The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-15

acted law under him than during tho ad-
ministration OF both Arthur and Hayes,
and by the end Of his first term the num-
Der will be larger than during the admin
istratons Of Lincoln, johnson, Grant,
Hayes, Garfield and Arthur altogether.
In face OF such figures, when any man
talks Of tho hostility Of the Democratic
party or its President to the pensioner, OBJ
serve the good old rule of the Scriptures:
Answer the fool according to his folly"
and pass him by.
passed under Republican rule, now yield
vast sum in excess of oil the requirements
Of the Government. We can pay all the
costs OF civil administration, OF the army
and navy. the maintenance Of our courts,
the interest upon our public debt, our
munificent pensions, and every other right
ful charge upon the people, and have more
than hundred millions year besides un-
necessarily taken from the people. This is
an enormous sum; over twice as great as
the average annual cost Of the whole Gov
ernment during the periods Of Democratic
rule, from the year 1900 to 1851 Apply the
case directly to ourselves. The share Of
Wisconsin alone, II proportioned in this
saving, would exceed two millions of dol
lars. Think of i'll More than double the
cost Of the State Government; more, per-
haps, than the cost Of all our county gov
ernments, although 1 have not the figures
just at hand. Suppose it were put directly
to the people Of Wisconsin to save either
our State or county taxes; could 1t be con
ceived they would refuse to acquiesce In
such q measure of reliefl
To make this great saving to the people
Is what this Administration seeks; this is
the thing which the Democratic party
pledges itself to attempt; this is the thing
| which the Republican party has promised
in its platforms through canvass after can
vass to concede to the people, and this is
the thing it has prevented for many years
after it ought to have been done, the thing
which they are now exerting their utmost
to defeat.
I have said that the policy Of that party
Is obstruction. Look at their action in re-
gress assembled after President Cleve-
lands Inauguration the effort to reduce
taxation was commenced. During the
whole Forty Ninth Congress it was sue
cessfully thwarted. Finally. when this
present Congress assembled, the President
urged this subject, OF such vast and over
powering moment, by his entire annual
message. Repeatedly Republican men,
bers have been reminded of their multi
piled platform promises. And what have
they done during this long anA tedious ses
sionl In the House the Democratic COM
mittee devoted months Of untiring and as
siduous labor, sparing neither night nor
day, to adjust measure which would re-
lieve the people with the least disturbance
to any business interest. Were they met
by any effort at co-opera tion! On the con-
trary, every step forward, every inch
toward relief, has been gained only against
an almost solid phalanx Of Republic
an resistance. For three months the
debate upon the bill was protracted in
the House. 1t was a magnificent debate,
| an honor as it was triumph to the studi-
GUS and Jealous labor of the Democrats of
the House. They overwhelmed their ad-
| versaries with arguments. they united the
| Democratic lines, they perfected the bill
by every touch of amendment within
reach, but they received no contribution
toward its perfection from Republicans.
The latter proposed nothing, offered moth
| ing but cavil and criticism. Finally the
| measure was passed. and the utmost of
| Democratic power was done to unload the
public burden. Meantime the Democratic
| party, assembled in National convention,
| had spoken in cheering tones its approba-
tion of the work. What said Republicans
when their convention assembleds
"The protective system must be main
tanned" "The Republican party
would effect all needed reduction of the
National revenue by repeating the taxes
upon tobacco n 's land the tax
upon spirits used in the arts and for
mechanical purposes" n n "If there
shall still remain a larger revenue than is
requisite for the wants of the Govern
ment, we favor the entire repeal of inter-
nal taxes"
That is to say, when driven to the wall,
they declare their purpose of tariff re-
duction, so often pledged and promised, to
have been false and hollow, intended only
to deceive; that sooner than relieve the
taxes upon any of the necessaries of life,
which every man, woman and child must
contribute to pay, they would help only
those who use tobacco and drink whisky.
They call the tribute laid by tariff laws
protection" "protection to American
industry" and they hope to hide the
wicked fact under the spacious cover Of
the pleasing word Many robbery has
been vailed by phrase. Is the American
people not superior to the risk Of being
victimized by trick of words2 That is
the question.
The tariff is simply q tax levied upon
articles brought into this country from
abroad, for sale, use or consumption. On
every article within the list the collector
at the custom-house exacts the sum pre-
scribed by law when it enters our port.
| This is either specific amount charged
upon certain articles, or 1t Is O percentage
of their value. There is nothing more Of
the law except its provision OF machinery
and officials for collecting the tax. Now,
it is obvious that the importer must add to
what he pays the foreign merchant the
amount of the tax, because that is part
OF the cost of the article to him. Upon that
cost he computes his profits, and in the end
the consumer pays the tax as we'll as the
foreign price, with the merchants profit
charged upon both. So far, to the extent
that articles are imported, the tariff oper
ates nothing but taxation. There is, so
far, no protection to anybody, but when
the duty is made high enough upon such
articles as are manufactured in this coun-
try to prevent the foreign merchant from
competing with the domestic manu-
facturer, then another effect fol-
lows. No duty is now paid by
the consumer to the Government, directly
or indirectly All that happens is that, by
reason Of foreign competition being ex-
cluded, the domestic manufacturer can
sell the article to his countrymen at any
price he chooses to fix below that at which
1T can be imported, with duty added. 1t is
here that the so-called protection begins.
The tariff helps the American producer Of
such articles as the American public
wishes to buy only to the extent that it
excludes foreign competition. When you
hear auy man talk of the protection Of the