New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-25
C4TCUTNGS on IHE Fly.

Our Democratic opponents have had great
deal TO say about the " iniquIiouS taNa'Ioh
which is overwhelming the poor WorkIngman
and the anxious farmer They have been talk
| ing in this strain for nearly five years ana
| during the recent canvass they have been very
| loud in their promises Of relief 10 the "ppicNNcd
masses Now thai they have the prospect oi
governing the country according to their the
cries. il is instructive IL observe how they pro-
pose to reduce this terrible weight Of taxation
which they say is "parllyzins the energies
of all industrial classes.
REPRESENTATIVE Catchings. for example. has
returned to Washington with very clear ideas
upon the subject. He proposes t. raduc' taxa
tion bv rcpcalng the Mckinley Tariff rcStor-
ing the Tariff Of 1853 and obtaining an adm
tional revenue Of S65.o00,000 by the rem
position of the sugar duties. We wonder what
the oppressed" wor,ingman will think OF that
expcdicnt for c-Scning his burdens sugar is
one Of the largest classes OF Imported 1000 ana
Repre,entative CaichingS deliberately proposes
70 increase its cost from two f. thee cents .
pound by restoring the dgti", upon II. If
that is TO be the Democratic method Of re-
ducing taxation. the crodulous wo'kinemln !,
going 70 acquire a good deal Of experience
during the next four years. Lower taxes were
promised Higher taxes on food will involve
reputation of patty pledges
Then the farmer has interests Of his own al
stake in this matter The Democracy has
agreed 10 reduce the cost of his living by tariff
revision and to increase the value of his
produce by removing restrictions upon lntf'na-
tional trade Mr.. Cat hing~ explains how these
pledges aye 10 be redeemed. The sugar duties
are to be rcimpoScd and his own living cN-
penscs rs a consumer thereby increased. Then
the entire series of Reciprocity treaties. b!
which the exports Of farm produce have been
| largely augmented. are u be abrogatcd AT one
stroke. For example. the experts from the
| United States to the Spanish West Indies hav"
been increased from Sl2.6S3.371 70 S2l.797,-
727 during thirteen months. This gam OF
S911l.35O largely consists of brcal>tnllN AMI
provisions and i, t. be- set down f. the c:cdt
Of the American farmer. During eight months
the exports 10 Germany have run up from
S47.435.9i2 10 S57.751,1iI, an increase OF
| S1O.3I5I99 Hero is Il gain OF nearly $50,
O0O. 900 caused 10 n large d"grc, b. the opera
| ton of two If tie Reciprocity treaties. which
| have removed forcigl tariff restrictions upon
exports Of American produce in return for tho
! free market Tor SNEa'. hpDc>'HlltlN' N"t'H-
| ings propose t. restore not only the sugar
duties. but the foreign rctrici"NS upon the
sale Of the farmer, products abroad. II h'N
! advice be followed by his patty. the American
! farmer as well as the workingman viii hayo
some practical experience Of Democratic meth
DDS Of reducing taxation by increasing it
and of Opening" foreign markets by closing
them.
Fifty years ago Golden and Bright sue
cccded in their agitation for the abolition Of
the Corn Laws and the establishment Of un-
restricted trade with foreign nations. What
would have been said Of their consistency if
after camorng for untalcd food and lower
Imports. they had deliberately increased the
duties on wheat and provisions? Or how could
they have justified their course if after advO-
cat NJ the treaty with France, whoa provided
for less restricted trade. they had chosen to
abrogate it? Mr. Catchngs has a good deal
| t. learn about tSx revision.