Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-05-25
County Official Paper.
AN ASTONISHING UTFERANCE.

The theory of our government is
large individual liberty. It IS that we
shall take out of the way all legisla-
tive distractions to the free, honest
pursuit of all human industries; that
each individual shall in his own place
have the best chance possible to de-
velop the highest prosperity for him
self aed his family.
This was seriously addressed to a
gathering Of people at Omaha by a
Republican and Protectionist. 1t 3
q most curious and interesting COM
meutary on Mr.. Harrison's attitude
towards the dogma of protection, for
it might be the declaration not OF a
pure Democrat and revenue reformer
alone, but of an absolute free trader.
It raises another surmise as to the
Presidents sincerity. Does he believe
in anything? Or does he know the
essential basis of his party's particular
creed?
The man who said to the people Of
Nebraska that the Government
should take out of the way legislative
restrictions to the free, honest pur-
suit of all human industries" has
recently signed bill embodying pre-
cisely the opposite doctrine and So
verely restricting individual effort.
The principle for which Mr.. Harri-
son voted as a Senator and which he
approved as President imposes re-
strictions upon the farmers OF Ne
braska ia the honest pursuit Of their
industries, by compelling them to sc l
in the cheapest market and buy in
the dearest. 1t has loaded their
efforts to gain living from the soil
by increasing the tax on binding
Irvine, by taxing their chains more
than 40 per cent, their cutlery 35 per
cent, their agricultural implements,
their clothes, and pretty nearly every
thing that they must buy.
The party which elected Mr.. Harri-
son President, and whose doctrines
he promotes, instead Of endeavoring
that "each individual shall in his own
place have the best chance possible
to develop the highest prosperity"
has deliberately put tax upon many
important industrial efforts. It has
recently put the heavy hand of the
Government upon the business of
canning fruits by more than doubling
the tax on tin-plate. 1t has lowered
the price Of domestic wool, and driven
American carpet-makers out of bust
ness by imposing a heavy tax on
woods that the manufacturer
actually needs 1t has intertered
with the liberty OF the citi-
zen who desires to make certain pro.
ducts OF metal by taxing his ores and
his fuel. 1t has practically prohibited
Americans from carrying on the bust
moss OF importing certain grades oil
wcolen and other goods.
We are all familiar with the manner
10 which the protective tariff law has
restricted the right OF the citizen to
choose his industrial methods and has
limited and actually prohibited BY
Legislative distractions" the pursuit
Of certain "human industries"
Protectionsts admit the restrain e
and justify them, and while the Pres
dent officially sustains his partyi
policy he is, to say the least, unin
formed Of the necessities of the selfish
argument upon which itrests. Wher
his mind escaped in grateful orator.
in the presence Of the Nebrask,
farmers, he unconsciously gave utter
ance to q universal truth that ia th,
fountain OF quite other principle
than those embodied in the tariff nc
which only year ago he gleefull.
signed.-IN. Y. World.
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