The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-04-06


600 900 of the principal and interest Of the ma
tional debt yet he turned over to the admins
tration which succeeded him a surplus OF up
ward of s124 900 000. including the reserve fund.
which under the republican policy had never
been encroached upon.
II there is not enough revenue now 1t is be-
cause the proposed change OF policy has had
the effect of diminishing it The proposed pol
icy has not only distubed domestic trade, but
the import trade. The reason the revenues are
less under the present administration Is be-
cause importations are less and the importa-
lions are less because our people buy less OF
foreign goods Just as they are now buying less
of domestic goods also owing TO their pecu-
mary distress and all this is because their in
comes and wages have been either cut OF or
greatly reduced
You cannot have large importstions perma
nently unless the people are prosperous, ana
the more prosperous they are the larger the i'm
portaIions. When home prosperity is retarded
importations are checked and revenues dimin-
ish: hence the strictly revenue tariff can never
be depended upon in an emergency. Importas
tion~ are reduced by the fact that the party in
power is pledged TO decrease the duties Those
who otherwise would import goods are influ-
enced not TO do so now because the present adj
ministration is committed TO the policy OF low
ering the duties from protective 10 revenue
basis Merchants will not import goods at
60 per cent rate when the government is
pledged to 30 per cent rate nor can home
manufacturers produce with safety under such
conditions importers will wait for the lower
duties and while so waiting importations will
necessarily decline. as they are now declining.
the
of greatly diminished revenues
The government requires a large annual in
come to meet its current expenses This can
only be secured by taxation Some form OF
taxation to provide necessary revenue is insep-
arabic to all governments. 1t must either be
direct or tariff taxation We must either tax
ourselves and our property, our lands and our
investments or We must tax the products OF
other nations seeking a market here. The lat
ter method Is resorted to by all nations and has
been our chief means OF raising revenue since
he, a ha va no
systems in operation in this country. The
bulk of our revenue comes from tariff taxes and
the remainder is secured by taxing spirits and
tobacco, which of the long list are the only war
taxes remaining.
The advocates Of tariff taxation are divided
into two schools Both schools believe in rails
ing.public money by a tariff. and only differ as
to the kind of tariff TO accomplish this pur-
pose. One school. the democratic school. advo-
Gates tariff for revenue only; the other, the
republican school, advocates tariff for reye-
nue. and also protection. a revenue tarin has
no other aim or purpose and disclaims every
other save revenue protective tariff. while
raising all needed revenue Is ever mindful
that the taxes imposed shall be upon those
foreign products which Will most encourage
domestic production and rest most lightly
upon the consumer The revenue tariff is
mindful OF the development and prosperity OF
our country. The protective tariff, while hav-
ing revenue and the needs OF the treasury al
ways in view, steadily keeps in mind our own
industries and the occupations OF our own
people. A revenue tariff seeks out articles OF
prime necessity, often such as we cannot pro-
duce in our own country, and makes them the
subject of taxation. The senate has Just intro
duced an amendment TO the Wilson bill which
is striking illustration OF revenue tariff 1t
takes sugar. an article which enters into every
mans household and which for the most part
we do not produ at homo, from the free list
and places IL upon the dutiable list
A revenue tariff will raise revenue for a time
at least but IL is Inadequate TO encourage pro-
mote and protect production in our own coun-
try. Protection seeks out those articles OF
I VIII 20 rlp Fndf AT
home and puts q tariff upon them; and, while
every importation of such articles produces
revenue which goes into the treasury. IL at the
same time stimulates our domestic production
and sustains and defends our domestic enter
prises So long as we have to use the taxing
power why not use it in the interest OF our own
people and their occupationsf What is the
gain il we do put money into the public
treasury under revenue tarfn and
thereby discourage domestic enterprise and
destroy the opportunity for capital and labor
to earn money: Why tax foreign article
which We cannot produce rather than one
which we can: In the former case we help
discriminate against the foreign and in favor
OF the home product tariff levied exclu-
siyely for revenue encourages foreign tmpor-
tations-that is what IL made Tor,
and when such a tariff is levied on articles
the like OF which We produce at home. IL dis
courages our own producers by depriving
them of the home market which justly be-
longs to them. A revenue tariff encourages
no home enterprises: 1t supplies employ
ment 10 no American WOrkingman. IL taxes
employment from him because in the encour-
agement of foreign importations il diminishes
the demand for American products. To the
extent that II dminishes the demand for
American products, il diminishes the demand
for the American producer. The use OF
foreign article. which a democratic revenue
tariff encourages means less use or no use of a
like domestic article So long as labor is
cheaper in Europe and conditions are lower
there than here, free trade or a
tariff sGSas
duction or to level labor and every
other condition to the foreign standard
ss 5T the an ene MoyknS
man. to American prosperity, and American In
dustrial independence. 1t has not single ele-
ment of patriotism. II has no national spirit
or instinct To supply the needs OF the treas
ury is its chief and exclusive concern II has
no other. 1t is a sure precursor TO national
poverty, national bankruptcy and Individual
distress 1t is the forerunner OF hard times
| II Is without q single worthy triumph The
years in which IL has been tried in the United
/ States excite neither our respect nor pride. 1t
/ has furnished 10 inspiring page in our history.
/ Its record has been one OF deficient revenues
greater bonded Indebtedness and universal
| want among the people.
| The prevailing widespread distress empha-
sizes the necessity for enlightened public pol
/ icy and wise craftsmanship The Indifference
which has been too prevalent for many years
has given place to deep and absorbing
| interest in public AFFAIRS The masses OF the
people are considering economic questions
more earnestly than ever before and are
| aroused to their Importance as affecting their
| own individual happiness and prosperity. To
| wisely guide them calls for the exercise OF the
his hest wisdom, coolest Judgment and puresdt
| with the sacred interests OF the peo-
| ole or the control OF the government without
1t possesses a fixed honest and enlightened
purpose. Singleness OF purpose Is necessary
| 10 every reform, indispensable 10 wise admin
| istration and legislation The want OF this
quality is the intrmity of :he present admin
| Ct 81 and he hpi u
| tory was due TO discomfort OF every kind It
was not the result of unity of purpose, nor OF
lofty and united public sentiment 1t was me
outcome OF misguided Judgment, pique, passion
] and prejudice The majority OF those who
| voted for Mr.. Cleveland and the present demo
c se Go bad sSeir
| reasons for opposition to the republican party
| and their temporary union was not inspired
by devotion 10 democratic principles, pur-
| poses or policies Free silver men voted the
| democratic ticket opponents TO free silver, or
| TO any silver in our circulating medium, voted
il: the widest infationists; as well as those
our currency, voted it: the protectionist voted
il because he did not believe the democratic
the tariff: the free trader voted IL In the belief
| that the democratic leaders would demolish all
| custom houses and inaugurate unrestricted
commerce with all the world; the single tax
voted IL, while thousands who hate all
| such vagaries voted it: the silver stan
dard. the gold standard the double stan
| dard. the paper money advocates and the
advocates OF state bank money voted IT; pen
| sioners voted it and those who were certain
| that the democratic leaders could be counted
/ upon TO wipe out all pensions voted II. And
/ when IL was all over and the victory was won
| by these various antagonistic and con-
tending elements, the realization OF their
/ hopes and the enactment Of any legiS-
| lation for the good of the country were
/ Of course found 10 be utterly impossible
/ Failure and disappoir tment were bound to
| follow an admins tration and congress thus
/ chosen. and the whole country suffers as a re-
/ suit. The admins tration and congress are
without compass or rudder Before they have
accomplished anyIhing-while they are yet
wrangling about what they will do-the people
/ have become so dissatisfied as to burn with
/ impotence for an opportunity 20 repudiate
/ them. general election was never before so