Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-10

 robbed by their servants. The cost of the government must continue to be met by tariff duties collected at our custom house upon imported goods, and by internal revenue taxes assessed upon spirit ous and malt liquors, tobacco and oleomar garine. Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation.
 And yet this is our condition. We arc annually collecting at our custom houses ana by means of our internal revenue taxation many millions in excess of all legitimate pub lie needs. As a consequence there now remains in the national treasury a surplus of more than $1S0, ,000, ,000
 No better evidence could be furnished that the people are exorbitantly taxed. The extent of the superfluous burden indicated by this surplus will be better appreciated when 1t Is suggested that such surplus alone represents taxation aggregating more than SlOS,ooO III ill a county containing 5000 inhabitants
 The surplus revenue now remaining Ill the treasury not only furnishes conclusive proof of unjust taxation, but its existence constl- tutes a separate and independent menace to the prosperity of the people,
 It is a great mistake to suppose that the consequences which follow the continual with drawal and hoarding by the government ot the currency of the people are not of immedl-
  and only concerns those engaged in large financial transactions.
 In the restless enterprise and activity which free and ready money among the people pro duceS is found that opportunity for labor and employment and that impetus to business and production which bring ill their train prosperity to our citizens in every station ana vocation. New ventures, new investments ln business and manufacture. the construction of new and important works, and the enlarge ment of enterprises already established depeno largely upon obtaining money upon easy terms with fair security; and all these things are stimulated by an abundant volume o1 circulating medium. Even the harvested grain of the farmer remains without a market unless money is forthcoming for its movement and transportation to the seaboard.
 The first results of a scarcity of money among the people is the exaction of severe terms for its use. Increasing distrust and timidity is followed by refusal to loan or advance on any terms Investors refuse all risks and decline all securities, and i'll a gen eral fright the money still in the hands of the people is consistently hoarded It is quite apparent that when this perfectly natural, if not inevitable, stage is reached depression in all business and enterprise will, as necessary consequence, lessen the opportunity for work and employment, and reduce salaries and the wages of labor.
 Instead. then, of being exempt from the influence and effect of an immense surplus lying idle ill the national treasury, our wage earners and others who rely upon their labor for support are most of all directly concerned in the situation Others seeing the approach of danger, may provide against 1t, but 1t will find those depending upon their daily toll for bread unprepared, helpless and defenseless. Such state of affairs does not present case 1 of idleness resulting from disputes between 1 the laboring man and his employer, but it i produces an absolute and enforced stoppage i of employment and wages.
 i In reviewing the bad effects of this accu- mulated surplus, and the scale of tariff rates 1 by which it Is produced, we must not over 1 look the tendency towards gross and scandal ous public extravaganza which congeSted 1 treasury induces, nor the fact that we are maintaining, without excuse, ill time of l profound peace, substantially the rate of tariff duties imposed in time of war, when the necessities of the government justified the l imposition of the weighteSt burdens upon the people.
 Divers plans have been suggested for the return of this accumulated surplus to the people and the channels of trade. Some oi | these devices are at variance with all rules o1 l absurd, and some betray by their reckless ex travagance the demoraliZing influence of { | great surplus ot pubHc money upon the Judg ments of individuals
 While such efforts should be made as ar, consistent with public duty and sanctioned by sound judgment, to avoid danger by thu useful disposition of the surplus now remain ing in the treasury it is evident that if it distribution was accomplished another accu mutation would soon take its place if tn, constant flow of redundant income was no
 checked at its source by reform i'll our pres ent tariff law
 We do not propose to deal with these con ditions by merely attempting to satisfy tn
 people of the truth of abstract theories, no
 by alone urging their assent to political doc
 trine We present to them the proposition
 that they are unjustly treated in the exten
 of present Federal taxation that as reSul
 condition of extreme danger exists, ant
 that it is for them to demand a remedy an'
 that defense and safety promised i'll the guar
 antees of their free government
 We believe that the same means which ar
 adopted to relieve the treasury of its presen
 surplus and prevent it's recurrence shoul
 cheapen to our people the cost of supplying
 their daily wants Both of these objects W
 seek in part to gain by reducing the presen , l t2rl1r faLSS t)OI lue ueSeSSSt oI IIe. We fully appreciate the importance to th country of our domestic industrial enter prises In the rectitication of existing wrong l their maintenance and prosperSe1" should b carefully and in a friendly spirit considered
 Even such reliance upon present revenue al ! rangements as have been invited or encoul aged should be fairly and justly regarded 3 Abrupt and radical changes which might CT danger such enterprises and injuriously affec the interests of labor dependent upon thei l success and continuance are not contemplate S OF intended
 : But we know the cost of our domestic mar F. ufactured products Is increased and thei v price to the consumer enhanced by the dut - imposed upon the raw material used in the I manufacture. We know that this increase g cost prevents the sale of our productions 0 foreign markets in competition with thos
 countries which have the advantage of frs - raw material We know that confined to F home market our manufacturing operation 8 sre cuytailed, their demand for labor irregl S lar and inc rate of wages paid uncertail
 We propose tkerefOre to stimulate or