New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-22
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
Mr.. CLEvELAND'S DEMOCRACY.

rs QUESTIONABLE -EREETRADEES
AND DIRECT TAXES.
Editor of The Tribune.
cir. Mr. Cleveland's letter OF acceptance In &c
o, the position OF the Democratic party, suggests
a few questions.
Mr. cleveland states that we shall fail 10 r'ach
- national destiny II greed and sch'lneSs Ieao
,t wavs The greed aud selhshness' II whlo' ne
,ers are those Of the manufacturer who proht by
,be system Of protection. Tho protecnomst can al
t,d 10 concede three points: That the tarih Is a
,ox that this tax is paid by tie consumer, and that
!. &c maid for the benefit of distinct class OF Gu
cons The manufacturers. lie believes, however. than
this guarding the Interests Of a class comes ies!u-
ma,cly under the control OF the general government
because II is not aims. or even genero'iN' ouI
ai,inct recognition that such outlay for such encour
arcment will result in tie general good oil 'he com
munity II the question is to avoid all greed ana
l0sbnesss one may ask whether this can be done
30 Substituting for the personal greed and seIhsnesS
NJ manufacturers who ask for encOlrasehent '"e
personal greed and selhshness8 of consumers VIM
are unwilling TO give any encouragement WHICH, uoes
not affect themselves. The "greed and seiisilhesS
~ such consumers is even more noticeable because
the appeal OF manufacturers is Of the nature help
me or die it being ACKNOWLEDGED by every JusI
nr,ectionst that Il protective tariff IS not an abso-
he thing but affair for continual readJus'meh''
ss certain manufacturers under protection reach lhe
poln where protection is ,Onger necessary "ido
the objection of the consumer is simply OF the nature
we don't wish to help you because we shah nave
less ourselves For the consumer does not die uhaer
nr,tection Ills only possible claim can be that he
thinks he would be more comfortable without being
taxed. In this connection may be mentioned cuT-
Gus remedy suggested by the Hon. DaNld A. "eih'
lie states that tax only be resOited u "nere
necessary and then should bear evenly upon ali
classes: as protective tariff presses heavily on
tIa article
teced he would, granting that protection OF infant IN
dusires be found necessary for tie welfare OF the
STATE raise sufficient sum by direct taxation on III
the people TO encourage manufacture 1t Is dhhcut
TO see the justice Of any such arrangement a' his'
if it Is unjust for the consumer of tn-patc 10 pay
more for II than he would have to pay wherever IL
Is made cheapest surely it is still more unjust from
he Free Traders own standpoint for persons not
pnlv totally uninterescd in the personal welfare OF
he lin plate manufacturers, bat without TIE slightest
interest in the n-plae itself, TO pay tie same TAX
exaced from a tin plate consumer. and consumed by
q tin plate manufacturer
If beng practically the frec-tradc standpoint that
no individual should be required TO pay tax which
doc, not directly benefit himself we may ask how
If is that so large an appropriation OF the direct taxes
eved upon community as that for the pubic SCHOOLS
is borne patiently by class who d. not derive the
slightest benefit from the public school system NO
instance could be given more fully Illustrative OF
the fact that community does sometimes recognize
A general good essential for the individual to secure,
because OF its indirect benefit to himself, whle he
does not obtain the very falnest advantage from IL
directly. The money expended for pubic schools
in our own city is almost exclusively pOd by one
class Of citizens who do not send their children u
the public schools, and almost exclusively USED lot
the benefit of another class Of citizens who through
no fault Of their own, probably cannot contribute at
all to the expense. II the Individual may object to
paving tax on a tin-plate, which he wishes 10 use,
but which he wishes - obtain cheap, why may he
not object TO paying any part Of tax for public
Instruction. unless he wishes to send his children
to the public schools
As the letter OF acceptance is intended not much
10 define the Democratic platform to define the
difference between the Democratic and Republican
platforms, 1t may be asked in what way Mr.. Cleve-
lands desire that "every dollar put into the hands
Of the people should be OF the same intrinsic value,
differs from the Republican opinion On the silver
question.
Again, in marking distinctions, in what way does
Mr.. Clevelands regard for Civil Service Reform tr
umph the Republican professed regard for it. as
a reason for voting the Democratic ticket? 1t is
that neither party has yet manifested satisfactory
practice OF its proessed beliefs in regard TO civh
service; but their professions are precisely similar
In regard to pensions, Mr. Cleveland is certainly
right I'm stating that all veterans actually" disabled
should be carefully looked after, and that unworthy
imposters name shonld be suffered the list OF
those assisted but how would the Democratic method
differ from the Republican in investigating every case
Of the more than five hundred thousand names on
the pension list and what are precisely the wounds
which the doubling Democratic Thomas viii insist
upon seeing? AS the Democratic party Is the ole
p.edgng Itself to the avoidance OF all " greed and
elf.hness," should it not be willing TO help TOO many
rather q an run the risk If nesectng single case
actually disabled
Mr. Cleveland wisely states that enforced educa-
ton wisely deemed proper p, paration for citizen
ship should not involve the impairment Of Wholesome
parental authority" Practically. however. il must
to degree, the "cnfOrCcd education which |
permits a parent to nd bis cdld TO school OF his
choosing so long he sends II TO some school,
Interfering seriously with the desires Of many parent
who would OF their accord not send their children
TO any Which. therefore. does Mr. Cleveland really
support. parental authority, enforced education
The technical escape from personal responsibility by
throwing the responsibility on The convenient adjcc-
tive Wholesome demands from the prospective voter
an answer TO what the Democratic party con |
,,.ieN wousf be wholesome Would parOchial |
schools come under the head Of what Is wholesome" |
or unwholesOme7 This Mr.. Cleveland does not state.
Mr. Cleveland believes that the Democratic party !
would do everything possible for rhe success OF the
Columbian Exposition. is there any ground for sup
posing that the Republican party would wish the
Columbian Exposition suppressed X. S. '. p.
New-fOrk September 20. 1872.