The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-04-30


LfEht DawnIng on The Tax
The Republicans are finding it
far easier to oppose tariff reform
measures of the Democrats than to
themselves formulate one that will
satisfy all interests.
The publication week ago of
the outlines of the Mckinley tariff
bill has aroused storms in all diree-
tions and now the proposed draft
has been already altered and amend
ed % as to make it scarcely recog-
niz4blc. The main featnre-that of
oppressing the many for the bene-
tit of the few-is.the same as before.
Qpmmenting on the failure of Mr.
Mckinley to reconcile all antagon-
ism and to satisfy all demands with
out|otfending anybody, the Philadel-
phi Times says:
sdt looks as If Chairman McKin-
Icy bad knocked the whole bottom
outof bis Presidential prospects,
Hetss4s offended the trust monopo-
iisss, Who paid spot cash tor high
tariff taxes in shape of campaign
Doodle, by reducing taxes here and
there, and he has offended the farm
ers and industrial people generally,
by maintaining taxes on the neces-
saries of life. Had he tried to make
an honest business tariff, he might
have strengthened himself, but he
has trimmed and lodged around un-
til he has knocked himself clean
out"
There is in the Mckinley measure
no logical sequence; it is patched up
simply for the purpose of paying po-
litical debts. Mr.. Mckinley is try
ing to do this without the consum-
ers finding out what has hit them,
but taxation under such bill falls
at last upon the people who can
least afford to pay it, and they will
make their protests known in
way that can not be mistaken.
The Philadelphia Times says that
the Mckinley bill must be followed
by a subsidy bill. One-h half of the
manufacturers of the United States
are clamoring for large markets; the
other half are demanding absolute
control of the home market.
1t is for the purpose of satisfying
the men who wish the commerce to
be restricted to one continent that
the Mckinley tariff bill is drawn
To satisfy the others we must have
a subsidy bill. The American con-
sumer will pay high prices for those
goods made by the American manu-
facturer in the home market; then
he will be compelled to submit to
taxation for the purpose of provid-
ing subsidies to open foreign mark
cts to the other half of the American
manufacturers. The Philadelphia
Times thus pictures the situation:
"The next thing in order is sub
sidy bill. With taxes SO high that
our manufacturers can not compete
on oven terms in the worlds mark
cts; with prohibitory duties upon
most of the goods which the foreign
nearest us could give in
for our products, and with
restrictions upon shipping that have
completed the ruin of our commerce,
the only way we can get any ships
to sail under the flag of the United
States is TO pay their expenses out
of the public Treasury A more
preposterous system never was in
vented, but the subsidy bill that. is
now to come before Congress is at
least consistent with the rest of it.
And the people, they pay the
freight"
Yes, it is true that the people
"pay the freight" but jpst now they
are beginning to inquire into the
matter, and want to know what they
can got in return for the freight
charges, and to whom these charges
go. We think they are being much
enlightened upon these subjects and
the effects of this enlightment will
undoubtedly be felt at the Congress
sional elections next fall Courier
journal.
Meeting of the State League Of