The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-06-28
The Republican Tariff Plan.


Afraid to come out openly and bold
~ for free whisky the Kelly Reed mi
nority members of the Ways and
Means committee proposes to attain
the same end in an indirect manner,
and get as much as possible of the tax
off liquor, in order to keep up the tariff |
rates on necessaries. Almost equally |
indefensible is the proposed removal |
of the tax from cigars and tobacco
injurious rticie4 now SO cheap that
the States are leg lslating against their
sale to minors. When for a few pe l.
MES, lads can fill their pocket. w til
cigaretr-- and cultivate the nerve
shattering nicotine habit, why should
Congress thIuk that cheaper cigarettes
and tobacco come next in impor' ance
after cheaper whisky? And why 90
| the membels think their constituents
would be benefited by making their
clothes dearer.
Providing for cheaper ST, nul9 nt5
and narcotics the mino iLy mem oeis
of the Ways and M $ committee
now see no objection higher tax .
on wooden cloth lg. In order TO ben
eft st,iI lurl her the big ranch wool
growers of the southwest and streu 81 h.
en- their destructive competition
against sheep husbandry in the States
epst of the M ssouri, these COZ gresS-
men propose higher taxes upon the
wooden clothing worn by every man,
woman and child in the United
States! In return for the boon
of cheaper whisky and cheaper tobac3 20
the people must pay higher prices for
their clothing. One half of the wool
used iu the United States must be i'm
ported, because it is NOT aud cannot De
produced here to profitable advantage,
and yet the tax on it ia to be incre2seC
10 TO Is per cent solely to benefit the
big flock ma ters of the South west who
grezs fco.5s of 5000 - $4,000 each on
the cheap or free lands of that reg:on
| Where js the wa rant Or au lorsty
for paving the Louisiana sugar plal.
ers q direct bounty rom the treasu =
The United Srates supreme court hss
9 id: g To lay with one Rand the
power of the government on the prop
. .ty of the citizen and with the other
i bsstow it on favored individuals to aid
!, private enterprises and build up p.i-
va.e fortunes is none the less 'roObec J
be cause it q done under the forns OF
law aud called tsxation." J" What se
! is involved in the pay ment of Girect
) taxes from the treasury?
Under such u p.actice there cor
be no pretense of u king for ne sup
rt of the government. but there
would be plain taking of the proper
I " ofthe citizen with one hand aud
with The other handing it over 10 = fs
vored individuals to aid private enter
] pli .es and build up private fortunes
Ii this is done for the benefit of sugar
! planters, why not for grain or stick
growers? LII the government pays s
!. bounty for the production of sugar
why not for wheat or cotton? If the
: government is to Interfere make
a sugar growing profitable, why should
it not nave bounty on wheat, corn
> beef, pork aud cotton, wheneve" price
= become low? The Government ia:
never entered the ''pitle field of dt
n rect bounty paying private enterpr y
Bounties have been voted from the
tre> 81 ~ to pay for ser 1ic>. rendered
aud gratuiti=s have been paid ma
o ters of bene Violence or charity. but th'
!, Government h. never undeT' .kel
this policy in order TO make particu
lar private business profitable 10 tho -
engaged in it. In prOpos ng such ,
g policy it is incumbent on the +ariff
. reform dodgers who think in this wa,
:. to evade a reductiopssof ariff xes t.
- explain where they get their authorit.
y for the scheme ana how they expec
t to get around the decision of the Su
e preme CONT Chicago Tribune, Re
!, publican.