Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-09-14

strOyed.
The fact of a treasury surplus,
the amount of which is Varicusly
stated, has directed public atten-
'tion to "A consideration of iho meth
DDS by which the national income
may best be- reduced 10 The level OF
a wise and necessary expenditure.
This condition has been seized upon
by those who are hostile 10 pro.
tectiye custom duties as an advan-
tageOns base Of attack upon our
tariff laws. They have magnilied
and nuTsed the surplus, which they
affect to deprecate, seemingly Tor
the purpose Of exaggeratIng the
evil in order to reconcile the people
to the extreme remedy they pro-
pose. A proper reduction of the
revenue does not necessitate, and
should not suggest, the abandon
ment or impairment of the protec-
tive system. The methods sugges.
ted by our convention will not need
to be exhausted in order to effect
the necessary reduction. We are
not likely TO be called upon, |
think, to make a present choice
between the surrender of our pro.
tective system and the entire repeal
of the internal taxes. Such con.
tIngency, in view of the present
relation Of expenditures to revenue,
is remote. The inspection and
regulation Of the manufacture and
sale of OIeOmaTgarine is important,
and the revenue derived from it il
not so great that the repeal Of the
law need enter into any plane OF
revenue reduction.
HOW TO USE THE SURPLUS.
The surplus now in the treasury
should be used in the purchase of
bonds. The law authorizes this
use of II, and if is not needed for
current or deficiency appropriations,
the people, and not the banks IN
which it has been deposited, should
have the advantage of its use by
stopping interest upon the public
debt, At least. those who need
lessly hoard it should not be allow
ed to use the fear of monetary
stringency thus produced to cOerce
public sentiment upon other ques-
tiOns.
THE DEPORTATION OF LABOR.
Closely connected with the sub.
ject of the tariff Is that Of the I'm.
portation of foreign labOrers under
contracts of service to be perform
ed here. The law now IN force
prohibiting such contracts recelv-
ed my cordial support in the Sen
ate, and such amendments as mas
be found necessary effectively to
deliver our worklDgmen and women
from this most inequitable form of
competition will have my sincere
advocacy. Legislation prohibiting
the importation of laborers under
contracts to serve here will, how.
ever, afford very inadequate relief
to our working people il the system
of protective duties is broken down.
If the products of American shops
must compete In the American
market, without favOring duties,
with the products OF cheap foreign
labor, the effect will be different, if
at all, only in degree whether the
cheap laborer is across the street
or over the sea. Such competition
will soon reduce wages here TO the
level OF those abroad, and when
that condition is reached We will
not need any laws forbidding the
importation OF laborers under con
tract. They will have no induce
ment to come, and the employer no
inducement to send for them.
In the earlier years of our histo-
~ public agencies to promote i'm.
migration were common. The pio-
neer wanted neigbbOr with more
friendly instincts than the Indian.
Labor was scarce and fully employ
ed. But the day of the immigra-
ton bureau has gone by. While
our doors will continue open to
proper immigration, We do not
need to issue special invitations TO
the inhabitants of other countries
to come to our shores or TO share
our citizenship. Indeed, the ne.
cessity of some inspection and lin
itation is obvious. We should
resolutely refuse to permit foreign
governments to send their paupeIs
and criminals to our ports. We
are also clearly under a duty to
defend our civilization by excluding
alien races whose ultimate assimi.
lstion with our people is neither
possible nor desirable. The family
has been the nucleus of our best
immigration and the home the most
potent assimilatlug force IN our
civilization.
The objections to Chinese immi-
grafton are distinctive and conclu-
siye, and are now so generally ac-
copied as such that the question
has passed entirely beyond the
stage of argumeui. The laws re-
lating to this subject would, if |
should be charged with their en-
forcement, be faithfully executed.
Such amendments or further legis.
lation as may be necessary and
proper to prevent evaslons OF the |
laws and to stop further Chinese I
immigration would also meet my /
approval. The expression of the |
convention upon this subject Is in .
entire harm Ony with my views.
PROTECT THE BALLOT.
Our civil compact Is a govern
ment by majorities, and the law
loses its sanction and the magls-
trate our respect, when this com
pact is broken. The evil results of
election frauds do not expend
themselves upon the voters who
ara robbed of their rightiul innu.
pnce IN public affairs. The indi-
viduaI, or community,Or party, that
practices or cOnniyes at election
frauds, has suffered irreparable in
jury, and will sooner or later real
ize that to exchange the American
~ stem of majority rule for minori-
~ control, Is not only unlawful and
hnt Unsafe for those