Nevada County picayune., 1891-02-19
FOR REVENUE ONLY.

When 1t was supposed by some
that in his letter to Mr.. Patrick, SEN
ator Vest showed disposition to re-
ccde from the Democratic theory of
taxation forI revenue only, the Re-
public unhesitatingly pronounced the
supposition unwarranted. In a let
ter published elsewhere in this issue
Senator Vest reaflirms his conviction
of the justice of that principle.
While this was not necessary as far
as he is concerned, The Republic
gladly publishes the letter for the
benefit of those who may have mis-
interpreted the letter to Mr.. Patrick.
There are many free traders in the
country, and their numbers are con-
stantly increasing. Some of them
vote with the Democrats, but in the
past more have voted with the Re-
pubicans. 1t is our observation that
there are two Republicans who would
vote to abolish the tariff outright
where there is one Democrat who
would favor such policy. In the
last election, however, very many of
these Republican free traders in the
! West voted with the Democrats. But
in doing 50 they had every opportu
nifty to know, and there is no doubt
that they did know, that the Demo
cratic party, although it is opposed
to taxation to increase prices or to
restrict supply, is in favor of tariff
levied for the sole purpose of raising
revenue.
This is the party position and this
is the position of Senator Vest. He
is no more in favor Of completely
abolishing the tariff that he is of SO
adjusting it that IN raising the reve-
nues needed to support the govern
ment it will become an agency for
larcency, direct or indirect.
He has made this clear in his tariff
speeches, and he has maintained it
with extraordinary ability and lucid
ity in opposing the oleomargarine
bill. In that bill, it will be remem-
bered, it was proposed to tax oleo-
margarine for the incidental purposes
of regulating its quality and its sale.
Senator Vest stood squarely on the
great Democratic principle that Fed
eral taxation should be only for rev.
enue and that it should not be adj
justed to have any other incidence
whatever. The position he so ably
maintained is the position of the
Democratic party, and he very well
knows that if there was any attempt
to abandon it now the Democratic
party would either crush those who
made the attempt, or, failing in that,
would be completely disorganized.
When tariff is adjusted for any
other purpose than that of raising
revenue to meet the demands of
economical government, its incidence
is for larceny. From time to time
some agent of the Trusts, who calls
himself a Democrat, begins to talk of
a tariff for revenue, adjusted to
protect" American labor, or to incl
dentally discriminate in favor of
somebody's factory, iron mine, zinc
mine, lead mine or what not. Such
devils advocates have no standing in
the Democratic party, and they are
either silenced or forced out of it.
1t is very likely that such so-called
Protection Democrats" will make
an effort to commit the party to sin
cidental protection, but they will
make ludicrous failure Of it, Wheth-
or such an attempt is made or not,
Senator Vest will show by his course
in public, hereafter as heretofore,
that he represents Missouri and not
Maine. When the Democratic party
is in sight OF the great victory fol-
which it has struggled SO long, he is
not the man to face about and try tc
escape the inevitable future in 4
fruitless attempt to get back to Sam
Randall's time. There is no danger
that he will ever become, incidental
~ or otherwise, such an anachronism
as is Doctor Charles AnkulometiC
Dana, the only "Ranadll Democrat"
) now on earth st. Louis Republic.
CLEVELAND VS.. SILVER.