite defeat by nina "a per-
fidy to pIighted faith and COWS diCe A.
bunglilg obstructtonists: - Rhtkaget-
phja Times.