People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-12-08
TARIFF REVISION.
Discriminating Care Urged in Adjusting
Duties In the New Tariff Bill

Duties in the New Tariff Bill.
Economy In public expenditure is o duty
that cannot innocently be ne :lected by those
entrusted with the control OF money drawn
from the people Tor public uses II must be
confessed that our apparently endless re-
sources the fami iarity Of our people with i'm
mense accumulations Of wealth, the rowing
sentiment among them that the expenditure
OF public money should in some manner he to
their immediate and personal advantage the
indirect and almost stealthy manner in which
larJe part OF our taxes are exIcted and de-
generated sense Of Official accountability have
led TO growing extravaganza in governmental
appropriations
At this time when depleted public treasury
confronts US, when many of our people are
engaged in hard struggle for the neces aries
OF life, and when forced economy is pres sing
upon the great masses OF our ceuntrymen, l
desire TO urge with all the earnestness at my
command that con ressioaal lie islation be so
limited by strict economy as TO exhibit an ap-
probation OF the conduct Of the treasury and
q sympathy with the siraitened circumstances
OF our fellow citizens. The duty Of public
economy is also of immense importance in its
intimate and necessary relation 10 the task
now in hand OF providing revenue TO meet
overnment expenditures and yet reducing the
peoples burden OF federal taxation
After hard struggle tariff reform is direct
ly before Us Nothing so important claims
our attention and nothing so clearly presents
itself as both an opportunity and a duty-an
opportunity 10 deserve the gratitude OF our
fellow citizens and a duty imposed upon US BY
our Oft repeated professions and by the en-
| phatic mandate OF the people After full dis
| cVssiOn our cOuntrgmen have spoken In favor
OF this reform and they have confided the
work Of its accomplishment 10 the hands OF
those who are solemnly pied ed TO q.
II there Is anythinS In the theory OF
| representation in public places Of the people
and Their desires. II public officers are really
servants OF the people, and II political
| promises and professions nave any binding
force our failure 10 give the relief so long
awaited will be sheer recreancy. Nothing
should interfere 10 distract our atttentiou or
disturb our effort until this reform is &C.
complishe1 By wise and careful legislation.
While we should staunchly adhere to the
| principle that o1ly the necessity OF revenue
| justites the imposition OF tariff duties and
other federal taxation and that thev should
| be limited by strict economy, we cannot close
our eyes to the fact that conditions have
grown up among US which In justice and firm,
| ness call for discriminating care IN stribu-
ton Of such duties and taxation as the
| emer .encies o. our government actually
dem I'd.
Mannestly II we are 10 aid the people direct
| ly through riff reform one OF lis most obvious
features should be a REDUCTION in present tariff
| CHARGES upon the Lecess aries OF life The
benefits OF such a reduction would be pllpable
and subst ntially seen ana felt by thousands
| who would be better fed and better clothed
and better sheltered These gifts should be
| the wilins benefactions OF government
| whose hi hest function is the promotion OF
the welfare OF the people Not less closely
81 80. No.
| being Is the removal OF strictions upon the
| importation Of the rag materials necessary TO
| our manufactures The world should DC open
| 10 our national ingenuity and enterprise
This cannot be while federal legislation
through the imposition OF hish tlrin forbids
| &c American manufacturers as cheap materi-
| ais as those used by their competitors. II Is
| quite obvious that the enhancement Of the
price Of our manufactured products resulting
| from this poll y not oily confines the market
| for these products without our own bodies TO
the direct sidvlLtage OF our .madufacturers
| but also increases their cost 10 our citizens
| The interests Of lltor are certainly. though
indirectly involved in this TEXTURE OF our
| tariff system The sharp competi-
ton and active struggle among our
manufacturers 10 supply the limited demand
| for their goods soon I'LL the narrow market TO
| which they are confined Then follows a sus-
| pension o. work in mills and factories dis
| charge OF employees and distress In the homes
OF our worxin ,mea. Even II the often dis
proved assertion could be made good that q
lower rate OF wages would result from free
raw materials and low tariff duties. the inteli-
| gence OF our wOrkin men lie IDS them quickly
10 discover TINT their steady employment per-
mitted by free raw materials is the important
| factor In their relation TO tariff legislation.
A measure has been prepared by the ap-
| propriate congressional committee embody-
ing tariff reform on the lines herein 50. gested.
which will be promptly submitted for legis-
| lative action. IL Is the result Of much patri-
otto and unselfsh work and / believe II deals
| with its subject consistently and as thoroughly
| as existing conditions permit am satisfied
| that the reduced tariff duties provided for In
the proposed legislation. added 10 existing
| internal revenue Ration will In the near
| future though perhaps not Immediately, pro-
duce sufficient revenue TO meet the needs OF
the government
The committee after full consideration and
70 provide against a temporary def iency
which NAV exist before the business OF the
country adjusts itself 10 the new tariff sched-
| ule have wisely embraced in their plan few
| additional internal revenue taxes including
small tax upon incomes derived from certain
corporate Investments. These new assess
+, ments are not only absolutely just and easily
borne but they have the further merit Of be-
ing such as can be RENTED without unfavora-
I Bile business disturbances whenever the neces-
sity OF their imposition no longer exists.
In my great desire for the success OF this
measure / cannot restrain the suggestion that
| its success can only be attained By means OF
'unselfsh counsel on the part OF the friends OF
tariff reform and as result OF their willingness
| 70 subordinate personal desires and ambitions
10 the general good The local interests az
fected by the proposed reform are so numer-
Gus and so varied that II all are insisted upon
the lie !islation embodying the reform must In
J evitably fail
In conclusion my intense feeling OF respon.
sibility impels me to invoke for the manifold
interests OF a generous and con1dng people
the most scrupulous love and 70 pledge NV
willing support 10 every legislative effort for
the Advancement Of the greatness and pros
l perity Of our beloved country.
GROVER CLEvKLAxn