Iron County register., 1893-03-30
cLEvELAnD.s TARIFF VIEWS.


ti0ns or the New Administration.
President Cleveland shows in his in
augural address that he has made n
departure from the position he has al
ways held on the subject of tari1
reform by reduction of tariff taxation
The policy he set forth in his inaug
ural of 1885 and in his repeated mes
sages to congress is the same policl
declared in his inaugural of 1898 to b.
that of the democratic administration
It is well to bear this fact in mine
when speculating as to the character
of the tariff reform bill which will bl
reported to congress next fall as thu
result of the summers labors of ths
democratic leaders in congress and the
democratic administration. It wa,
Grover Cleveland who directed
the attention of the dem
ocratic party to the necessity of tariff
reform by tariff reduction and who by
his persistence made it the dominant
issue. In what spirit the work of re
form will be entered upon can be un-
understood by review of the several
declarations of President Cleveland on
the subject. In every one of them,
from the first to the last, it is insisted
that the work must be done with pru.
dent regard for business interests and
the welfare of the industrial classes.
The task is to be reformatory, not de.
structive.
In his inaugural of March. IT'S. he
said that "a due regard for the inter.
ests and prosperity of all the people,
demands ''that our system of revenue
shall be SO adjusted as to relieve the
people of unnecessary taxation, having
a due regard to the interests of capital
invested and workingmen employed in
American industries"
In his first annual message to con-
gress, Decem Der. 1885, he said: Jus
tice and fairness dictate that, in any
of our present laws re-
lating to revenue, the industries and
interests which have been encouraged
by such laws, and in which our citi-
zens have large investments, should
not be ruthlessly injured or de-
We should also deal with the
subject in such manner as to protect
the interests of American labor, which
is the capital of our workingmen."
cember, 1886. he said that lin read
justing the burdens of federal taxation
a sound public policy requires that
such of ou- citizens as have built up
large and important industries under
present conditions should not be sud-
denly, and to their injury. deprived of
to which they have adapted
their business; but, if the public good
requires it, they should be content
with such consideration as shall deal
fairly and cautiously with their inter-
ests, while the just demand of the peo-
pie for relief from taxation is honestly
answered." adding that ''due regard
should also be accorded. in any pro-
posed readjustment, to the interests of
American labor so far as they are in
volved.''
In his famous tariff reform message
Of December, 1887. after declaring that
''our present tariff laws, the vicious,
nequitable and illogical source of un-
necessary taxation, ought to be 1T once
revised and amended" he said: sit is
not proposed to relieve the country en-
:irely of this taxation. It must be ex-
continued as the source of
,he governments income; and in re-
of our tariff the interests
If American labor engaged in manu-
:acture should be carefully considered,
Is well as the preservation of our man.
lfacturers. It may be called protec-
ion. or by any other name. but relief
rom the hardships and dangers of our
present tariff laws should be devised
!, ioI Il
ng the existence of our manufacturing
But this existence should
lot mean condition which, with
,ut regard to the public welfare
,r a national exigency, must always
insure the realization of immense
Profits instead of moderate profitable
In his last annual message to congress,
1855. he said: IA just and sem
ible revision of our tariff laws should
,e made for the relief of those of our
who suffer under present
\ Existing evils and
INJUSTICE should be honestly recog.
lized, boldly met and effectually rem
died. There should be no cessation of
he struggle until a plan is perfected,
air and conservative toward existing
Industries. but which will reduce the
# life. while it provides for our manu-
acturers the advantage of free raw
materials and permits no injury to the
interests of American labor"
In his inaugural of March 4, 1898,
President Cleveland said the people
lave determined in favor of a more
ust and equitable system of federal
axation. The agents they have chosen
o carry out their purposes are bound
" their promises, not less than by the
ommand of their masters, to devote
unremittingly to this serv-
ce. While there should be no surren-
Ter of principle, our task must be
wisely and without heed
ess vindictiveness. Our mission is not
but the rectification of
If, in lifting burdens from
he daily life of our people, we re-
ages too long enjoyed, this is but
lecessary incident of our return to
light and Justice
From the inaugural of 1885 to the
of 1898 every reference to
ariff reform is made on precisely the
anne lines. It is on these lines that
he democratic tariff bill of 1898 will
,e shaped. No tariff bill not con-
tructed on these lines will receive the
ignature of Grover Cleveland.-Cleve-l
and Plain Dealer.
PREPARING FOR BUSINESS
;Ieveland's Intentions Concerning the
Parasites of the Moribnnd Plutocracy.