Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-09-13

Ting the pernicfous resultssof those oey'ces to
wrong the people. Under various names they
have been punished by the common law for
hundreds OF years; and they have lost none Of
their hateful features because they have as
sumed the name of trusts instead of conspira-
cies. We believe that these trusts are the nat
ural offspring of a market artiacially restrict
ed; that an Unfortunately high tariff, besides
furnishing the temptation for their existence,
enlarges the limit within which they may oper.
ate against the people, and thus increases the
extent OF their power for wrong-doing. With
an unalterable hatred of all such schemes, we
count the checking of their baleful operations
among the good results promised by revenue
reform.
While we can not avoid partisan mfsrepre.
sentation, our position upon the question of
revenue reform should be so plainly stated as
to admit of no misunderstanding. We have
entered upon no crusade of free trade. The
reform we seek to inaugurate is predcated
upon the utmost care for established industries
and enterprises, jealous regard for the inter-
ests of American labor and sincere desire to
relieve the country from the injustice and
danger of a condition which threatens evil to
all the people of the land. We are dealing
with no imaginary danger. Its existence has
been repeatedly confessed by all pol tical par
ties, and pledges of a remedy have been made
where, under the Constitution all remedial
measures applicable to this subject must origin
ate, the Democratic majority were attempting
with extreme moderation o redeem the pledge
common to both parties, they were met by de-
termrned opposition and obstruction: and the
minority refusing to cooperate in the House of
Representa- YES, or propose another remedy,
have RENTED the redemption of their party
pledge to the doubtful power of the Senate.
The people will hardly be deceived by their
abandonment of the field OF legislative action
to meet in political convention and f1ippantly
declare in their party platform that our con-
servative and careful effort to relieve the stu
alton is destructive to the American system of
protection. Nor will the people be misled by
the appeal to prejudice contained in the absurd
allegation that we serve the interests of Eu-
rope, while they will support the interests Of
America. They propose IN their platform to
thus support the interests of our coun' ~ by re-
moving the internal revenue tax from tobacco
and from spirits used in the arts and for me-
chanical purposes They declare, also, that
there should be such revIs on of our tariff laws
as shall tend to check the importation of
such articles as are produced here. Thus in
proposing to increase the duties upon such art
icles to nearly or quite prob, b:tory point,
they confess themselves willing to travel back
ward in the road of civilization and to deprive
our people of the markets for th"ir goods,
which can only be gained and kept by the SEM
blance, at least, of an interchange of business,
while they abandon our consumers to the I'M
restrained oppression OF the domestic trusts
and combinations which in the same plat
form perfunctor!ly condemned. They propose
further to release entirely from import duties
all articles of foreign production except luxu-
res, the like of which can not be produced in
tbs country. The plain people of the land
and the poor. who scarcely use articles of any
description produced exclusively abroad and
not already free. will find it difficult to discover
where their interests are regarded in this prop
ostion. They need in their homes cheaper
domestic necessaries: and this seems to be en-
trely unprovided for in this proposed scheme
to serve the country. Small compensation for
this neglected need is found in the further pur-
pose here announced and covered by the dec
laration that il after the changes already
mentioned there still remains larger revenue
than is required for the wants of the Govern
ment, the entire internal taxation should be
pealed rather than surrender any part of our
protective svstem.'
Our people ask relief from the undue and I'M
necessary burden Of tariff taxation now resting
upon them. They are offered instead, free to-
bacco and free whisky. They ask for bread.
and they are given a stone. The implication
contained in this party declaration that des-
perate measures are just fed necessary to
save from destruction or surrender what is
termed our protective system, should confuse
no one. The existence of such n system is en-
tirely consistent with the regulation OF the ex-
tent to which it should be applied and the cor
rection Of its abuses.
Or course, in country great ours with
such a wonderful variety of interests, often
leading in entirely different directions. it is diff
hcult, if not impossible, to settle upon per-
feet tariff plan; but in accomplishing the re-
form we have entered upon, the necessity OF
which is so obvious believe should not be
content with reduction of revenue involving
the prohibition OF importations. and the
moval OF the internal tax upon whisky 1t
can be better and more safely done within
the lines of granting actual relief to the people
in their means of living, and at the same time
giving an impetus to our domestic enterprises
and furthering our National welfare.
II misrepresentation of our purposes and
motives are TO gain credence and defeat our
present efforts in this direction. there seems to
be no reason why every endeavor in the future
to accomplish revenue reform should not be
likewise attacked and with like result. And
yet no thoughtful man can fail to see in the
continuance of the present burdens of the peo-
PIE, and the abstraction by the Government OF
the currency Of the country, inevitable distress
and disaster. All danger will be averted by
timely action. The difficulty OF applying the
remedy will never be less, and the blame
should not be Land at the door of the Demo-
cratic party if it is applied too late.
With firm faith IN the intelligence and patri-
otism of our count,ymen. and relying upon the
conviction that Misrepresentation will not m
fluence them: that prejudice will not cloud
their understanding, and that menace will not
intimidate them. let us urge the peoples inter-
est and public duty for the vindication of
attempt to inaugurate righteous and benefi-
cent reform. GROVER CLEVELAND.
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