Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-08-02
The Tariff A Tax.


G. Whitney, says:
at is scarcely necessary for me to say
that | heartily indorse Mr.. Cleveland's
policy Of urging the repeal Of the Sher-
man law as a preliminary to tariff re-
form. | do not see how there can rea-
sonably be two sides TO that question.
However small may be the actual in
trinsic effect Of the silver purchases upon
the currency, there can be no doubt that
apprehension of such effect is the first
cause of the existing lack of confidence
in business circles and the consequent
widespread financial distress. II the
country is not being drowned In a silver
flood, 1t is at any tate being scared to
death by the fear of such deluge
Either way the result is disastrous.
1.-THE first thing to be done is to shut
off whatever flood there is, be it big or
little, and stop the scare. There can be
no doubt that the absolute and unquali-
fed repeal OF the Sherman law would do
this. Even Mr.. Harrison implicitly
admits as much. l agree with Mr.
Cleveland that simply repeal, without
amendment or substitute, is the only
thing to be considered now
"But | do not wish to be regarded as
considering the repeal of the Sherman
law a permanent cure for our national
ills. | look upon repeal as palliative,
not panacea. The currency question
is not the most vital one with which we
have to deal. The poison lies deeper.
No temporary anodyne of financial leg
islation will eradicate il. The silver
scare will not be long over before some
other scare will begin, unless we go to
no ~ hn nd hn
business and industry OF the country off
the artificial basis upon which it is being
conducted and upon solid ground again.
The country's prosperity will never be
permanently established while an annual
tax Of three or four hundred millions is
laid upon its industries.
No matter what disguise il may as
sumo our present tariff system is essen
TALLY tax upon the producing and in
dustrial classes. The national govern
ment is supported by tax, not upon
property, but upon consumption. The
tariff is assessed, not upon what men
own, but upon what they eat and drink
and wear. 1t is too largely per capita
tax. Under il ii Is largely possible
that poor man with a large family may
be compelled to pay more taxes for the
support of the national government than
an economical millionaire with only him
self to keep. An average man in the
middle and lower classes making
income q basis of classification, spends,
say, rs per cent of his income for the
same purpose. National taxes being
levied as they are, tho general mass OF
the people, the producing and industrial
classes and the great body Of mere hants,
tradesmen and professional men, pay
fifteen times as much tax in proportion
to their means as the rich man. There
lies the secret of national distress.
1.-The only permanent remedy is in a
readjustment OF this great burden OF tax
alton and equalizing its pressure upon
all alike. Other countries do this.
There is no reason why the United States
cannot. To such reform the Democrat
party is pledged. Upon the strength Of
that pledge it came into power. Four
years before the Republican party had
promised to revise the tariff and in the
faith that revision would be in the line
of reduction and an equalization of tax
burdens elected Mr. Harrison. The Re-
publicans fulfilled their promise by pass
ing the Mckinley bill, increasing the
tariff and perpetuating its inequalities.
The next election practically wiped the
Republican party as then constituted out
of existence.
"The Mckinley bill mistake Of the
Republicans would be mere bubble
compared with the monumental folly OF
which, the Democratic party would be
guilty should IL ignore the issue upon
which IL elected Mr.. Cleveland. When
the Democratic sheep take to following
Republican shepherds we may expect
hap tr Mr. 10 aHy
acknowledge that their principles are
mistaken ones. So long as Mr.. Cleve-
land and his present advisors lead the
flock there is no danger OF such catas-
trophe.
The silver scare once out of the way,
there should be no delay about tariff re-
form. II Mr.. Harrison were as frank as
he Is shrewd he would not lay founda-
tions for a fresh destruction Of public
confidence by predicting fresh disaster
from an attempt TO bridge over suddenly
the wide chasm intervening between
comparative free trade and the protec-
tive system. Neither he nor any other
leading Republican can really believe
that Mr.. Cleveland Is an anarchist and
the members of the Democratic party In
a vast conspiracy against the prosperity
of the whole people, Democrats included.
IL the regularly elected representatives
of the great majority of all the people
of this country, chosen after discussion
running through years, cannot be trusted
to bring about tariff reform in conser-
vative, judicious manner, safeguarding
to the greatest possible extent establish
ed interests where those interests are
not inimical to the public welfare, re-
publican form of government Is failure.
OF course there will be some friction
about 1t; men and Industries which have
thrived on governmental favor are bound
to suffer when that favor Is withdrawn,
no matter how carefully the withdrawal
Is effected. The effort OF beating off a
highwayman may involve unpleasant
perspiration, but shall we therefore SUBJ
nit to being robbed?"