The Forrest City times., 1888-08-04

mission, solemnly made at . great contention of the party, would estop republicans from nenfihG that the tariff needs revision, but what do we sect Not only opposition to the moderate measure Of reform known as the Mills bill. but declaration made in conven- tion that the tariff needs no revision, and that 1t must be maintained at every cost no matter what may Dc the burdens placed on the people
 That there is an immense and constantly growing surp us in the treasury caused by cberous tariff and international taxation, and that this is great evil, is admitted by every body not republican platform-maker. That taxation must be reduced is also widely ad- mitted. Probably nobody would say that 1t Is good thing to p,le up money in the Unit ed States treasury, taken from the people, and kept out Of the channels of trade. Apart from the mischief this doses to business gem erally, it also offers vast temptation to un- scrupulous legislators to squander the money on every Kind of extrayagaut scheme. It Is constant allurement to robbers and a men, ace to every right principle of government Congress has entire power over it, and can spend it in every kind of foolishness. Cona gressmen can give it away, as daily they are trying to do They can If they choose give every officer, civil or military, pension. They esu spend the money through cominls- sions In trying all kinds of experiments. They can appropriate millions of dollars in arailway to the moon. aIs IS the ever-present temptation. The money is in the treasury; the people have paid it in; why not spend it, not for the ben eft of the people, for that is impossible, but in all sorts of wildcat experiments and schemesi
 Now, nobody would dream Of any of these wild projects if after they were voted the money had to be raised to meet them. For this Is the true condition of popular gov ernment to raise money from the people only for the actual needs Of the government When more Is raised then the people are taxed excessively and unjustly. In good government surplus should never exist for more than year, because surplus is due to the same kind of miscalculation as deficit would be. The rate of taxation has been msjudged, but It should be corrected at the earliest possible moment. A surplus Is a greater evil than deficit for the reason that the money is already exacted from the peo- pie, and Is in danger of being squandered Whenever there is surplus then honesty in statesmanship requires that taxation be re- duced until the surplus disappears, and the income of the government is made exactly commensurate with It's wants.
 Money Is raised for the government by two dlHerent systems. One by customs duties a certain rate ot taxation being placed on i'm portations. This is the tariff The other is by internal or direct taxation, & certain rate of taxes being levied. mainly on whisky and tobocco
 The democrats say that in reducing the surplus the GUS tom house duties should be lowered small percentage, and some of the taxes taken off domestic tobacco. The re- publicans say that all the taxes should be removed from tobacco and, rather than low ering the tariff duties at all, the taxes should be entirely taken from whisky. In ether words, they are in favor of free whisky and free tobacco rather than of lower priced clothing, fuel and necessaries
 This Is the plain and unmistakable Issue of tph pe an increase of drunkenness Cheap clothing means greater comfort fer the poor. How long can honest men halt between these opIn- ionsi-Ch.eago Herald