Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-09-21

their snare. TnlS brings me 10 discussion
of one of the two questions at hand which
divide the Democratic and the Republican
parties.
The speaker then took up the subject of
taxation, and said he could not understand
why it was that there should be one sys-
TEN of taxation applied to the collection OF
revenues for the needs Of the city, the
county and the State, and another system
for the collection Of taxes for the support
of the general government. State taxes
bore equally upon all, if collectors and as
SCISSORS did their duty. The man who was
possessed of go, 900 of property paid twice
as much as he who was possessed of SlO,-
600 OF property, and so on all the way
through the list.
But the Federal system is different
one. You pay those taxes on what you
consume-on what you eat up on what you
wear out-and not on what you save, and
so they can be so adjusted as to bear much
more GENEROUSLY upon the poor than upon
the rich. For example, l spoke Of wooden
goods, which are worn by all who labor at
the forgery all who labor in the busy in
dustries Of the City Of Wheeling-by the
farmer who labors under the scorching sun
of July and August, as well as by he who
labors before the fires Of the furnace. The
tax on these goods is very high-from 50 TO
So per cent. up to $50 per cent. on
some classes. On the other hand
on broad cloths, on diagonals, on
West Of England goods, etc, the duty IS
light Very few Of these goods come III,
and those who buy such goods have little
taxes to pay, although most able to pay
them. Now as to State taxes, we both
agree that it is the right of the State to
levy such tax, and no more, as will be
sufficient 10 meet the necessary expenses OF
the government. You raise no more taxes
in Ohio county, If your officials properly
discharge their duties, than are required
TO pay the expenses of your county govern
ment, and the same is true OF the city Oh
Wheeling, and in your State the limit OF the
taxes is the necessities Of your State gov
eminent, honestly and economically ad-
ministered for the benefit Of the whole peo-
pie. No one will deny that proposition
But when it comes to the maintenance
of the Federal government, different
system is adopted by the Republican party,
while the system of the Democratic party
is the same, claiming that the only power
inherent in Congress is to raise enough
money to pay the expenses Of the govern
ment honestly and economically admins
tered lApplausel and that beyond that IT
is not proper and not right to 90, and II III is
exceeded, an injustice 10 the people is the
resultant if we overstep that basis then
all interests of every kind are injured and
the government may demand OF the people,
not for eXigencies-nOt for purposes or war
not for grave emergencies-but In
period Of profound peace and general har-
mony, exact tax through the imposition
of tariff duties, which place burden on
the many for the benefit OF the
few. You see the two sys-
tens are different, and this
battle will 90 on as did that against
slavery, until one or the other triumphs
completely and compels recognition from
the other, as was the case with the tight
against slavery. This is the situation, ana
the Democratic party, with a holiness
which l regret to say has not always char-
acteriZed its utterances, proposes TO so re-
form our tariff, not by increasing duties, as
is the policy of the Republicans, but by re-
ducing them. Applause. 1t declares 1t
will limit its tax to the necessary reve-
nues. and that beyond thst it will not go,
and has no right TO go. Tell me, some per-
son, who has made the questions OF po-
Htical economy the study OF his
Ife-tell me, where did you first
become prevailed with a notion that
Federal tax had no limitation, or that
the Congress of the United States can
limit it or not, as they pleases l do not
say that at times they have not exercise
that power. The Republican party Ior
thirty years has done so-but where IN the
Constitution do they get the powers Inc
Government of the United States embraces
all the people, and the taxes should bear
eouallv upon them all and in the interests
of all, and 1t is not legally in the power OF
Congress to levy an impOst duty-not Tor
revenue-uot for the legitimate wants
of the government-nOt for the
replenishing of the public treasury-but
simply to favor a, b, @ or ID. Under.
stand me, l do not say that the doctrine OF
protection has not been recognized TO an
extent in this country, but the doctrine OF
protection, according to the Democracy,
poes hand in hand with the raising OF rev.
enue. When the money necessary Tor the
maintenance Of the government IS raised
by a duty on articles imported, at the Gus
tom house, that tax gives the manufacturer
all the advantage he IS entitled 10. ZAP,
plause The object OF their hlgn tarlH
duty, our Republican friends tell US, is 10
increase wages They insist that hlgh du-
ties make high wages. / am here tonight
to deny it."
The speaker then took up the effects OF
high import duty on wages, and exposed,
in the most convincing manner, the 1allacy
of the Republican claim. He spoke OF tne
familiar example cited by Republican
speakers aud Republican papers, that wag-
es were lower in England than in America,
and he claims that the difference against the
English wage Garner was owing to Eng
lands free trade policy, aud inquired why
il was that these Republicans always clted
England, and had nothing to say ABOUT the
lower wages which prevailed IN RUSSIA,
and in Germany, and in France, or SPAN
or Italy. If was because, he sald, the
countries he had named were all nigh pro
tection countries. He delivered several
telling shots against Mr. Elklns and the
Wheeling ntclligencCr in this connection,
provoking roars of laughter from his audi
ence. Proceeding he said:
1.-THE truth is, the tariff has nothing 10
do with wages-or very little. There was
a time when this country was part OF
England There were no duties upon
goods imported into America from Eng
land and no restrictions on trade or co M
merce. Free trade was absolute, and yet
mn TO the time of the declaration OF lnde-
incidence, as from that time on, there was
the same disparity Of wages. Wages were
lower in both countries, it is true, but the
difference was Just as great before the sep
aration as il has been since
Passing 10 the Mckinley bill, which had
increased Tue aver dbC AAtS ~ NNN@N 49,
per cent. TO SO per per cent, he salu:
tsWill any of YOU tell me, as l stand here,
of one single instance, where wages have
been increased in one Of Wheeling indus
tries which is under the protection OF the
Mckinley billl [Cries of mo- ask
for a single one. The laboring men who sit
before me understand whether their wages
have gone up or not. The tariff was IN
creased 8S per cent, or from ~ per cent TO
~ ner cent Where has the laboring men
been benefited! -A...a
A Voice-At Homestead. Laughter and
applause. ,11ouos+ood What
was itln -, ,,,r--..osp,
II ask that question IN al SIN Gerry 10y