Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1893-12-20
Congressional.

ity, report of the Ways aud Means
Committee on tho tariff was submit
ted 10 the House at the. opening to.
day. The report says: THE. Amer
lean people, after q full and most
Thorough debate ever given by q
people to their fiscal policy, deliber-
ately and rightfully decided the ex-
istence Of the tariff wrong in principle
aud grevio Lsiy una uat in Operation.
They have decided that free men
must always decide that the power of
taxation has no lawful. or constitu-
tional exercise except for the provid-
ina OF revenue for the support of the
Govern ment. Every departure from
this principle is a departure firm the
fundamental principles OF free insti-
tutiohs, and inevitably works out n
gross inequality in The citizenship Of
the country. For more than thirty
years We huVe levied the largest part
OF oar Federal taxes in violation of
this vital truth, until we have reached
the existing tariff and an extreme and
volumlnous system, OF class taxation
to which history may be challenged
TO furnish parallel. So many pri-
Vate enterprises have been taken into
partnership with the Government,
80 many private interests now share
10 the rich prerogative of taxing TO-
OOoUN people, that any attempt to
dissolve this illegal union is necessa-
rlly encountered by tho opposition
that rallies behind the intolerance Of
monopoly, the power of concentrated
,alth, the Inertia Of fixed habits und
the honest errors Of generation of
false teaching. The bill on which the
committee has expended BID much pa
tlent aud anxious labor is not offered
as a complete response to the mandate
OF the American peoplee 1t no more
processes TO be purged Of all protec-
tion thHn TO bs free from all errors ia
it's complex manifold details. How
ever we may deny the existence of any
legislative pledge, OR Of the right of
any Congress 10 make such pledges
for the continuance of duties that
carry with them more or less acknowl-
edged protection, we must recognize
that great interests do exist " hose
existence and prosperity it is part OF
our leform either to imperil ur cur
tail. We believe, and have the war
rant OF our own past experience for
believing, the reduction OF duties will
not irjure, but will give more abund-
ant life to all our great man nfactur-
ing industries, however much they
may dread the change. In dealing
with the tariff q question, as with every
other long stan1ing abuse that has
interviewer itself with our social or
industrial system, the legislator must
always remember that in the begin
ming temperate reform ia the safest,
having in itself the principle OF
growth. A glance at the tariff legs-
lation OF our country ought 10 satisfy
every intelligent SUDDEN; that protec-
ton Gs'slways shown it's falsity ns a
system OF economy by it's absolute
failure to healthy and stable prosper
| ity TO manufacturers. 1t teaches men
to depend on artificial help, on laws
taxing their colntrymen, for pros
perity in business, rather than upon
their own skill and effort. 1t throws
business from it's natural channel i'll
to- IN artificial channel IN which there
must always be .huctuaLion, and I'M
certainty, and makes the tariff System
a football of party politics, and the
stability Of large business interests
the stage OF every popular election.