The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-04-21
TARIFF REVISION TO THE FRONT

tariff question. And in order tc
present their views upon the ques
ton to their constituents and the
rest of the dear people, it is pro.
posed to hold day and night ses.
sions of congress, and it is thought
that six weeks debate may pos.
sibly bring about a vote on the tariff
bill before the meeting Of the Ma
tional Democratic Convention at
ST. Louis, on the 9Th of June next,
The Republicans, on the other hand
seem to think that a vote on the
Mills bill cannot be reached in time
for the Democratic convention, and
they are at the same time doubtful
if a vote can be obtained upon the
bill before the Republican National
Convention meets in Chicago on
the 10Th of June.
There seems to be some fillibus-
tering by the Republicans to prevent
legislation on the tariff question as
we'll as upon the silver issue, before
the assembling of the two great
National conventions. There is
evidently an inclination on the part
of the Republican leaders to frus-
trate and postpone action on these
vital measures before these Nation
al events occur. The nation is
earnestly watching these maneuvers
and patiently awaiting results.
A diversity of opinion exists
among the people on the subject OF
the tariff. There are advocates
sincere and incincere, honest and
dishonest-of a prohibitory tariff,
a protective tariff, a revenue tariff
and no tariff at all. There are free
trade Democrats, tariff for-revenue-
Democrats, and protective tariff
Democrats. Among the Republi-
cans are free traders, prohibitory
tariff men, protective tariff advo-
Gates and revenue tariff reformers.
This divergence of views is not
more apparent within party lines
than it is among the manufacturers
themselves, who are the special
benefciaries of the tariff system as
at present constituted. Some man
ufacturers want free raw materials,
others do not; some are frightened
at the thought of competing with
foreign manufacturers for the
worlds trade, while Others are con-
fdent that American inventions
combined with American industry
and skill, would not only continue
to supply, under a revenue tariff,
the American market, but eventu-
ally secure the markets of the world.
Politicians differ as widely on this
subject as do the manufacturers.
But the people, the great masses of
American workers and toilers, per-
haps ine-tenths of whom earn
their wages outside of manufactur-
ing industries, hold very decided
views against the present tariff sys-
tenn, which all agree-politicians,
manufacturers and business men
is now overburdening the people of
this country with excessive taxes,
and putting into the treasury of the
nation a needless and dangerous
surplus that forebodes financial
disaster unless the tariff is revised,
and this accumulating surplus per-
manently reduced.
Recognizing the absolute injus
tice of unnecessarily taxing the
people, and the danger to the pros
perity of our nation, which such
taxation threatens, the Democratic
leaders in congress have prepared
two bills for tariff revision. But
the Republican leaders have as yet
done nothing in this direction ex-
cept to chuckle and wink over the
difference Of views in the bills pre-
sented-a difference which they
evidently hope will prevent either
of them passing, and thus put the
Democracy before the people as a
party that failed to revise the op-
pressive tariff and reduce the dan
gerous surplus.
The political trick of the Repub-
lican leaders is too transparent to
deceive the people. They are too
wide awake. There are too many
independent, free thinking citizens
of the nation who comprehend the
truth of such actions to allow such
political chicanery to succeed. The
"hand1writing is upon the wall'
and Republican leaders should be-
ware how they use tactics to OBJ
struct active and needful legisla-
ton. Instead of resorting to
process of preventing legislation on
tariff revision, lest it may be cred
tied to the Democratic party in the
next campaign, let the Republican
leaders prescribe a revised tariff
bill of their own, SO that the peo-
pie will know exactly how their
party stands on this all-important
and vital question. The "launting
Of the bloody shirt" is a thing Of
the past; war taxes are no longer
needed both parties have declared
the necessity Of tariff revision, and
yet the people are taxed for a rev.
enue that the government neither
needs nor can honestly use.