The Russellville Democrat., 1888-09-20

volume Of insidious and indirect taxation vs-
 tied upon them by our present rate of tarin
 duties with indifference, fl not with favor.
 The surplus revenue now remaining in the Treasury not only furnishes conclusive proof Of unjust taxation. but its existence constitutes a separate and independent menace to the prosperity Of the people. This vast accumula- ton Of idle funds represents that much money drawn from the circulating medium of the country, which is needed in the channels Of trade and business. Ii Is O great mistake to suppose that the consequences which follow the continued withdrawal and hoarding by the Government of the currency of the people are
 not of immediate importance to the mass of f~our citizens md only concerns those engaged in large financial transactions. In tho restless enterprise and activity which free and ready money among the people produces, is found that opportunity for labor and employment, and that impetus 10 business and production. which bring in their train prosperity to our ci izens in every station and vocation. New | ventures, new investments in business and l manufacture, the construction Of new and i'm l portant works and the enlargement Of enter | prses already established, depend large | ly upon obtaining money upon easy | terms with fair security; and all these things are stimulated by an abundant | volume of circulating medium, Even the har vested gram of the farmer remains without n market, unless money is forthcoming for it's | movement and transportation to the seaboard | The first results Of Q scarcity Of money among l the people is the exactiou Of severe terms for it's use; increasing distrust and tmidity is fol- l lowed by refusal to loan or advance on any | terms. Investors refuse all risks and decline all securities. and In general right the money l still in the hands Of The people is consistently | hoarded. IL quite apparent that when this | perfectly natural, fl not inevitable, stage Is reached, depression in all business and enter aesrtH | the opportunity for work and employment, and | reduce salar.Cs and Inc wages of labor
 | Instend, then, of being exempt from the in- | fuenee and effect of an immense surplus lying | idle in the National Treasury, our wage-earners and others who rely upon their labor for sup l port are most of all directly concerned in the | situation. Others, seeing the approach of dan | ger, may provide against it. but 1t will find | those depending upon their daily toll for bread | unprepared, helpless and defcnselcss Such a state Of affairs does not present case of idle l ness resulting from disputes between the labor l ing man and his employer, but it produces an | absolute and enforced stoppage of employment 1 and wages. In reviewing the bad effects Of | this accumulated surplus, and the scale of 1 tarir rates by which it ii produced, must l hot overlook the tendency towards gross and | scandalous public extravagance which Q con | Fested treasury induces, nor the fact that we | tre maintaining, without excuse, in time of | duties imposed in time of war, when the neces- I sites Of the Government justified the inposi- | lion Of the weightiest burdens upon the peo- 1 pie. 1 Divers plans have been su ggested for the re- | turn Of this accumulated surplus 10 the people l and the channels of trade. Some of these de- | vices are at variance with all rules of good l finance; some are deusive some are absurd, | and some betray by their reckless extravaganza, | the demoralzing influence of Q great surplus l of public money upon the judgments of indiyid- l uals. While such efforts should be made as l are consistent with public duty and sanctioned | by sound judgment to avoid danger by the use l fu disposition Of the surplus now remaining in | the Treasury, 1t is evident that If it's distrhu- 1 tion were accomplished another accumulation would soon take it's place, if the constant flow | of redundant income was not checked at its l source by reform in our present tar.n laws. l We do not propose to deal with these condi. 1 tions by merely attempting to satisfy the peo- | pie of the truth of abstract theories, nor by | alone urging their assent 10 political doctrine. 1 We present to them the propositions that they | are uniustly treated in the extent of present | federal taxation; that as result condition 1 of extreme danger exists, and that it is for | them 10 demand a remedy and that defense | and safety promised in the guarantees of their l free Government. We believe that the same means which are adopted to relieve the treas I | currenee, should cheapen to our people the | cost Of supplying their daily wants Both Of | these objects seek in part to gain by reduc- ing the present tariff rates upon the necessar;es | of life. We fully ap reeiate the importance to l the country of our domestic industrial enter | prises In the rectihcaticn Of existing wrongs 1 their maintenance and prosperity should be | carefully and in friendly spirit consd- | cred. Even such reliance upon present | revenue arrangements as have been invited or l encouraged should be fairly and justly regard | ed. Abrupt radical changes, which might l endanger such enterprises and injuriously af- feet the interests of labor dependent upon their 1 success and continuance. al not contemplated | or intended But we know the cost of our | domestic manufactured products is increased | and their price to the cons gmer enhanced by | the duty imposed upon the raw material used | in their manufacture. We know that this in- l creased cost prevents the sale of our produc- l tions at foreign markets in competition with | those countries which have thb advantage of | free raw material. We know that confined to l home market, our manufacturing operations | are eurtailed, their demand for labor irreg- | ular, and the rate of wages paid uncertain. We | propose therefore, to stimulate our domestic | industrial enterprises by freeing from duty the | imported raw materials which by the employ | ment of labor are used in our home mauufact- | ures, thus extending the markets for their sale | and permitting an increased and steady pro- | duction, with the allowance Of abundant 1 profits.
 True to the undertaking course of the Demo- | cratic party, we will not neglect the interests | Of labor and our workingmen. In all efforts to | remedy existing evils, we will furnish no ex- | euse for the loss Of employment or the reduc- 1 ton of the wages of honest toil On the con | trary, we propose in any adjustment of our | revenue laws to concede such encouragement | and advantage to the employers of domestic la l Dor as will easily compensate for any difference | that may exist between the standard Of Wages which should be paid 10 our laboring men and | the rate allowed in other countries. We pro | pose, too, by extending the markets for our | manufactures, 10 promote the steady employ
 ment Of labor, while, by cheapening the cost oi the necessaries Of life, we increase the purchas
 ing power Of the workingmans wages, and ado l io the comforts Of his home.
 | And before passing from this phase of the | question am constrained 10 express the opin | ion, that while the interests of labor should | be always sedulousy regarded ia any mOditca | ton Of our tarl1 laws, an additional and mort
 direct and efficient projection to those interests l would be afforded by the restriction and prohi l bition Of the immigration or importation of | laborers from other countries, who swarm upon | our shores, having no purpose or intent Of be | coming our felbow-citizens, or acquiring any | permanent interest in ogr country, but whe | crowd every field of employment with uniniel | hSent labor at wages which ought not to satis l fy those who make claim to American citizen
 ship.
 The platform adopted by the late National l convention Of our party contains the following | declaration: Judged by Democratic princi- | pies the interests Of the people are betrayed | when, by unnecessary taxation, trusts and com | binations are permitted and fostered which, | while uuduly enriching the few that combine,
 rob the body Of our citizens by depriving them | as purchasers of the benefits Of natural com ] petition Such combinations have always | keen condemned by the Democratic party. | The declaration of it's National convention is | sincerely made and no member Of our party | VIII be found excusing the existence or belit- l tling the pernicious results Of those dey,ces 10 l wrong the people. Under various names they
 have been punished by the common law for l hundreds Of years; and they have lost none Of l their hateful features because they have as-
 sumed the name of trusts Instead of cousplra- | cies We bel eve that these trusts are the nat.