Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-04
senator McKenna on the Tariff


tenor of Senator McKenna's discus
sion of the tariff from that OF Senator
Sherman! The West Virginian
Democrat rose to the plane OF true
craftsmanship. There is not word
of appeal to. any blind prejudice or
twisted partisan bias. He addresses
the reason of intelligent people, and
asks for a candid consideration of the
question with regard to its bearings
on the interests OF the public in gen.
eral. In the views of the Democratic
Senator there is not syllable to
Justify the oft-repeated and
mendacious charges made by
the other side OF the House,
and meant to deceive the people into
the delusion that the PROPOSE ion to
reduce the revenue by means of
tariff revision is synonymous with
Free Trade. Senator McKenna says
all that is aimed at is to make the re-
ceipts at the Treasury conform to the
needs of an honest and economic ad-
ministration of the Government. He
accepts it as an axiom that no Gov
ernment is justified in imposing on
the people burthen of tax
alton in any form greater
than is requisite for its admins
tration. He thinks both internal and
import taxes should be modified so as
to stop the heaping up of surplus reve-
nue. beyond the just needs Of the Gov
ernment. He would not remove the
tax totally from tobacco while leav-
ing that on wool, salt, lumber and
coal in full force. Nor would any
broad-minded statesman, with the
best interests of the people held
patriotically in view, come before
an intelligent constituency with
any such proposition. The weak
est sort of demagogy together
with a subservient interest in the
purse-proud and heartless monopolies
built up during the term OF Republican
sway are the only promptings which
would suggest such an idea. One has
but to consider calmly the relative
importance OF the solacing pipe and OF
the life-preservipg shirt or blanket,
or that OF the protecting shingle on
the roof, or indispensable coal beneath
the dinner pot, to decide on this point
Senator Sherman took the floor
with his proverbial phlegm, his cold
disregard for facts, his low appeal to
ignorance, and made a characteristic
attempt at self-defense. Partisan pol
itics crop out in his every word as the
keynote of his utterances. He starts
out with a falsehood as to the attitude
OF the Democratic party on this ques-
ton OF tariff revision. He claims there
is reason for his change OF face
on the internal revenue PROPOSE.
ton. But it is not good
one, and he did not give his
tue reason. The reason is that
something must be done in the way
OF tariff reform. The people are be-
coming better informed in this mat
ter, and there is popular demand
that the surplus be cut off. Bankers,
merchants, men in all branches of
business feel the check the withdrawal
and locking up Of $10,000,O00 per
month puts to legitimate enterprises.
The only way to meet this demand of
the people and at the same time save
the interest of the big monopolies,
is to do away with a part or all OF the
internal duties. These are levied
only on tobacco and spirits. Free
whiskey and free cigarettes are pre-
ferred by Senator Sherman and his
like, before any proposition which
threatens the monopolies which scale
down the poor mans wages with
religious regularity and pocket all
the profits of the high protective tariff
excepting a liberal check made out
each election to secure the monopo-
listic Republican party in power.
That is the true inwardness of Mr..
Sherman's interest in the tobacco
growers Of Kentucky. The people
are pettinp to know Mr. sherman and