Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1888-02-09

Government VIII, IN my opinion, nOU Only
suffice to meet its reasonable expenditures
but will afford a surplus large enough to
permit such tariff reduction rs may seem
to be advisable when the result of recent
revenue laws and commercial treaties shall
have shown in what quarters those reduc-
tons can be most justly effected
Secretary Fogler, in his report of Deem
Der 4, 1882, presents an estimate in round
figures OF S75, 900. 600 of surplus for the
fiscal year TO end June 80, 1888. He says:
There could not be that surplus, surely
rot so great one, if the subjects Of taxa
ton were lessened and the rates made
smaller upon those retained"
He further declares that the
accumulation in the Treasury of a large
surplus, which must occur unless immedi-
ate measures are enacted for reduction OF
the revenues, is not to be placidly contem-
plated, and the question cOnfronts us, in
what manner may it best be prevented?'
His report is elaborate and able. He
declares that the
radical cure for the evil is in the reduc-
ton of taxation, so that no more will be
taken from the people than enough to carry
on the Government with economy"
And after stating the proceeds OF reve-
nues for customs for the then current year,
he asserts that
1T seems, therefore, that a reduction
should be made in the revenue from the
customs. And it is belived that
the time has arrived when reduction OF
duties on nearly all the articles in our
tariff is demanded and is feasible"
In addition to this he continues:
"a careful revision of the tariff should
be made with view to placing upon the
free.list many articles now paying duty. "
MIR. SHERMAN SILENT.
While these views were expressed and
enforced by Hon. Mr.. Folger, a Republic
can Secretary of the Treasury, no word
denOuDcing him as free-trader emanated
from the honorable Senator from Ohio
But l quote the language of the former
Secretary of the Treasury mainly for the
purpose of exhibiting the fact that neither
be nor his principal, the President Of the
United States, regarded an accumulated
surplus with cOmplacency; nor was either
confronted by the cry OF wolf at the
door when he demanded reduction of the
tariff.
In the report of Mr. McCulloch, Re-
publican Secretary of the Treasury, of
December l, 1884, recommending a COM
mission for the purpose of revising the
tariff and also pressing his views for con-
servative protection, he declares:
First. That the existing duties upon
raw materials which are to be used in
manufactures should be removed. This
can be done in the interest of our foreign
trade.
Second. With the changes upon the
articles used OF consumed by those who
are the least able to bear the burden, the
taxation would be reduced. This also can
be effected without prejudice to our export
trade"
With these utterances staring in the
face of the honorable Senator from Ohio,
we heard no assault by him upon the hon.
orabe Secretary of the Treasury as free
trader Thus, Mr.. President, assert that
prominent officials of the Government, of
late years especially, have united in their
antipathy of an accumulating, unneces-
SiIl pllS III lic anu hdfO w
nouuced over and excessive taxation.
We are all familiar with the recommen-
datiOns of the late Mr. Manning when Sec
rotary of the Treasury, and of Mr.. Fair
child, the present Secretary, ia the line of
tax reduction.
So. Mr.. President four successive Sec
retaries, two Republican and two Demo-
cratic, and two successive Pre- idents of
the United States, one Republican and
the other Democrat, have united in con-
domination of surplus, idle revenue, and
their demand for a reduction in the public
burden.
And thus it has been throughout the
history of the Government. There never
was a time, there never was an administTa-
ton, there never was sentiment among
the people, excepting possibly the Senator
himself, which justified or calmly con-
templated the unnecessary withdrawal
from circulation of the currency
of the country and its boarding
and holding in the public Treasury. The
honorable Senator from Ohio is the only
individual who seems to regard such
condition as a good fortune" Such
condition has always created apprehension,
and, sometimes, contributed to panic and
financial disaster And yet, when the
President, inspired by the teachings of his
cOuntry's history. dares to raise his voice
to arrest impending calamity, the honor
able Senator from Ohio would laugh to
scorn the faithful admonition and hold up
its author to the ridicule of the public.
But, Mr.. President, the honorable Senator
has forgotten his own anxieties when sur
rounded in both Houses of Congress by a
majority of his own party friends, and
when he felt more keenly perhaps the po-
litical responsibilities of the situation
QUOTED AGAINST HIMSELF.
1t was in 1882, when impelled by con-
ditions somewhat similar to those which
confront us to-day that the honorable SEN
ator exclaimed in this Senate:
There is no sentiment in this country
stronger now than that Congress has neg