Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-03-30
cLEvELAnD.s TARIFF VIEWS.
No Uncertainty Concerning the Inten-
lions of the New Administratfon.

CLEvELAND'S TARIFF VIEWS.
No Uncertainty Concerning the Inten-
lions of the New Administration.
President Cleveland shows in his in
augural address that he has made no
departure from the position he has al
ways held on the subject of tariff
reform by reduction of tariff taxation.
The policy he set forth in his inaug-
ural of 1885 and in his repeated mes
sages to congress is the same policy
declared in his inaugural of 1898 to be
that of the democratic administration.
1t is well to bear this fact in mind
when specializing as to the character
of the ia riff reform bill which will be
reported to congress next fall as the
result of the summers labors of the
democratic leaders in congress and the
democratic administration. 1t was
Grover Cleveland who directed
the attention of the dem
ocratic party to the necessity of tariff
reform by tariff reduction and who by
his persistence made it the dominant
issue. In what spirit the work of re-
form will be entered upon can be I'M
understood by a review of the several
declarations of President Cleveland on
the subject. In every one of them.
from the first to the last. it is insisted
that the work must be done with pru-
dent regard for business interests and
the welfare of the industrial classes
The task is to be refOrmatory, not de-
Structive.
In his inaugural of March, ITS, he
said that ''a due regard for the inter
ests and prosperity Of all the people"
demands ''that our system of revenue
Shon ho CO a6iuatad 70 ,-o1iava
people of unnecessary taxation, having
due regard to the interests of capital
| invested and workingmen employed in
| American industries"
| In his first annual message to con-
gress, Decem Der. 1885, he said: Jus
| tice and fairness dictate that, in any
modification of our present laws re-
lating to revenue, the industries and
interests which have been encouraged
| by such laws, and in which our citi-
zens have large investments, should
not be ruthlessly injured or de-
stroyed. We should also deal with the
subject in such manner as to protect
| the interests of American labor, which
is the capital of our workingmen."
| In the second annual MESA ge, De
cember, 1886. he said that lin read
| justing the burdens of federal taxation
a sound public policy requires that
such of our citizens as have built up
large and important industries under
present conditions should not be sud-
denly, and to their injury, deprived of
advantages to which they have adapted
their business; but, if the public good
requires it, they should be content
with such consideration as shall deal
fairly and cautiously with their inter-
ests, while the just demand of the peo-
pie for relief from taxation is honestly
| answered. adding that due regard
should also be accorded, in any pro-
| posed read ustment, to the interests of
| American labor SO far as they are in
| volved.'
In his famous tariff reform message
of Decem Der, 1887, after declaring that
''our present tariff laws, the vicious,
inequita BILE and illogical source of I'M
necessary taxation, ought to be at once
revised and amended" he said: 'It is
| not proposed to relieve the country en-
tirely of this taxation. It must be ex-
tensively continued as the source of
the governments income; and in re-
adjustment of our tariff the interests
| of American labor engaged in manu-
facture should be carefully considered,
as well as the preservation of our man
ufacturers. 1t may be called protec-
ton, or by any other name. but relief
from the hardships and dangers of our
present tariff laws should be devised
with special precaution against imperil
ing the existence of our manufacturing
| interests. But this existence should
not mean a condition which, with
out regard to the public welfare
or a national exigency, must always
insure the realization of immense
profits instead of moderate profitab BILE
returns"
In his last annual message to congress,
Deem Der, 1888, he said: "a just and SEN
sible revision of our tariff laws should
be made for the relief of those of our
countrymen who suffer under present
conditions. Existing evils and
injustice should be honestly recog
nized, boldly met and effectually rem
edied. There should be no cessation OF
the struggle until plan is perfected,
fair and conservative toward existing
industries, but which will reduce the
cost to consumers of the necessaries
of life. while it provides for our manu-
facturers the advantage of free raw
materials and permits no injury to the
interests of American labor"
In his inaugural of March 4, 1898,
| IT0SlucuC SlcNClduo SdlO UnO RCOplc
have determined in favor of a more
just and equitable system of federal
taxation. The agents they have chosen
to carry out their purposes are bound
by their promises, not less than by the
command of their masters, to devote
themselves unremittingly to this serv-
ice. While there should be no surren-
der of principle, our task must be
undertaken wisely and without heed
less vindictiveness. Our mission is not
punishment but the rectifcation of
wrongs If, in lifting burdens from
the daily life Of our people. we re-
duce inordinate and unequal advan-
tages too long enjoyed. this is but a
: necessary incident of our return to
right and Justice"
) From the inaugural of 1855 to the
| inaugural of 1898 every reference to
!: tariff reform is made on precisely the
same lines. 1t is on these lines that
the democratic tariff bill of 1898 will
, be shaped No tariff bill not con-
structed on these lines will receive the