The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-07-26

1ublicans. and approve the other by the |
support of the Democracy.
In whatever deceptive terms and under
whatever modified conditions. the Mills
bill may appear, it looks to eventual free
trade. The President has formally and
announced that as the principle
upon which he would have the government
He would have the reve-
nues collected from a system OF direct
taxes and not from import duties. He
believes that the true policy of the govern
ment is to depend primarily upon internal
taxes, instead of custom levies, for reve-
nues. His party believes with him. Mr..
Mills and Mr.. Carlisle and Mr.. Waiter
son, who have been entrusted to shape
the policy of the Democracy have openly
declared for free trade, as the true theory
and policy for the Nation to adopt. In
their party platform they say:
The Democratic party of the United states i'll
National Convention assembled, renews the
pledge of its fidelity to the Democratic faith
and reaffirms the platform adopted by Its rep
resentatives in the convention of 1854. and III
dorses the views expressed by President Cleye-
land IN his last earnest message to Congress as
the correct interpI citation of that platform upon
the question of tariff reduction; and also en-
dorsas the efforts of our Democratic repreSen.
tatives in Congress TO secure reduction OF eX-
cessive taxation. democratic National Plat
FORM 1888.
The Interpretation given to the platform
of 1884. by the President. is contained in
his message. 1t reads:
Our scheme of taxation by means of which
this needless surplus is taken from the people
| ,,t,fi into q
tariff OR duty levied upon 1mportatlons from
abroad. and internal revenue taxes levied
upon the consumption of tobacco and splrltu-
Gus and malt liquors. 1t must be conceded
that lone OF the things subjected to internal
revenue taxation are, strictly speaking, necese
saries; there appears to be no just complaint OF
this taxation by the consumers OF these articles
and there seems to be nothing SO we'll able to
beal the burden without hardship to any POT
| tion of the people. But our present tariff laws
the vicious, inequitable and illogical source OF
| unnecessary taxation, ought to be at once re-
| vised and amended
That is, the internal revenue tax, which
is direct tax upon home industry must
be maintained, and the levy upon foreign
productions, at the custom house de-
creased-thus discriminating in favor Of
foreign interests and against American in
terests. That is the logical Interpretation
of his position.
We have referred to the subject of the
tariff in its broader and more general
meaning and aprlica tion, so as to place it
in contrast with The narrow applia ition
that the Vmdicdtor has" made of it. -Four
years ago our contemporary was in sympa-
Tia, with he principles and policy We have
pr 5t,tttd above. Now he acc, pts the
Mills bill as the party shihboleth and his
pnliiral creed. and reft rs TO the alleged
Sal istactiou Of SONG OF the Stockholders
of "A l,c furnace property With that
measure. rs evide ce Of its prac'ic WIS
; dom. The Ti,tdicdtOr ard lac stcckl oidert
know that there is not the least probability
of the Mills bill ever bt coming :, law, anC
they give hesitatirg acquiescenct ln LEV
ing that R.publieal. Senate Will stant
guard over American int, IT SITS ag.lnst {
measur. and IL policy that are approved
and supported y ss, r, british journal OF
note and every British statesman. and The
principle of which has been the source o
the most wide spread suffering and humil
iation this country has ever experienced
1t is tire knowledge of the fact that TIT
Mills bill can never become a law or thu
policy it Involves, As the ultimate result
receive approval SO long us either branci
of Congress or the Executive is Repnbli
can, that '.sOme of the stockholders o.
Low Moor furnace expressed themselves
rs satisfied with it. They. like thonsandi
of others in, Virginia, have not the cour
| tn nd
with the party to ubich they look for pro
lection. They alIcw local prejudices anC
, false ideas of public duty to CONTROL in
stead of a broad. brave determination t.
contend for the right in the face of petty
contemplate hates aud spitas WHICH part
necessities iucnlcate. They do not look Il
the future of Virginia. the South or TIN
country. and summon the courage II
grasp its possibilities and its henefaetlons
when the fierce contautio and ignnblf
passions of the hour have passed away
, They dare not rise to the true measure o.
manhood which ought to be the guage and
the guide to every citizen and every voter
in discharging the high duties of asntfragar
under system of government, hUt skull
behind a false notion of what is the duty
and what is the obligation of citizenship
; in grasping the policy of government, as
it affects the welfare of the masses now
. and here after.
Fortunate it is. however, that the desti
nv of the government is not in the keepin;
of such nor can they mould its policy
Throughout all the industrial districts o
. the country. from the Atlantic to the Pa
: cilic, and wherever the ballot is respected
as the agent to impress the honest cOnvic
ton of The citizen. the people are stirred
as they have never been upon any economic
question. Party tranmels have no inf Il
ence in holding them to policy that the.
know would be fat al to the industrial i'm
dependence of the Nation, dsastr Du
to the capital invested in industrial pnr
. suits and to the interests Of the wage
earn. rs. Capital and labor are urited. al
most as one man. in renouncing the FREE
trade virus that lliFks in the Mills bill AM
procaiming from the house tops that the,
will have nothing to do with It,. They ar,
enrolling bHtlDotlEoo NY OuouohHiio
the Republican banner of protection tt
home. interests and home happiness ant
prosperity, and will assist in determining
in November the great question whethe
America is to be controlled and domi
: mated by an American policy or a British
policy.
!. The Mills bill is patch work contri
vance. constructed and modified to catcl
; votes for partiZan ends. 1t is an expedien
to serve passing party necessity. The'.
is no Symmetrical policy or defined prin
ciple running through it, 1t is the worl
of party desperation and designed to de
: ceive. Starting with the free trade ide;
uppermost, and in sympathy with tn
ayowed free trade notions of the President
it has been pruned and emasculated in ODE
dience to popular protests in Democratic
districts and States. making it mass o
! contradictions and ali epitOme of partZa
inventions 10 escape, if possible, univer
sal execration. But the people will no
be deceived. They comprehend what
means. and to what il ultimately DOCKS.
is to engraft the principle OF free trad
4 inf nd tn OF II