Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-11-02
THE TARIFF,


on temperance of the action of the Chica-
go convention. 1t has been said that
eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
1t is also the price IF temperance. When
the Chicago convention proposed to re-
move the tax on tobacco, they did, in our
opinion, very wrong thing. A certain
result of such removal is to lessen the |
the cost of tobacco, and thereby increase |
its use. Its use Is not desirable and any
thing which would tend to increase it
should be carefully avoided. So when
the convention proposed that the duty
should be taken off from spirits used in
manufactures and the arts they went a
good ways outside for an unnecessary if
not undesirable purpose. When, in addi-
ton to this, the convention suggested
contingency the duty or tax would be
taken from whiskey, it hurled itself
against the battlements of temperance.
1t is eminently proper that articles of
luxury or such articles as would better
be dispensed with should be taxed. 1t is
not well to lose sight of this principle. A
tax upon any article is of necessity re-
striction of its use. Whether intended to
or not, this duty upon whiskey has oper-
ated and must operate to lessen its man
ufacture. 1t operates then in the inter-
ests of temperance, and therefore should
be retained.
Senator Morgan of Alabama well says {:
''Remove this tax and you will have a
distillery at the door of every church and
every school house in the South.''
We know that cheaper whskey means
more whiskey. On this subject Mr..
Blaine said in the Paris interview:
"Well, then, Mr.. Blaine, would you adj
wise the repeal of the whiskey tax also?'
he was asked by the Tribune's represen'
tative. He answered: "No, would
not. Other considerations than those Of
financial administration are to be takeI
into account with regard to whiskey
There is a moral side to it. To cheaper
, the price of whiskey is to increase it
| consumption enormously. There woult
| be no sense in urging the reform wrough
. by high license in many States if the ma
e tional government neutralizes the gooC
e effect by making whiskey within tn
3 reach of every one at twenty cents gal
i lon. Whiskey would be everywhere dis
!, titled if the surveillance of the govern
: ment were withdrawn by the remissio
e of the tax, and illicit sales could not the
d be prevented even by policy as rigol
Gus and searching as that with whic
, Russia pursues the nihilists. 1t woul
n destroy high license at once in all til
: States"
!. The following letter of Thomas Jeffe
- son shows the results which he perceive
from the removal of tax of 25 cents
= gallon:
u II shall be glad, too, if an additions
tax of one-fourth of dollar a gallon {
whiskey shall enable US to meet all OF
81 engagements with punctuality. Viewir
III that tax as an article in system of e
else, l was once glad to see it fall wi
III the rest of the system, which l consi
IN cred as permaturely and unnecessarily
rs troduced. But the prostra.ion of boz
III and mind which the cheapness of Il
III liquor is spreading through the mass
IN our citizens, now calls the attention
" the legislator on a very different prin
IL pie. One of his important duties is
III guardian of those who, from causes 81
CT ceptibe of precise definition, cannot ia
he care of themselves. Such are infan
W maniacs, gamblers, drunkards. The la
IL" as much as the maniacs, requires restr
tive measures to save him from the fa
tie infatuation under which he is destroyi
on his health, his morals, his family and
ry usefulness to society. One powerful {
he stacle to his ruin by his self-indulger
as would be price beyond his competen'
Sc, As sanitary measure, therefore. it
comes one of duty in the public guar
he ans."-Letter to Gen. Samuel Smith, d.
ne. ed at Monticello, May 8, 1928.
red The question now comes, what sh
re, temperance men do In this emergen(
tie The citadel of temperance is attackt
The contest is begun, not by us, but
ga those who are indifferent If not host
MP But the only strategic point of defense
),- attack. The war must be carried il
atl Africa If not national restriction, tn
Tho national prohibition. Senator Edmur
IS a thinks the question of temperance sho'
red be left to the States. This position IN
D., be satisfactory to him. We do not thi
ink Mr.. Stewart has taken 1t publicly, a
ars we do not think he will. We dol
whether the march of events will peri
'se. any temperance man to hold this vi
he long. And in this connection we gu
n a the following article, that is suggestive
ms much thought, from the New York Vo
in; of Sept. 6, entitled, "Has the end come
ock prohibition in Maine, Kansas and low;
gan ''That question is not asked for
ink sake of a sensational heading. 1t il