The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-09-15

creasing distrust and timidity ia follow
ed by q refusal to loan or advance ON
any terms. Investors refuse all risks
and decline all securities, aud in a gen.
eral fright the money sill in the hands
of the people Is persistentiy h,'artieti.
II is quite apparent that when this
perfectly natural, if not inevitable,
stage is reached, depression in all bnsi-
| ness enterprise will, rs a necessary con-
sequence, lesson the opportunity for
work and employment aud reduce
SALARIES AND THE WAGES OF LABOR.
Instead, then, of heing exempt fron
the influence aud effect of an immense
sarpltsse lying idle in the national
treasury, our wage-earners and others
who rely upon their labor for support
are most OF all directly concerned ia
the situation. Others seeing the ap.
proach Of danger may provide against
1t, but II will tiud those depending
upon their daily toll for bread unpre-
! pared, helpless aud defenseIess. Such
| a state of affairs does not present case
| OF idieuess resulting from disputes
| between the labnrtng man aud his EN-
piOyer, but 1t presents al absolute and
enforced stoppage Of employment aud
| wages.
In reviewing the bad effects Of this
accumulated surpius aud the scale OF
tariff rates ny which ii ia produced, we
must not overlook the tendency toward
gross and scandalous public extraVa-
gance which n congestcd treasury in
duces. In time of profound peace
we have substantially the rate of tariff
duties imposed in time of war, when
tho necessities of the government justi.
fed the imposition OF the weightiest
burdens upon the people.
Divers plans have been suggested for
the return Of this accumulated surplus
to the people aud the chanuels OF trade,
! Some OF these devices nre al variance
! with all
| RULES OF GOOD FINANCE,
some are deiusive, sotue ars absued,
and so.ns betray by their reck less ex.
iravagance the demoraljzing influence
of great surplus Of public money
upon the judgments OF individuals.
While such efforts should be made rs
are consistent with public duty aud
sanctioned by sound judgment 10 avoid
error by the useful disposition OF the
surplus now remaining in the treasury,
1t is evident that II its distribution was
! accomplished an accumulation would
soon take 1t. place by the constant flow
| of redundant revenue, if not checked at
! its source by reform in our tariff
| laws.
We do not propose to deal with those
conditions by merely attempting to
satisfy the people of the truth of Ab-
stract theories, nor by alone urging
their assent to political doctrine. We
present to them the propositions that
they are unjustly treated in the extent
of present federal taxation, that as a
result condition of extreme danger
exists, and that 1t Is for them to de-
lnand a remedy aud that defense and
safety promised in the guarantees OF
their free government.
Wo believe that the same means
which are adopted to relieve the treas
ury of its present surplus and prevent
its recurrence, should cheaper to our
people the coat of supplying their daily
wants. Both of these objects we seek
in part to gain by
REDUCING TIE PRESENT TARIFF
! RATES
upon the necessaries of life.
l
to the country of our domestic indus
trial enterprise. In the rectitication Of
existing wrongs, their maintenance
and property should be carefully and
in friendly spirit considered. Even
such reliance upon present revenue ar
rangementl as have been invited or
encouraged should be fairly and justly
regarded. Abrupt and radical changes
which might endauger such enterprise
and injuriously affect the interests of
labor dependent upon their success and
continuance are not contemplated or
intended.
| Bat we know the cost of our domes-
tic manufactured products is Increased
and their price to the consumer is en-
HANGED by the duty imposed upon the
raw material used In their nanufact.
ure. We know that this increased
! cost prevents the sale of our prOdnc-
tons in foreign markets ia competition
with those countries which have the
advantage Of free raw material. We
know that confined to 4 home mark ct
our manufacturing operations are cur
tailed, their demand for labor Irregular
aud the rate of wages paid uncertain.
We propose, therefore, to stimulate
freeing from duty the imported raw
materials by which the employment of
labor are used in our home manufact-
ures, thus extending the markets for
their sale aud permitting an increased
and steady production with the allows
ance of abundant profits.