The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-09-15

by their abandonment of the field of
legislative action 10 meet in political
convention and flippantly declare In
their party platform that our conserya-
tive and careful effort TO relieve the
situation is destructive to the Ameri-
can system of protection. Nor will
the people be misled by the appeal to
prejudice contained in the absurd allie
CATION that we serve the interests Of
Europe while they win support the in
tereSts of America.
TOBACCO AND SPIRITS.
They propose in their platform to
thus support the interests of our eoun-
try by removing the internal revenue
tax from tobacco and spirits used in
the arts and for mechanical purposes.
They declare also that there should be
such revision of our tariff laws as
shall tend to cheek the importation Of
such articles us are produced here.
Thus, in proposing to increase the
duties upon such articles to nearly or
quite prohibitory point, they confess
themselves willing to travel backward
in the road to civilization and to de-
prive our people of the markets for
their goods which can only be gained
and kept by the semblance, at least, OF
an interchange of business, while they
abandon our consumers to the unre-
strained oppression of the domestic
trusts and combinations which are in
the same platform perfunctorily con-
demned.
They propose further to release en-
tirely from import duties all articles OF
foreign production Except luxuries)
the like of which cannot be produced
in this country. The plain people OF
the land and the poor who scarcely use
articles of any description produced
exclusively abroad and not already
free, viii find 1t difficult to discover
where their interests are regarded III
this proposition. They need In thcil
homes cheaper domestic necessaries
and this seems to be entirely mprovi
dcd for in this proposed scheme tc
serve the country.
Small compensation for this neglec
ted need is found in the further pur
pose here announced aud covered b,
the declaration, that il after the chan
ges already mentioned, there still re
mains larger revenue than is requi
site for the wants of the government
the entire internal taxation should b
repealed "rathcr than surrender an,
part of our protective system
Our people ask relief from the un
: due and unnecessary burden OF tari
taxation now resting upon them. The
, are otlercd-free tobacco and FIRE
whisky. They ask for bread and the
are given a stone.
The implication contained in thl
party declaration that desperate mea'
ures are justified or necessary to say
: from destruction or surrender what
! termed sour protective system,' shoul
} confuse no one. Tho existence of sue
} q system is entirely consistent wit
} the regulation Of the extent to while
: 1t should be applied and the corrcctio
! of its abuses.
A PERFECT TARIFF PLAN
, OF course In a country as great 1
ours, with such a wonderful variety {
interests, often leading in entirely di
fcrent directions, Il Is difficult II ne
impossible to settle upon pei feet tari
plan. but In accomplishing the reforl
we have entered upon, the necessity {
which Is so obvious, believe that "
; shodld not be content with reductio
of revenue involving the prohibitio
of importations and the removal {
the internal tax upon whisky. II ca
be better and more safely done with
the lines of granting actual relief I
the people In their means of livin
and ut the same time giving an imp,
tus to our domestic enterprises an
f,irthering our national welfare.
misrepresentation of our purposes an
motives are to gain credence and d,
feat our present effort In this directio
there seems to be no reason why ever
cndeavor IN tho future to accomplls
revenue reform should not be likewis
attacked and with like results.
And yet no thoughtful man can ia
to see In the continuance of tho pre-
ent burthcn Of the people, and the al
straction by the government of N
; currency of the country, inevitabl
distress and disaster. All danger wi
be ayerted by timely action. The di
fculty of applying the remedy wi
!; never be less, and the blame shoul
not be laid at the door of the Demt
cratic party If il Is applied too late.
With firm faith in the intellIgonC
and patriotism of our countrymcl
and relying upon the conviction thu
misrepresentation viii not influen,
them, prejudice will not cloud the
understanding, and that menace wi
not intimidatc them, let us urge III
peoples interest and public duty fc
the vindication Of our attempt to II
augurate a righteous and bcnefccl
; reform. GROVER CLEVELAND.