Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-05-12
SATURDAY. MAY IL, 1855.
Entered at the Postoflics at Accomac
C. H, Va. as second-class matter.

ANY one who observes the cur
rent of political thought and DIS
cussion in this country must see
that the tariff is one of'the great
issues on which party lines are to
be drawn in the future. The dan;
GER of Capitalization is becoming
less every year, and some of the
ablest advocates Of the States
Rights theory are now to be found
in the North. and not a few OF
them in the Republican party, as
for instance Senator Hawley, OF
Connecticut. Attention is becom
Ing directed more and more every
year to Industrial and economic
problems; aud in the front rank
stands the question of taxation.
This question comes home TO eve.
~ man, woman, and elnld in the
land. 1t is @ great mistake to sup
pose thefeople care nothing about
tie tariff and are not interested III
having it so adjusted that it will
answer to the requirements of the
Federal Constitution and the nee
essary demands Of government.
The Constitution declares that
Congress shall have power to lay
and collect taxes, duties, impostS
and excuses, to pay the debts and
provide for the common defense
and general welfare of the United
States.n The Federal Government
derives its revenue from the fol,
lowing sources: o. tariff on for
eign goods brought to this country;
(2) an internal revenue tax on the
manufacture of whisky and tobac-
co; (3) proceeds from the sale of
public lands; aud az fines and for
FIXTURES. But by far the largest
amount ofthe money necessary to
carry on the government is derived
from the tariff on foreign importa
tions. OF the S350,00O,O00 collect.
ed b, the Federal Government
last year oO5,OO0,0O0 came from
tariff taxation. The Government
is collecting every year more than
one hundred million dollars in ex-
cess of whatis needed for public
purposes. The Democrats are in
favor of reducing this burden and
allowing be money TO remain in
the pockets of The people, where it
Ielongs. They are further in favor OF
life ard allowlngth The Injuries to bear
the bnlk of The burden. Let it be
remembered that tho tariff is moth
ing mere or less than tax Oh i'm.
porscd goods, which the consumer
has to nav. If this we're all il
would Tot be so bad: bur it virtu-
ally gives the American manufac-
tuler the rover 10 force the PEG.
pic OF This country to buy his goods
and pay V ha.ever price bemay ask
for th, m.
The present high tariff was
sdopiod during the war as a war
measure TO encourage the growth
CT American manufactures. The
Jesuit If its q cra.ions has been to
luild mp wealthy and powerful mo-
nopolics and reduce The masses of
the people to poverty and helpless
dependence. Ever since the war
the rich have geen getting richer.
and the poor poorer; while agricul-
ture on which every thing depends
languiSbes in decay and the value
Of LAIRD is steadily decreasing every
year.
The chief reason Of this unfortu
nate state Of affairs is the present
Ubiquitous high protective tariff.
that comes to usas legacy of Re
publican misrule. This tariff i'm.
poses an average tax of 4Sper cent.
OH every article Of manufacture
broughttothis country from abroad,
and TO that extent raises the price
Of goods manufactured in this coun
try. Nor is this the worst feature
connected with this unjust and ex-
orbitant tax. 1t robs the people
without letting them know it. a
very simple illustration will ex
plain how this works.
The tariff on common blankets
is 80 per cent. Let:us suppose that
an importer brings to this country
an invoice of blankets valued at
500. Before he can land them at
New York lie must pay the custom
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