New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-03
FALSIFYING HISTORY.
THE RECKLESS STATEMENTS OF CLEVELAND
AND HILL CORRECTED.
FIGURES THAT DIsPROvE THE DEMOCRATIC AS
sERTIoNs RESPECTING THE MKINLEY
BILL-TITE RECORD OF NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT UNDER
PROTECTION.

ITO the Editor of The IT'D g.
Sir: On the occasion of the Democratic ratification
| meeting at the Cooper Union on the evening OF DC
tober g. Governor Hill stated that the triumph Of the
Republican party will mean " the triumph OF war
tariffs while ex.Prcsldent Cleveland declared tTat
. money is unnecessarily extorted from the people
under the guise OF taxation" II would be an evasion
Of the truth to say less than that these statements
are political libels. They are besides, absolutely
absurd The incontestablc records If history inscribed
upon our statute books and in the public ledger m
the Government clearly prove that neither OF the two
statements has the slightest foundation in fact
Our revenue laws and customs returns clearly snow
that under Republican administration OF our govern
mental affairs have abolished thIee-fourths OF the
internal revenue duties and one-hah the customs
duties enacted during the period in order to save
the life of this Nation. Moreover Democratic investi-
eating committees and exPresldent Ceveand's Ad'
mnistratlon have been unable to discover one dollar
Of public money Incorporated by Republican Ad'
mnlstratiOns from 1851 until the present time. That
Is the open and unmpeachabe record Of history and
IL dscredltabe to the country that eXPresident
Of the United States and Governor OF the great state
Of New-York should publicly attempt to falsffy this
historic record, which is justly source OF Nauonal
PRIDE Nothing more Extensively partisan has charac-
terizcd political warfare In this country during the
last thirty years. Here the facts which no ex-
| President Governor can fmpeach:
| on the 31st Of August, 1865, were at the high
water mark Of National Indebtedness and of taxa
ton The Understanding debt then S2, 1881 $780,
20f the 1st Of July 1891, this had been reduced
to 1910 1o0 nearly threefourhs OF the war debt
having been paid OF. Besides, enormous sums have
been paid In interest the debt and in pensions and
other war Indebtedness so that the expenditures
growing cut OF the war" which had been paid In sound
money out OF the Treasury OF the United States
amounted the first day Of July, 1891, to S774o,-
| O0O 900.
During the period Of twenty-six years from 1865 to
fIy
duced the heavy war tariff and converted it into
benencent peace tariff In 1867 admitted only IL
per cent OF imports free OF duty, whereas under
the Mckinley tariff admit about 55 per cent Of our
imports free Of duty. In word, since 1867 the Re
publican party has placed onealf OF our foreign I'M
ports upon the free list The Mckinley tariff alone III
free list from about "a per cent to about
90 per tent OF our imports, and besides the average
rate of duty dutiable goods is now very little, II
any, higher than 1t a year ago.
And how has this simultaneous reduction Of the Ma
tiona debt of customs revenues been accomplished
/ answer have put the free LIST quinne,
Peruvian bark chemicals OF all sorts. tea, coffee
farina taplOca. jue, MANILA sugar, moasses, animals
for breeding purposes, fertilizers. indiarubber, and
almost everything else not produced in this country
and have retained the dutlable list almost every
product OF the field OF the mine and of manufactures
which completes with the products Of American in
dusry. That is Republican tariff reform, and the
try has to be proud Of 1t for what 1t has
plshed. Besides this, the Republican party has abol-
Ished internal duties, which yielded S253 754,-
100 in 1866 and which would If in force to-day yield
fully 5000. 100000 year. Add to this the amount OF
customs revenue RENTED under the various tariff reform
measures including the Mckinley act, amounting
much as our present customs revenucs-in round mum
beis $225 900 .000-and have a total OF RENTED
taxation which if imposed to-day would amount to
over SeO0.00oOOO year. II We should add this |
enormous emed taxation to the present revenues of
Tho. n.ntip tn ahnut
the annual revenues Of the Government would be
about ST. zoo, 100000 u year.
The difference between 81 200 100000 a year and i
$4000000O0 year represents the difference between
war taxation and judicousy and honestly reformed
customs and internal taxation under Republican fiscal
LEGISLATION 1t also represents the difference between
great and glorious political truth and all absurd po-
Inc foregoing facts also expose the faacies
tempted 10 be promulgated BY Democratic orators and
Mckinley Tariff act is in sort a departure, l.
thing unprecedented, etc. Nothing could be further
latest act in the practical execution of policy Of tariff
reduction and reform inaugurated by tie Repubcsn
party immediately after the disbanding OF the Union =
Army. 1t for tile maintenance OF that army that
our war tariff was Instituted. such reduction
and reform has been going ever since and just
fast the financial obligations of the Government g
would permit That Democratic orators aud news II
representations voiced By expresdent Cleveland and
the Government since 1865, only be explained by
9e tact nS political campaign based upon the truth
utterly disastrous to their party W
During the period Of revenue reduction ard reform D
energy far rapidly than ever before. Here is
the historic record upon that point:
rom to 1880.
second our cereal product increased from o3e, oOo
300 bushels in SG3 to 32U9, 100000 bushes of
Jut the wonderful development of markets n;
inder protection enabled us TO per =,
ent OF this laec product less than per cent gong P
o meet the foreign demand, of which much is said. pr
IhirdILhe annual value Of American manufactures sa
~ n tn piV
an be estimated $5.ooo0oo,ooo in 1890. ~
fourth1fne railroad mileage Of tue United states IL
n 1890 ~ ~
Fifth-The consumption of coal is an excellent index e
+ commercial aud Industrial prosperity. our coal M
roluet Increased from 16l73Oo0 tons in 1860 or
sixth-our foreign commerce Increased from $685. III
10000 in 1861 TO Sl,729,330 S96 in 1891 This In co
rcase amounted to nearly two and halt times the sh
ommerce developed during the preceding years Of,
free trade and inadequate protection. During the
ist fiscal year we exported at the rate OF 40O OF
orh of American products daily including Sundays on
This is the glorious record OF National development as
nder the stimulus OF thirty of adequate proec M
on development vastly exceeding that of the pre- the
edng 100 years Of freetrade and inadequate proec-
on. This splendid record of development reduction
the National debt to comparatively Insignificant
opoEtons. and reduction and reform Of the National
venues from war basis to peace basis, stands
re credit OF the RepublcaQ party and iumnatcs -
atonal history II is Shame thR for the attain tr
ent of party success who have honored by 70
lelr country should have the efrontcry stand up Lei
nd deny these facts which make for the glory of their A.
'uhNy. Intensive pdftlsalSlp never descended iio
ore dscredltable expedIent.
1t is all incoguovertibe fact that the present Gus -
ms revenues OF the Government have been reduced
about the lowest point admissible under a
rim for necessary revenue and needed protection.
lrthcr reduction at the present time might compromise
e public credit But the country may rest assured
at there VIII be no danger OF that long rs our
atonal affairs are guided by political party dis
ngushed for Its fidelity to human liberty, It's fidelity
the Union, Its fidelity to the public credit and It's
ielity to the interests of American labor.
JOSEPH NIMMO JR.
Washington d. c.. Oct. TO- 1901.
Il. p. FLOWERS HATRED OF THE UNION
the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir No man In a slngle Snuthern stnte cn,lI 10