The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1891-07-09


The Leading Question.
Batesyille Guard: We clip tbt
following from the body OF an edito
rial Ia the Mountain View Exposi
tor, In response TO paragraph from
the Democrat defining the tariff as
the one great issue OF the next cam
paign;
| The idea of two great parties going
Into national contest on single
question, and the difference on that not
clearly defined, seems to us preposter-
Gus. IL the democrats should be sue
/ cessful and the tariff duties should be
reduced in accordance with the rates
contemplated In the Mills bill. how
much better of would be the country
at large?x Y #*** To Ignore all Ques-
tions except that OF the tariff would be
notice sufficient that the people were
satisfied with the present status Of af-
fairs and demanded no legislation on
any subject except that Of tariff; and
the fact would be effectively used
against every effort to pass a free COIN
age bill and other measures calculated
to benefit the people. Past political
history warrants such q conclusion.
Nothing could be more clearly de.
fined then the difference between the
democratic and republican parties
on the tariff question. Their plat
forms speak for themselves. The
democrats insist that the tariff shall
be levied exclusively for revenue
purposes, aud that when the govern
mont snail have got its revenue the
tax shall stop.
The incidental protection arising
from revenue may very properly
be distributed where it will most
benefit our home manufacturers but
revenue must be the chief object
and protection the mere incident Of
q democratic tariff. The republicans
reverse this principle, by making
protection the chief object and
revenue for the government the
mere incident of the tarif. The diff
ference is broad enough to involve
the destinIes of the greatest nations
that ever lived. The wheel organs
have delighted to abuse and mis-
represent the Mills bill. but demo
Gratis have generally approved it.
The measure, as conservative as it
was (and il was conservative meas
ure for democrats do not propose
such radical measures, even in cor
recting an outrageous tariff, as
would turn the business of the coun
try upside DOWN., proposes reduc
tion of $20,O00,000 in the public
revenues, which would have carried
with it reduction twice as large, at
least, in the decreased price of arti
cles affected by the tariff, which al
would make a reduction of
$60, 900, ,000-which, we think the
Expositor will agree, will be quite
an appreciable reduction.
We have yet TO encounter the
"past political history" that "war
rants the conclusion" that to make
the tariff, the worst of the two evils
that affllct US, the chief issue in the
fight for relief, is to confess that
there is no other wrong to be made
right. We need more money in this
country. We need the free coinage
Of silver to increase the volume of
money in circulation; but we need,
first, to change our laws of taxation
and for the distribution Of wealth
so the people may be able to retain
money that comes into their posses
sion. Otherwise, how could an in
creased circulation benefit them /?
The Fayetteville Democrat makes
the following sensible observation
on the Subject:
We want more luoney in this coun-
try, but Ii we had 1t. it woul d not re-
main with US under the present order
Of things. 1t is useless to talk about
the subtreasury scheme or any other
scheme for initiating the currency. SO
long as we tolerate a system of laws
that Is continually taking money from
one section and leaving 1t in another.
In a recent speech in this city Rev. j.
Bryan estimated large percent Of the
money In this country, was n OF In cir
culation among rhe people, but was
locked up In the iron safes of the rich
men of the East. This Is probably true
and it will be true to greater extent
when the currency Is Increased and
Dur revenue laws left as they now are.
Nothing needs to be added TO
this. In making the tariff the chief
issue Of the campaign, the democrats
are merely addressing themselves to
that public affiiction which most
needs to be remedied. But nothing
will he neglected and each impend
ing issue will, in its own good time,
ha otvan tho atfant,on il deaarves