Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-01-13

WASHINGTON D. @. January 4-Senator
Sherman to-day delivered his speech on the
presidents message. he said the president
had postponed all things terrestrial and
celestial until the surplus revenue be gotten
nd or. The existence of the surplus has
been a constant occurrence before and since
the close or the war. 1t was not dangerous,
bat an indication of continuous increased
domestic production, commerce, improve
ment, and financial condition of the
country. Jefferson advised the continuation
of imports and expenditure IN public i'm
prOYements. General jackson recon-
meuded distribution among states and
signed CalhoUn's bill TO that effect. Each
OF Mr.. CleVeland's predecessors had
applied the surplus TO diminish the public
debt, when congress failed to reduce taxes.
BILL TO reduce taxation. 1t was democratic.
Why them delayl The controlling
majority, the democratic party, VIII
not allow a bill to be reported unless
it contains provisions that would greatly
1nluF6 domestic productions. Mr. Sherman
charges the present secretary Of the treasury
and the speaker OF the house with opposing
IN 1886, the introduction Of a bill 70 reduce
taxes The president otherwise refused to
reduce the surplus VIZ, by refusing to sign
tbs river and harboE bill, and Vetoing the
dependent pension bill. The house refused
70 pass bill refunding to the states the dI-
rect tax and appropriation for cost defense.
The president had cast doubt upon the power
purchase bills. There was undOubted pro
vision for this, but the president preferred
70 break down the Industrial Interest, by
frightening congress into the passage of q
bill to reduce she tariff. To do this, the
president would leave the internal revenue
untouched, a war measure that was bur
den to both producer and the consumer, and
the farmer who raises tobacco, corn, barley,
rye and wheat. The government tax should
be relieved on these, leaving the states to
impose a local taxation on them if they
wish. - The policy OF the present tariff Was
to place the rate as high on luLurIes as DOS
EIble and relieve necessities. 1t had worked
well. These duties had imposed the chief
burdens upon articles of voluntary luxury,
and still encouraged American artists and
mechanics to compete in these branches of
industry. To reduce the duty would be to
transmit the burden of the tax from those
who bore it willingly to the shoulders Of
the people.
A large amount OF revenue is raised on
sugar and rice, and if the object is to reduce
the surplus what better mode than repeal
&c duty on sugar, which bears g tax of 81
per cent. An effort 10 raise sugar IN guam
titles TO supply the demand, although pro-
tected to the highest notch, had failed. Still
he would not cripple that industry and would
favor protecting It by giving the producers
Of domestic sugar a bounty equal to the re-
duCt1On Of the duty on the imported article.
The destruction Of the WOOL industry
In the United States would advance wool in
would accordingly advance. He regarded
the production of raw materials even OF
more importance than the manufactures.
Manufacturers had hourished and foundered
with the fluctuations of the protective tariff
from the beginning OF this country. it was
erroneous to believe that foreign eOmpeti-
ton simply added the amount of duty TO
the cost OF production, and sold the goods
at advanced prices. Asst rule imported goods
were sold in the American market cheaper
then the European markets duties free)
and in sOu~e articles, Americans competed
with the European markets of the world.
There Is not a single manufactured com
modify that is not cheaper to-day In the
United States and under the protective sys-
tenn, than it was IN 1860, under free trade,
ana nine-tenths of the articles used by the
farmers, are as cheap in this country as they
are in England. and in some instances
cheaper. He agreed with the president that
II there were any articles on the tariff list
that could be dispensed with without detri-
to American industry it should be done.
He reviewed the cost of living and declared
that articles Of food Sugar eIcepted) and in
most cases clothing and furniture were
cheaper than in Europe and wages were
made higher.