Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-09-19

| neceSSltleS OF q 1rQRal anu ecOnOIllCdl al
ministration of the Government, seems tt
be perfectly plain. The continuance, up
on the preteXt of meeting public eXpen
ditures, of such scale of tariff taxation
as draws from the substance of the people
q sum largely in excess of public needs, Il
surely something which, under govern
ment based upon Justice and which find
it's strength and usefulness in the faith anC
| trust of the people, ought not to be tolera
ted. While the heaviest burdens inciden
to the necessities of government are un
complainingly borne, light burdens be
come grievous and intOlerable when no
justified by such necessities.
Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxa
tion.
And vet this is our condition. We art
annually collecting at our custom houses
and by means of our internal revenue tax
alton, many millions in excess of all leglt
innate public needs. AS the consequence
there now remains in the national treasury
a surplus of more than one hundred anC
thirty millions of dollars. No better evi
dence could be furnished that the people
are exorbitantly taxed.
The extent of the super1uous burden In
dicated by this surplus will be better ap
preciated when it is suggested that sucf
surplus alone represents taxation aggrega
ting more than one hundred and eigh
thousand dollars in country containing
fifty thousand inhabitants.
Taxation has always been the feature ol
organized government hardest to recon
cile with the peoples idea OF freedom ano
happiness. When presented IN the alrec'
form, nothing will arouse popular: dlscon'
tent more quickly and profoundly than un
mers. mechanics, laborers, and all our cltl'
zens, closely scan the slightest increase in
taxes assessed upon their lands and other
property, and demand good reason Tor
such increase. And yet they seem to DC
expected, in some quarters, to regard the
unnecessary volume of insiduous and in
direct taxation visited upon them by oul
present rate of tariff duties with inditfer'
ence, if not with favor.
The surplus revenue now remaining IN
the treasury not only furnishes conclusive
proof of unjust taxation, but its existence
constitutes separate and independent
menace to the prosperity of the people.
This vast accumulation of idle funds rep
resents that much money drawn from the
circulating medium of the country, which
is needed in the channels of trade and bus
mess. It is a great mistake to suppose
that consequences which follow continual
withdrawal and boarding by the Govern
ment of the currency of the people are not
of immediate importance to the, mass OF
our citizens and only concern those en-
gagged in large financial transactions.
In the restless enterprise and activity
which free and ready money among the
people produces, is found that opportunity
for labor and employment, and that lmpe'
tus to business and production, which bring
in their train prosperity to our citizens, IN
every station and vocation. New ven.
lures, new investments in business ana
manufacture, construction OF new and I'M
portant works and enlargement OF enter
prises already established, depend largely
upon obtaining money upon easy terms
with fair security; and all these, things
are stimulated by the abundant volume OF
the circulating medium. Even the har-
vested grain of the farmer remains with
out a market unless money is forthcoming
for its movement and transportation to the
seaboard.
The first results of scarcity of money
among the people is the exaction of severe
terms for its use. Increasing distrust and
timidity is followed by refusal to loan or
advance on any terms. Investors refuse
all risks and decline all securities, and, in
the general fright, the money still in the
hands of the people is persistently hoard
ed. 1t is quite apparent that when this
perfectly natural, if not inevitable, stage is
reached, depression in all business and en-
terprise will, as a necessary consequence,
lessen the opportunity for work and en-
ployment, and reduce salaries and the
wages OF labor.
Instead, then, of being exempt from the
influence and effect of the immense sur
plus living idle in the national treasury,
our wage -earners and others who rely up:
on their labor for support are most of all
directly concerned in the situation. 9th
ers, seeing the approach of danger, may
provide against it, but it will find those
depending upon their daily toll for bread
unprepared, helpless and defenceless.
Such state of affairs does not present a
case of idleness resulting from disputes
between laboring man and employer, but
it produces an absolute and enforced stop
page of employment and wages.
In reviewing the bad effects of this accu-
mulated surplus and scale of tariff rates,
by which it is produced, we must not over
look the tendency towards gross and scan
dalous public extravaganza which con-
gested treasury induces, nor the fact that
we are maintaining without excuse, in
time of profound peace, substantially the
rate of tariff duties imposed in time OF
war when the necessities of the Govern
ment justified the imposition of the weigh
tiest burdens on the people.
Divers plans have been suggested for the
return of the accumulated surplus to the
people and the channels of trade. Some
of these devices are at variance with all
rules of good finance; some are delusive,
some are absurd and some betray by their
reckless extravaganza the demoralizng in
fluence of a great surplus Of public money
upon the judgments of individuals. While
snch efforts should be made as are consist
ent with public duty and sanctioned by
sound judgment to avoid the danger by
the useful disposition of the surplus now
remaining in the treasury, it is evident
that if its distribution were accomplished
another accumulation would soon take its
place if the constant flow of redundant in
come was not checked at its source by re-
form in our present tariff taxes.
We do not propose to deal with these
conditions by merely attempting to salts
fy the people of the truth of abstract theo.
ries nor by alone urging their assent to
political doctrines. We present to them
the propositions that they are unjustly
treated in the extent ofthe present FEEDER
al taxation, that as the result a condition
of extreme danger exists, and that it is
for them to demand a remedy and that
defence and safety promised in the guaran'
tee of their free Government. we believe
that the same means which are adopted tC
relieve the treasury of it's present surplus
and prevent its recurrence, should cheaper
to our people the cost of supplying their
wants. Both of these objects we seek in
part to gain by reducing the present tariff
rates upon the necessaries of life.
We fully appreciate the Importance tC
the country of our domestic industrial en-
terprises. In the rectifcation of existing
wrongs their maintenance and prosperity