Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-03-02
A SCHOLARLY EFFORT,
A Brilliant Analysis of President
CIeyelnnd's Message.
Toledo Sunday JourpaIl

(Tolodo Sunday Journai.)
Under the head OF IN policy at
last" The Detroit News independently pre-
scnts the following which purely ns lit
ernry fort is worthy Of reproduction. 1t
is from the zen Of Mr.. NJ. j. Dee, editor
OF that paper than whom there is no
more able writer on any OF the great dali
lies Of the counisy:
Zone great uci Of just statesmnnship,
which goes TO the very heart of grea,
nations grievances, may atone for many
faults of both omission aud commission.
There are certainly none Of whicl, the
Cleveland administration has been guilty,
and there are none Of which IL has been
nnjnstly accused, which should not lie
forgotten in the light OF the m,s-nge
which the president rent 10 the congress
of the United States. 1t isn great messnge
| II vindicnteS Mt once the stateau,anShip,
the honesty, the patriotism aud the cour-
age Of man who entered upon the high
est office Of this republic less tlnn three
years ago absolutely without experience
in federal affairs. 1t lisa radical departure
from the executive deliverance OF the
pas, not only by the present, hut by all
former administrations. 1t recognizes the
one great grievance of the American peo-
pie which overshadows everything else;
the one great question which is more I'M
portant than all others: the one great
problem which chnrlatans and demagogues
who unfortunately compose the majority
oil our politicians-shirk or beiuddle; the
one colossal outrage which government in
this country ever since the war has been
perpetrating upon the helpless masses Of
the people and winch comes home in
thousand grevious forms OF every family
in the land-thc outrage of excessive tax.
alton, which is the most Infamous aud
oppressive form of robbery.
The message does not waste one word
upon the multitude of petty topics whose
perfunctory and commonplace discussion
makes presidential messages, as rule,
mass of rubbish which no one reads, and
which, even in the congresses to which
they are addressed, are flung into the pig-
eon-holes OF the committees and forgotten
the moment the clerk has finished read
ing them. 1t sticks TO the one great text
from beginning to end. and leaves no
room for the national legislature to escape
from the fearful responsibility so directly
and forcibly thrust upon il.
The discussion of tins great topic by
the president is 20 simple, direct and for
chile that there is not school boy in the
land who cannot read II understandingly
and proftab!y. While il ia singnlsrly
powerful in its logic, it does not make the
mistake of discussing distractions. i,
does not undertake to measure the rela-
tive merits ofdiflerent schools of political
economy. 1t leaves free trade and prolec-
tion as abstract propositions 10 the pro-
fessors and philosophers, MS Sir Robert
Peel did, and addresres itself directly to
the problem Of craftsmanship. How
much money should government cost the
people, and in what manner should the
people be required to pay il? 1t presents
data only upon the accuracy of which all
parties are agreed-the figures showing
the enormous surplus over and above it,
necessities which government annually
wrings from the people of the country
which accumulaies in the treasury TO the
embarrassment Of business, and To the
sore temptation of congress toward all
manner of extravagant and corrupt ex-
penditure. In most ingenious and sim-
pie manner il demonstrates that IN addi-
ton to this great sum which goes to the
treasury the government, by The y eculiar
method of its collection, compels the peo-
pie 10 pay siIll larger sum tn the mann
factnrers in the form Of tariff increased
prices for their necessities.
The president does not ask any sweep
ing or radical revolution in the method
of taxation, which by n sudden change o
prices, might embarrass industries which
, have grown up under this system an,
still depend upon it, but he insists tina
the enormous exactIons OF this govern
nent shall be cut down TO the level o
] necessary revenue: and that merely pro
teciive taxes shall be repealed altogether
whenever congress. after a careful consi d
eration, shall timd that the protected in
r dnstry has reachsd n point of develope
ment where it can dispense with furthe
r assistance from the government. Til
message GALA attention TO many such case
= in The list of 1000 articles which are no,
e taxed, and in an ingenious and simpl
r way demonstrates the feasibility and desi
n rahility Of the change.
Regarding the proposal made in som
quarters in his own party that the tax b.
q taken off whisky beer aud toharcO, MI
/ Cleveland is refreshingly and delightful
= emphatic in his condemnation. He in
sists that in reducing revenue the necessi
ties,and not luxuries or vices of life, sha
be first relieved,
= The message too has the great merit O
e being short. 1t filed only three column
:, IN the News yesterday. 1t is the fir,
presidential animal message which III
News in it's fifteen years OF life prinie
9 verbateln, and it is the first annual me'
q sage which we have ever seen which wi
y, worth even the small space il occupied
wi u be read through or by more peo
n pie than ever read a message hefore, AZ
10 it will bring more hope aud Joy to Il
" masses OF this country than any messai
= ever written in the White House.
Ii fixes beyond amendment the lin
II upon which the next presidential can
= paigne will lie fought; and il snpplies
once the candidate and the platform, an
II we are not greatly mistaken, the IRE,
" dent. The democratic party need go
lie further for the man. the platform, and 1
e campaign documents. II the nHtion
II committee will place thus messsge in I
:. hands Of every citizen OF the United Stat
!" they need & o TO no other serious expense
N --S
n Big line of new Shirtings and De
l. inns, Mt WILLIAMS.