Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-16
TT WILL NOT DOWN,

Like the ghost of Banquo the question of tariff reform will not down. It Is in the air, and though the republican wool was pulled over the eyes of the people last fall it is already beginning to fall away and the republican vision is be- ccming clearer. The people want the tariff reformed, and they want it re- formed along the lines of lower taxes. The tariff is tax-in it's present condi- tion it is an unjust tax, and the people are not likely long to submit to unjust taxation.
 The estimate, made recently by Secre- tary Fairchild as to the proposed changes made by the senate and house bills, and the practical certainty that the senate bill will be presented to the next house as the republican measure of tariff re- form, give a new interest to the tariff and put an entirely new face on the re- publican position which was so decided ly opposed to tariff revision before the election. As the necessity for subter- fuge and deceit no longer exists it is probable that the true policy of the re- publican party in relation to the tariff is revealed in it's senate bill. This pol icy is in the direction of higher duties on imports by which it is hoped to discourage importations and so cut down the revenues. The very fact that it is claimed that higher tariff would prevent imports is an ad- mission that the price of goods is en- hanced by a tariff and a consequent admission of Thurman's apothegm that the tariff is tax. And it is an ad- mission, too, that the protection of a high tariff is protection in the interest of the producer rather than the con- smer. It is because of this un just dis crimination, this concession to men who would build up monopoly at the ex- pense of the consumers and enable them to wiring tribute from the common peo- pie, that the democrats claim that the excessive taxation now imposed is un- just. Its protective features bear un- equally and the capitalist gets the larger share of the advantage. And the un- equal reductions made in respect to the customs duties and internal revenue is additional proof that the democratic policy is designed in the interest of the common people. By the Mills bill the reductions from customs revenues, as estimated by Secretary Fairchild, would amount to $50, ,350, ,345 and from internal revenue ST 7,61O, ,234, or total reduction of revenue of $67, ,960,5 The bill as amended by the senate, or rather the republican tariff measure, would reduce the customs collections SIS, ,976, ,SS7, and the internal revenue re- ceipts $33, ,905, ,7SO, or SAT 1882, ,667 in the aggregate. Stated in percentages Secre- tary Fairchilds estimates show the pres ent average ad valorem rate to be 46.91 under the Mills bill it would be reduced to 42. 3S, and under the senate bill to 46. We have the house bill taking almost three times as much from customs taxes as from internal revenue, while the senate measure takes more than twice as much from whiskey and tobacco than 1t does from clothing and food. In fact by the increased tax on wool and woolen goods there is discrimination in favor of whiskey that may be only approxi- mately what was intended by the con- vention that nominated General Harri- son at Chicago. Stated concisely, the house bill removes over S67 .OOO, ,OOO of taxation, and takes the chief portion of it from articles of general and necessary use among the people, while the senate measure lowers taxes something over $47, ,00O, ,0O0 by taking the greater part of it from whiskey and tobacco. It may be that the people ought to be made to pay more for clothing and other necessaries than for what Bob Ingersoll called "the mingled soul of wheat and corn," but the party that seeks to impose such policy on the country is likely to take in that moment the measure of its own coffin.
 The election of last November did not settle the matter of tariff reform. It merely awakened in the people greater disposition to look into the question, to study it in all it's bearings and all it's rela- tlon to the highest welfare of the country. When that study shall have reached its plenitude there will be an awakening to a sense of the injustice, inequality and injury of the system that would pile taxes on the common people in order to enrich the favored few who make large fortunes every year when times are good"
 The Population of Waterbury
 Is about 33,00O and we would say at least One-half are troubled with some af- lection of the Throat and Lungs, as those complaints are, according to statistics, more numerous than others. We wouId