Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-04-25
NO. 48.
LET US HAVE THE TRUTH.


President CIevelands Message wise
Suggestion for the Reduction of Taxes,
Not for FREQ Trade.
Advocates Of the insidiously presented
policy of taxing everybody for the benefit Of
somebody denounce the President and his
supporters as free-traders. To their think
ing the epithet must be accepted and the
discussion terminated. When the dogmat-
ist In polemics defined orthodoxy as his
doxy and heterodoxy as the doxv of his an
tagonist he rested his case as proven.
1t is the fact that no considerable body of
men in the Republic seriously propose the
abolition of the custom-houses. A revenue
must be raised for the support of the Gov
ernment, and as customs duties have been
found a convenient means to that necessary
end they have been levied from the founda-
ton of the Republic and win be continued
probably until the millennium. But Gov
ernment ought not to exact from the people
tax greater than is necessary for its rea-
sonably economical administration. The
people do not ask, says the Chicogo Times,
that Congress be niggardly in its appropria-
tions. They are not inclined closely to
scrutinize the items of account Their tend
ency, on the contrary, is to excuse liberal
expenditure upon public account if only it
stop short of extravaganza. Congressman
and reckiessness well-nigh amazing. Their
constituents have been patient under the
burdens thus imposed.
But notwithstanding extraordinary out
lays, vast and augmenting surplus that
ought to be employed by thepeople in the
| activities of life clogs the Treasury. The
tax is greater than the needs of the Govern
ment even lavishly administered. The most
| ordinary prudence, the most obvious reform
cries halt. Let the taxes be reduced. Let
the Government have less money. The re-
sponse would be instantaneous if methods of
taxation had not been complicated by the
cunningly-devised tariff system, which en-
ables favored classes to share with Gov
ernment the spoils of the taxing function.
Its beneficiaries do not wish the means
whereby they profit disturbed. They want
to be protected in their power of toll-levy.
They are not willing to give up their grip
on the American consumer, from whom
they compel a sum greater than he should
pay upon the necessities of existence.
Noting the congested condition of the
Treasury and the injustice worked upon the
great body of the people by unequal and
monstrously unjust tariff laws President
| Cleveland recommended that Congress re-
wise and reduce the tariff. Tho infant in
dustry, long pampered by protection, in
stantly raised cry so robust as TO indicate
mature power of lung that Cleveland was a
| free-trader bent upon the destruction of
American industries. The voice of the
Chief Magistrate himself, speaking earnest
ly and calmly and under full sense of of
ticial responsibility TO the American Con-
| gress, is entitled to the respectful consider
alton OF all Americans. The President said
"Our progress toward a wise conclusion
| will not be improved by dwelling upon the
ories of protection ami free trade. This
savors too much of bandying epithets. 1t is
a condition that confronts us-not a theory.
Relief from this condition may involve a
slight reduction of the advantages which
we award our home productions, but the en-
tire withdrawal of such advantages should
not be contemplated The question of free
trade is absolutely irrelevant, and the per-
sistent claims made in certain quarters that
all efforts TO relieve the people from unjust
and unnecessary taxation are schemes OF
so-called free-traders is mischievous and
far removed from any consideration for the
public good"
The wise suggestion of President Cleve.
laud is not a recommendation for the aboli
| ton OF custom duties. His message is a con
| vlnclng statement of reasons why these
duties should be reduced. The Mills bill.
| soon to be discussed on the floor of Con-
| gress, is not free-trade measure. 1t is a
measure proposing the reduction of tariff
duties and the enlargement of the free list.
The motive is not even larger measure of
commercial freedom, respectable as that
motive must be to thoughtful minds. The
motive is a reduction of taxation. The
I question Of free trade, "a the President saws.
is absolutely irrevelant. The main question
every citizen of the Republic may take
home to himself. 1t touches his pocket II
is a practical question. Theories have
nothing to do with it. Their discussion will
come in. Greed will strive to misrepresent
and interest will labor not without adroit-
ness to make the worse appear the better
reason, but the naked proposition TO a
people supposed to govern themselves is.
shall we go on indefinitely imposing taxes
upon ourselves; or, limiting the Government
to Its needs, shall we ourselves enjoy to
Uheir utmost the fruits Of our own toll