The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1888-05-19

The Tariff and Internal Revenue.
j EDITOR ENTERPRISES Much is bein{
said about the tariff and how to dispos'
of the vast surplus in the treasury, al
of which seems to me uncalled for.
The remedy is simply to do an act o1
justice to the people by at once repeal
ing all internal revenue laws and col
lecting sufficient from imports to pay
current expenses, thus relieving us
from burdensome tax and an army OF
officers and at the same stroke dissolv-
ing the partnership now existing be.
tween the government of the United
States and the great whisky ring which
it would seem was formed for the ex-
press purpose of making the rich richer
and the poor poorer.
1t is idle to say if whisky and tobacco
were cheap we would use more, and it
is equally absurd to claim that they are
luxuries. They stand on the same foot
ing as tea, coffee and many other arti-
cles. Their use is merely an .unfortu.
nate habit, and men will consume about
so much and no more. We have two
kinds of drinkers; one take all they
want without regard to the cost; the
other all they can hold regardless of the
quality or it's results; hence every dollar
collected as internal revenue is so much
taken, almost as direct tax, from the
pockets of the people, and in many in
stances from the subsistence Of needy
families. Have the men who crushed
the greatest rebellion on record, freed
four million slaves and made all men
equal fallen 50 low that they can sit
quietly by and see innocent women and
helpless children robbed of their daily
bread? God forbid. Policies are but
expedients, while principles are founded
upon justice ald justice is eternal. AS
tonishing as it may seem, the people of
the United States expend annually
$ $1,OOO,OOO,OOO for intoxicating drinks,
one-half Of which would be saved to
the consumers by the repeal of this law.
The reason is obvious. Small distiller-
les would be erected in various parts of
the country, thereby retaining the
money at home now sent abroad, and
at the same time reducing the cost to
such figure that the retail price would
be but one-half of what it is at present. |
Some will say: "The temperance people
will be against us if we advocate free
whisky" l think not. Sparta had her
mothers and Rome hermothers, yet it
remained for America in the nineteenth
century to produce women endowed
with all the virtues that made their an
cient sisters great and noble, besides b.
ing gifted with wisdom and moral
never before possessed by their
sex since the dawn of history. These
women are the great leaders of the
crusade against intemperance. Does
my one imagine that they lack the dis
to perceive the vast benefits
@ be derived from this course by their
sisters? The very thought
s an insult to their intelligence.
Why should we be burdened longer
With this "war tax? Is it to gorge an
lready overfowing treasury, or is it re-
aimed for the purpose of giving the tar
IF thinkers chance to deprive American
abor and industry of all protection,
lose our factories and turn thousands
f our brothers and sisters upon the ,
treets to beg, starve or do worse? 1t l
) of vital Importance that our platform |
ontain these three points:
l. A free ballot and fair count.
2. A tariff that will enable American I
Industries to pay good wages and sue {
essfully compete with foreign imports. !,
3. The repeal of all internal revenue !
sws, leaving the use or prohibition of +
to local option. $
With any good republican as our can t
idate and these principles upon our
amer, it would be contest Of bread, {
utter and brains versus, beef, beauty t
nd beggary. Our battle cry would be /
and bread for the poor. n
Tith this motto nailed to the mast, sig I
flying death or victory, victory is !, =
urs. REPUBLICAN.
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