Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-10-20
A4G0FF IS
A GIANT OF INTELLECT &ARGUMENT
THE Great DEBATE
WILSON 4 GOFF /!
A PACKED HOUSE, AND MANY NOT
ABLE TO HEAR.
MR.. WILSON'S SPEECH.

nave just come" ne Saiu, as
many of you are doubtless aware,
from an extended tour in other and
distant States, in the interest of the
National Democratic party" He
would like to point out some items
in the good record of the present
Democratic administration IN its
three and half years of power, did
time permit. In that time President
Cleveland had put stop to the cat
tie barons pasturing their herds on
the public domain free of cost. The
Interstate Commerce law which the
Democratic House had twice passed,
but which could not get sufficient
force Of public opinion behind it to
shave it through the Republican
Senate laughter until a Democratic
President had been elected and seat.
ed, was now law. Applause.
The silver coinage question had
been settled on basis to all the
interests of the people. Applause.
There arc other wise and advant.
ageOus ends attained by the wis
dom of your President, but / will
pass them by for another question
before which all other questions
now before them pale into signif.
cance-the question of federal tax.
alton. Applause and cries Of "That's
right"
Today we are confronted by a
surplus in the treasury of Sill ,000,,
900. No man can comprehend the
magnitude Of that sum. 1t is equal
to the one.eleventh part Of the EN-
tire circulating medium of the coun-
try; equal to the assessed value of
the land in West Virginia; equal
to the wages of an army of 100000
men, as wages are now paid by
some Of those right here in Berkeley
County who are continually preach.
ing p" Protection to American indus.
tries" Laughter and cheers.
DANGERS OF FHE SURPLUS.
This surplus has been serious
problem for years, but it is now of
more Importance than ever. Here
tofOre the money could be returned
to the channels of trade aud circu-
lated again among the people by
the purchase of government bonds.
Now all the bonds subject to call
have been bought, and the only way
the government can purchase them
is to go INTO the open market and
buy them at premium. But re-
Gently the sum Of SS,270,000 was
paid out of the treasury for the
privilege Of buying bonds before
the bodds were due There is now
in the National banks S60,000,000
of a surplus, and in the treasury
Sl20,000,000. In the face of this
state of affairs if nothing is done for
the relief of the people, there is
danger that property value will
shrink, the currency become con-
tracted, distress seize upon the peo-
pie, and Labor seek for employment.
The grave question is, what shall
we do with the surplus? How re-
duce it? General Golf says, spend it.
Senator Sherman says spend it..
The Republican platform says, spend
it.. 1t has been said that no govern.
ment can remain honest with a sur
plus revenue. To bear out this say
ing you have but to look at the Con.
gressional calendar and see the de-
vices there recorded to spend the
surplus.
Now, my friends of the County of
Berkeley, | say it is not necessary to
spend it, Cheers and cries of "Hur-
rah tor Wilson !""Hurrah for Goffr'l
First the Republicans denied for a
long time that there was surplus,
then they proposed to reduce it by
spending it, and now the Republic
can Senate puts forward a bill to re-
duce the surplus! Laughter and ap-
plause.l
Every year we take S343,000,000
out of the pockets of the American
people in taxes.
THE TARIFF AND TAXES.
The best way, to reduce the sur
plus is, the Democratic party holds,
by reducing taxation. How are the
the taxes which support this Govern
ment laid and by whom paid? Ever
since the Confederate flag was furled
at ApommattoX there has been a
steady pushing of the taxes down on
the farmers and working people.
United States Government does not
tax property; it no longer taxes
incomes its levy laid upon the pri.
mary wants of the people. The poor
man spends all or nearly all.he earns,
and so is taxed on what he receives.
The rich man pays taxes also on
what he spends, but his savings, the
larger portion of his income, goes
scott free. We raise by the Internal
Revenue tax 1925, 700, 900 and by the
tariff 1920, 900. The former tax
is on what a man smokes and drinks,
and the latter, the heavier tax, on
what he eats and wears, and that of
which be builds houses. The tax on
wooden cloths is over $50 on the 800,
over SO on a $40 suit of clothes.
There is more tax on one suit than
on a house and lot. One fourth of
this tax is paid on your sugar and
molasses, and one-tenth on wooden
clothing. Is not that cruel, an un-
just, an iniquitOus tax? The poor
man is on its account poorly clad, for
his economy and industry will not
buy warm clothing; yet one.tenth of
the whole tax is borne by wooden
clothes
know the other side will juggle
with words, and say the tariff is not
tax. General Golf leaves that to
he implied from his speech in Con-
gress. Why, there is no way to get
money but bv taxing the neOpIp. I