Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-07-05
Campaign Clap Trap-Tbs =.
Whisky Cry.

uenI mat the IA
CANS OF that party, in assailiD, i
Republican candidates and riag 70
should not confne themseIys.
facts, but should freely employ e.,
hood and misrepresentation M
allege that the tariff plank - t4 y
Republican platform conta;a
declaration in favor of free wb VIZ
and they effect to be greatly sboa.s|
ed by the proposition. lbey mal
violent assumption of evtraa
simplicity on the part of the @sDo. h
public, if they think that a6y ~ y
siderable number of persons can u
brought to believe that prosner,
free whisky would really .b6ck i s.
average Democrat. The ebari
however, is made not to preip5s b
Democrats but to influence RennbI &
cans. This outcry concerning 81
whisky is justified by nothing 81
tanned in the Republican pIatforn,1
1t is raised by the organs Of h1
trade to excite false prejudices.
simple reading of the platform
sufficient to refute it. The platfor9
declares that a protective tariff mB
be maintained. AT the same time ~
proposes such a reduction Of
revenues as will avoid a surplp,
the treasury. 1t then indicates Il
methods by which the RepubicaI
party would reduce the revenue
follows: /. 1t would repeal n
taxes on tobacco which are an anpod
ance and burden to agricutvr4
The Democrats cannot well obieM
to this proposition, since it forms &
part the Mills bill. 2. 1t would N
peal the tax on spirits used in In
arts and for manufacturing purposeS
Such spirits are not whisky but pury v
alcohol, which is not used as a beM
erage. Hence we have found no,E
ing about free whisky yet in ia
platform. 3, 1t would mainaiE
such duties as would tend to checH
imports on articles that come in La
rect competition with the produM
tons of American industry whlcN
give employment to our labor n
1t would place on the free list al
articles of foreign productions, "A
cept luxuries, the like Of which ID
not be produce at home. 5.
after making these reductions, Ia
revenue should still remain in exceed
of the requirements of the govern
ment, rather thar abandon the IN
lection of American industries, n
would repeal all internal reyeraH
taxes. 1t is in the last propositloH
| doubtless that the pretext Is foln1
for the cutlery about free whlsST
But is it warranted by the Language
of the platform? Clearly not
can be demonstrated that wlthols
the entire repeal of the internl
revenue taxes, the revenues can 4
sufficiently reduced by the otlqF
methods proposed by the platiorHrt
The fifth proposition is merely 4
emphatic assertion of the purpose
the party to adhere to the policy /
protecting American industries
| is as if a man who is intending \
90 to Madison should say; 81 sDa
start for Madison tomorrow If ! y
on foot" This assertion would a
no means imply that the man ln'en
| ed to walk when two rival railway.
were offering him cheap and raPla
transportation. The Sertina z /
never advocated the repeal OF u
internal revenue system. But IL y
tirely agrees with the Repuollo1i1
platform that, were the choice 70
made between the abandonment.
the protective system and the 10"
nal revenue taxes, it would adyoca11
the latter. The internal revenue
and not the tariff, is q war tax y
snch tay was levied before the Wa9
It belongs to a kind of tazaiio1
which the men who are claimed ]
the founders of the Democratic p,.1
Ity emphatically condemned y
repeal would not promote intemPsI,
ance. Any diminution OF that va
which has occurred since l'oy
not due to the internal revenue =
on liquors, but to the general pr
oress Of Civilization and intelligence
The repeal of the tax would W.
necessarily make whisky or O, Ts
Iiouors free from taxation. - y
neople of the several states ~91.
stilI be at liberty to burden 'ns,
articles with as heavy q tax a. ~
exists, either in the form OF q u'. y.
tax or increased license taxes ~
thus enable them to tighten o..
tax burdens. Hence we see :.
social peril or serious evil a. ~ L L
suit of sweeping away the who're i, h
s sp-r revenue system, and '. I.
affected horror of the Democrats 'r;i
this part Of the oountry-ll .ls ne s'''
south the Democrats are alla .,-,aI
INIT in denouncing the inls I'd
r rev. simply affsc; ,,.I5l.1 Y
L., tran -- 81 LlN s~A