Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-06
SherInan's Speech.

ise made before the holiday recess, ad-
dressed the senate on Wednesday in re-
view and discussion OF the presidents
message. The speech was expected by
the country with great deal of intet-
est, and it will he generally read and
carefully considered. The position OF
Senator Sherman as the best equipped
and ablest exponent OF the policy OF
high tariff protection is unqucstioned.
No man in the country is more familiar
than he with the tariff question in all
its details. and he brings 10 its discus
sion peculiar mental qualifications un-
surpassed by hose OF any other man in the
nation for the thorough and compre-
hensive treatment of this subject. There
are obvious reasons in the position and
character of Mr.. Sherman why this
speech, carefully prepared, has been an
ticipated and will be regarded as mark
ing out the policy in chief Of the rcpub-
lican representatives in congress, and
of the party in the next national cam
paign, regarding revenue reduction
and the tariff.
The telegraphic abstract Of Senator
Sherman's speech very likely docs not
do it full justice, but so far as it may
fairly be judged by this presen-
tation the senator appears not
to have added anything new
to the controversy that can be
cited to the advantage of his side of it,
nor to have relieved the policy for the
maintenance of which he contends Of
the objections which are urged against
it. There will certainly be n general
sense of disappointment at his effort to
show that great surpluscs are really not
a source of danger, but rather a condi-
ton upon which the country should
congratulate itself as an evidence of
growing prosperity and increasing iinan-
cial improvement. This remarkable
position Senator Sherman will probably
discover to be the most vulnerable he
| could have taken, since it is in
conflict with the nearly univer
sal Judgment that the accumulation of
vast surpluscs in the treasury is
| not only serious niury TO the business
| of the people, but a danger in the temp
| tation it offers to eXtravagant govern
mental expenditures. This danger is
indeed pointed out by Mr.. Sherman
himself in his arraignment of the house
for refusing TO pass certain measures
that provided for cxtravagant and need
| less expenditures. as for example appro-
| priating the public money for educa-
tional purposes, project condemned by
-tenths Of the people. No one
needed to be informed that numerous
ways could be found for disposing
| of surplus. There are endless
expedients by which not only all
the money that can be drawn into
the treasury under existing forms of
taxation, but all that the government
could strain from the people by tax
exactions, could be expended. But
everybody understands that it is not
to pursue policy which must lead to
| the encouragement Of all sorts of plans
tor wasting the public money. A liberal
| policy in providing for the legitimate
expenses of the government and in all
necessary public improvements should
always be observed, but such policy
must be adjusted, as a matter of practi-
cal wisdom, SO that it shall not be an
oppressive burden to the people and
eventually renderthem unable to provide
even what may be required for an eco
nomical administration of the govern
ment. And it may be said that, how
ever liberal the government might be
in spending its surplus revenue, this
money could not be as effective in pro-
noting the general prosperity as it
would be if employed in private enter
prises among the people.
Senator Sherman would cut off all in
ternal revenue taxation in order to
save the tariff Whatever cannot be
produced in this country he would
allow to come in free, but he de-
mands that everything produced here
shall have the fullest measure
of protection, and he regards
the production of raw materials
us even more important than manufac.
lures. Referring particularly to wool
Senator Sherman makes an argument
which will not be received as convinc.
ing. He claims that the duty encour-
ages the production of wool, but the sta
tistics do not sustain this statement
There has been an increase in localities
but for the whole country there has been
q material decrease in the past twenty
years, the estimated decline in the
sheep husbandry in the states of Ohio
Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and lowe
being from 26, ,S29 ,Sl5 sheep in 1867 to II ),
76l $50 in 1887. If we are not mistaken
Mr.. Sherman in 1888 voted to reduce
the duty on wool, Notwithstanding the
fact that the same outcry was then
made against reduction that is heart
now, and that he justified his action OF
the same grounds now advanced by tn,
advocates of a further reduction. Sucf
grave inconsistencies have not beer
common with Senator Sherman. N,
one will take issue with the Ohio sena
tor as to the desirability and the duty
of securing American industries ant
American labor against disastrous for
| pipn cDmppti tipn We do not read tb,