Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-04

employed on the theory that their labor
is necessary in one Department when in
point Of fact their services are devoted to
entirely different work in another Depart
ment
1 earnestly urge that the clerks necessary
| to carry on the work of the commission be
regularly put upon its roster, and that the
system of obliging the commissioners to
| rely upon the services of clerks belongin g
to other departments be discontinued. This
ought not to increase the expense to the
government, while it would certainly be
more consistent and add greatly to the eff
cheney of the commission
Extravaganza in Appropriations.
Economy in public expenditure is a duty
that cannot innocently be neglected by
those Entrusted with the control of money
drawn from the people for public uses. 1t
must be confessed that our apparently end
less resources, the familiarity of our people
with immense Accommodations of wealth, the
growing sentiment among them that the
expenditure of public money should in some
manner be to their immediate and personal
advantage. the indirect and almost
stealthy manner in which a large part of
our taxes are eXacted, and a degenerate
sense Of official accountability have led to
preparations.
At this time, when a depleted public treas
ury confronts us, when many of our people
are engaged in hard struggle for the
necessaries of life, and when enforced econ
omy is pressing upon the great mass of
our countrymen, l desire to urge with all
the earnestness at my command that con-
gressional legislation be SO limited by strict
economy as to exhibit an appreciation of the
condition of the treasury and a sympathy
with the straitened circumstances of our
fellow citizens.
| The duty of public economy is also of i'm
mense Importance in it's intimate and neces-
sary relation to the task now in hand of
providing revenue to meet government eX-
penditures, and yet reducing the peoples
burden of federal taxation.
| Tariff Reforms.
After hard struggle tariff reform is di-
rectly before US. Nothing so important
claims our attention and nothing SO clearly
presents itself as both opportunity and
a duty-an opportunity to deserve the graf
itude of our fellow-citizens and duty i'm
posed upon US by our oft-repeated profess
sions and by the emphatic mandate of the
people. After full discussion our country
men have spoken in favor of this reform,
and they have confided the work of it's ac-
complishment to the hands of those who are
solemnly pledged to it.
II there is anything in the theory of a
representation in public places of the people
and their desires, II public officers are really
the servants Of the people, and If political
promises and professions have any binding
force, our failure to give the relief SO long
awaited will be sheer recreancy. Nothing
should intervene to distract our attention or
diturb our eort until this reform is accom-
plshed by wise and careful legisla ton.
While we should staunchly adhere to the
principle that only the necessity of revenue
justifies the imposition of tariff duties and
other Federal taxation. and that they should
be limited by strict economy, we can not
close our eyes to the fact that conditions
have grown up among us which in justice
and fairness call for discriminating care in
| the distribution of such duties and taxation
| as the emergencies of our Government ac-
tually demand.
| Manifestly, If we are to aid the people
directly through tariff reform, one of it's
most obvious features should be reduction
In present tariff charges upon the necessities
of life The benefits Of such a reduction
would be palpable and substantial, seen and
felt by thousands who would be better fed
and better clothed and better sheltered
These gifts should be the willing benefac-
tons of a Government whose highest func-
ton is the promotion of the welfare of the
people.
i Raw Materials.
Not less closely related to our peoples
prosperity and well-being is the removal
OF restrictions upon the importation of the
raw materials necessary to our manufac-
| lures. The world should be open to our
| national ingenuity and enterprise. This can
not be while Federal legislation through
the imposition OF high tariff forbids to
American manufacturers as cheap materials
as those used by their competitors. 1t is
quite obvious that the enhancement of the
price of our manufactured products result
ing from this policy not only confines the
market for these products within our own
borders. to the direct disadvantage of our
manufactures. but also increases their cost
| to cur citizens.
The interests of labor are certainly,
though indirectly, involved in this feature
of our tariff system. The sharp COMPETE
ton and active struggle among our manu-
facturers to supply the limited demand for
their goods, soon fill the narrow market to
which they arc confined. Then follows a
suspension of work in mills and factories
a discharge of employees. and distress in the
homes of our workingmen.
| Even IL the often diSproved assertion
could be made good that lower rate of
wages would result from free raw materials
and low tariff duties, the intelligence CT our
workingmen leads them quickly to d!scoyes
that their steady employment, permitted by
l free raw materials is the most important
! factor in their relation to tariff legisla ton
measure has been prepared by the an
propriate Congressional committee en-
bodying tariff reform on the lines herein
suggested, which will be promptly submit
| ted for legislative action. Ii is the result
| of much patriotic and unselfish work. and
l believe it deals with it's subject consist
| emily and thoroughly as existing condi-
lions permit.
The Proposed Legislation.
| l am satisfied that the reduced tariff du-
| ties provided for in the proposed legisla-
ton, added to existing internal-revenue
| taxation, will, in the near future, though
perhaps not Immediately, produce sufficient
revenue to meet the needs of the Govern
| ment.
| The committee, after full consideration.
and to provide against q temporary de-
fciency which may exist before the bust
ness of the country adjusts itself to the
new tariff schedules, have wisely ernbra ced
! in their MAN feu olI in,