Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-08-12
Entered at the Postoffice at Accomac
c. H.. Va, as second-claSs matter.

The flfty-third Congress, pursuant
toa call issued by President Cleve-
land, assembled in extraordinary
session at noon last Monday for the
primary purpose of devising such
measures as will afford relief to the
disturbed financial condition of the
country, and enacting the same into
law.
The Senate was called to order at
noon and the opening prayer made
by the outgoing chaplain, Mr.. But
Ter. In the House which assembled
at the same hour, after the Presi-
dents proclamation was read and
the names of the members elect We're
called vote was taken for Speaker,
which resulted in the election of Mr..
Crisp as his own successor. The
Presidents message since received,
treats of the evils of the Sherman
law and the necessity for the repeal
of the same, to the exclusion almost
OF anything else. In his views many
members of both Houses do not con-
cur and Mr.. Cleveland is not likely
TO have his way in the matter with
out bitter and protracted fight.
Many believe like Mr.. Whitney
whose views on the Sherman law are
given below, that a permanent cure
for our national ills should be sought
elsewhere and the extract is the
more interesting because it is the
opinion of Mr.. Cleveland's former
secretary and one closer to him per
haps than any other man:
But do not wish to be regarded a.
considering the repeal of the Sher
man law permanent cure for oul
national ills. look upon repeal as
palliative, not panacea. The cur
rency question is not the most vita
one with which we have to deal. The
poison lies deeper. No temporary
anodyne of financial legislation viii
eradicate it. The silver scare will
not be long over before some other
scare will begin, unless we go to the
bottom of the trouble and get the
business and industry of the country
off the artificial basis upon which il
is being conducted and upon solid
ground again. The country's pros
perity will never be permanently es
tablished while an annual tax oil
three or four hundred millions is laid
upon its industries.
No matter what disguise it may as,
sumo, our present tariff system is es'
sentially tax upon the producing
and industrial classes. The National
Government is supported by 6
tax, not upon property, bu1
upon consumption. The tar
if Is assessed, not upon what mer
own, but upon what they eat anC
drink and wear. 1t is too largely 6
per capita tax. Under it it is easily
possible that a poor man with 6
large family may be compelled tt
pay more taxes for the support of the
National Government than an eco
nomical millionaire with only him
self to keep. An average man in tn,
middle and lower classes, making in
come basis of classification, spends
say rs per cent. of his income TO
food and clothing. The average ricl
man cannot spend over per cent. o
his income for the same purpose
National taxes being levied as the,
are, the general mass of the people
the producing and industrial classe
and the great body of merchants
tradesmen and professional men, pa,
fifteen times as much tax in proper
tion to their means as the rich man
There lies the secret of national dis
tress.