Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-31

erntion.
It is most delightful to change all this
and rise TO new and brighter life on
this Easter morn. Tomorrow the lilies,
the hydrangeas, the lilacs, the tulips and
tho roses, rich and rare, will have their
day. Let them be royalty welcomed.
a British American Criticism.
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie discourses in
the North American Rcriep in criticism
OF President Cleveland's views upon the
tariff and the treatment of the treasury
surplus. Mr.. Carnegie's complaint is
mot that the president favors free trade
OF calls for reduction of the tariff du.
ties that will cripple home industries
for he particularly admits that the
president declares himself in favor of
such measure of protection as our indus.
eries need and Mr.. Carnegie further con.
cedes that no important political element
u the country demands the withdrawal
& week, where he will engage IN the
81 p&RoGeA&f6t protection from our manufac.
tures, that have been nourished into being
By the protection policy that has pre-
vailed always in our nation. Mr.. Carne-
gle does not therefore attempt to preju-
dice the Democratic position, In the
usual Republican fashion, by charging
that 1t demands free trade and threatens
industrial paralysis. Speaking in the
North American Magazine, he would not
venture so clear false statement even
were he disposed to do so.
Bnt his complaint is that the proposed
reduction In duties will swell and not
diminish the surplus, by increasing the
importations through the inducement Of
the lower duties. Aud he complains again
that too much ado Is made about the sur
plus, anyway; since there is no surplus
20 long a. we have government debt of
. thousand millions to pay and he thinks
that 1t makes no difference that the debt
is not yet due.
It will be noted that Mr.. Carnegie's
position is somewhat contradictory, in
opposing the reduction of duties, be-
causeit will increase the surplus, while
declaring that there can be no surplus
until the debt is all paid. But this is not
more Of an inconsistency than is to be
expected fsph Mr.. Carnegie, who is won't
to surprie6us with the marked differen-
ces between his logic and its fruit.
It is however true, as he says, that
strictly there is no surplus in the treasury
while 1t owes q greater debt and it may
be, and we believe 1t is, the fact that we
are troubling ourselves unduly about the
s0.called surplus; which may be disposed
OF In divers ways, SO as to keep the treas
ury from becoming uuduly plethoric,
pending the coming of the time when we
can pay the public debt. 1t may be pos
sible that in the coming years we will
cease to have an accruing surplus, even
under the present tariff, especially after
the Internal revenue is reduced, as it is
generally agreedit will be. The indica-
tions ore, however, that reduction of
tie tariff revenue Iis needed and it is the
duty OF Congress to make such reduction.
It IL again true, as Mr.. Carnegie says,
that it is possible to make such reduc.
tions as will increase the revenue by in
creasing the imp0rtations but he does
not show that the proposed bill Of the ways
and means committee makes such 70.
ductiOns; and this is the only material
point. We do not think that it does,
generally on few things it seems that
the reductions made may stimulate i'm
ports; notably on sugar, cigar wrapping
tobacco and glass. 1t will not have such
efIect on iron, with the present prices that
have been reduced to cost point, gener-
ally, by domestic and not by foreign COM
petition as Mr.. Carnegie will carefully
note.
Notwithstanding this obvious fact he
tails us to look upon the picture of the
country's prosperity last autumn, and
upon the depressed condition Of business
In the new year, and to note that mean
while Congress has met, the pre- sidsnt
has Issued message upon the revenue,
and tariff agitation has set in.
Mr.. Carnegie invites the belief that the
tariff position Of the Democratic presi-
dsnt and party has caused the business
depression. 1t is false, OF course; the
cause may be far more justly laid to the
railroad .and mining corporation mana
gers. in abating public confidence in the
honesty and sagacity OF management
that has caused these works to
atop and their income to fall away.
Business confidence certainly has been
knocked on the head for the present,
hut Il was not done by the Democratic
position on the tariff evidently, the Sen.
ate being Republican and an essential
asseuting factor in any change of the
tarifY.
1t 10 manifest, however, that if the
business depression continues, Republi.
can orators and newspapers will be hearty
md unanimous in charging it upon
The Democracy and it will he
very well IL the Democrats in Congress
use the utmost urgency in getting the
1aEt6 vote recorded.
Spreading.