The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-16
r.arFF FOR nErEsUE ovLT.
John Ne VIE Warner Says that 10 the
Meaning OF the Democratic Platform.

wAsHrSaroS. April 15.-ConGressman Johr
Do Witt Warner. who has been In Washington
AZ tho representative OF the Reform Club. fol
the purpose OF collecting and disseminating In
formation with regard to the clubs new tariff
bill. mado the following statementto a SuN;
am glad that our friends the enemy have
tsen 80 prompt to call attention to the fact
that II our proposed schedules were adopted
tho revenue from the tariff might not be over
st2O. 900. 900 the first year. thus leaving q con-
siderable amount Of necessary revenue to be
raised In other ways not yet provided. II
there Is any pnrt OF the American people-and
Ipresume there is that imagines the Demo-
critic programme necessarily to be to raise by
tariff taxation all needed revenue not
already supplied from other sources.
It Is we'll that 1t should be disnbused.
The Chicago platform declares 1t to be a fun
damental principle Of the Democratic party
that the Federal Government has no consti-
%tutional power to impose and collect tariff
duties, except for purposes OF revenue only
1t 10 easy to auibble over this: but there Is no
question rs to what the average citizen has II
right to understand by it. IT means that tax
alton must BIO Justified by It's revenue results.
and by them alone. II these results arc such
as to Justify any itcm therein. II the return to
the Government Is such as to Justify tho ex-
tent OF the exactions thereby made upon tho
citizens. the nero fact that Incidentally or
rather accidentally-it gives an advantage to
some home producer does not make tho item
an illeEitimate one. On the other hand. how
ever. the exactiOns upon tho citizens are
so great rs to be out Of all proper
ton to the comparatively small return
in revenue to tho Government. Then. not
merely is the item on its face an uniustinable
one. but tho fact that HON producers are
those who take the lions share OF what is thus
sxtorted from their follows characterizes 1t rs
tic very abuse that the Democratic, party Is
pledged to remedy. Personally. i believe that
the nrSp 1%ssslDt wd ,5Gn be- aut msro uq 9hsn tec sfnea US
during the first year. and l see no direction
g" ~ pri5r ,Ii. to 1n iner ca ,6sir sn nnt"Ts ars SeT moss
"'Tiosc. however. who urge, that since, we
less than their estimate OF that to be needod.
therefore it would DO justiliatle to increase
principally protective. nro entitled to the
prompt answer that wo do SO read the Demo.
stHiri n,sIl0 dutie. II should issE 'n 10 im"os "tfV upon pom
such articles rs are not produced, here, SO
s sme1 sne S SoiT Sy its THIia Sc. w ee wiIi d dhs ,H..
when they propose-as most Of them do-toi in;
crease duties ;lpon materials OF clothing and
manufacture. Ind thus. while slightly ~increas-
ipG the revenue. largely i%ncrens. the proper
cts and Is never realized in public rcyonne. We
decline 10 have anything TO do witt, them.
except ms political oprbnents. barred out OF
the Demneratic party by tho r%latfnrni upon
which. after tho fullest disc lssion. It has de-
cided to stand. Tho suggestions of these gen.
tieman are less tolera6f.. sine" their argu-
ments are too frequently, q mere %rrcteNt for
tbeimposition Of tariffs 30 high as to he largely
prohiGi,ory. and hence revenue killers instead
Of revenue producers. and many OF their prop;
csttions might be dismissed upon this ground
alone. But oven the fnct that \ slight In
grouse Of revenue may be obtained by nn
extraordinary increase OF taxation is not nd
Inittod iy us TO mako that extraordinary
increase iustiiinble. As We, read tho
Democratic platform. II means that no taxa
ton Is Iustinahlc except sucl! rs returns in
revenue u great part Of the eXnctionR 1t in
wolves. The people will never tolerate an at
tcmpt to twist the straightforward language
OF that platform into - permission OF any
amount 81 tnrir, eNtortion. provided it CON
tributes its mite to tho Treasury. Our friends
who argue in favor OF such injustice might be
answered By the figure used by the prophet;
Tho I aero fact that tho sheet Of revenue used
as n pretext is SO short ms to leave tho pro-
lection head and heels uncovered Mt either
end Is sufficient proof that the interloper thus
betrayed does not belong In tho reform bed"