Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-10-05


1t is a fact we'll known that Republi-
can politicians in 1855 promised to the
manufacturers increased tariff protec-
ton in return for campaign -contribu-
tlons; and when the Republicans had
carried the country in that year, and
they came TO deliver the goods" In tho
Fiity-6rst Congress, they took the tar
if off raw sugar, which they had left
for thirty years, and paid bounty to
The sugar producers In order TO prevent
the accumulation OF a surplus in the
Treasury, so distasteful TO the people,
whereby they imagined they would de-
ceiVe the people; and they did this TO
the end that the manufacturers could
have their protection and profits in
creased as promised.
AT best it cannot be claimed that the
tariff bill recently passed by the Demo
cratic Congress gives TO the sugar trust
more than ons-fOurth the benefit given
to it by the Mckinley Bill, under which
the trust derived twenty-eight million
dollars annually.
Il this connection /; is not improper
for me TO state that l am for free sugar
and voted 10 strike out the bounty pro-
vision aud the provision for a tariff on
refined sugar contaioed In the Wilson
oil as reported from Committee, and
also voted FOR the separate bill to place
all kinds OF sugar on the free list, which
passed the House and was defeated in
the Senate during the last days o. the
session OF Congress by the solid Repub-
lican vote, POpulist votes aud the votes
OF tle Louisiana Senator'S in that body.
do not believe that it destroys ANY
industry 10 destroy protective tariff
system.
You know that II the Republican idea
Of protection was carried out TO its log
ical and ultimate conclusion that pro-
tective tariff would be levied for the
benefit Of manufacturers even II reve-
Gue was not needed or desired TO pay
the expenses Of government, upon the
theory that there is one class Of our
fellow citizens who cannot succeed in
their business enterprises unless the
balance of the community are taxed for
their benefit. That is what protection
M eo',S ~ it means ,anXdthhi isdi- 'is
proposition cannot De deuleu'
Democrats adhere TO the doctrine
that every citizen should have al equal
chance in the race of life, and that 1t is !
and morally wrong to |
Mace tax burdens upon the great masses
of the people in the interest OF prlvi-
legged class. We believe that taxes
should be levied for purposes OF revenue
alone.
I; even the industries OF this country
depended for existence upon a tariff
system, IL is folly TO talk about destroy
ing them by unfriendly tariff legislation
10 view Of the fact that we must collect
aud pay out annually in the neighbour
hood OF five hundred million dollars in
the payment OF the expenses OF govern
ment and pensions; and 1t is our policy
TO collect the major portion OF this SUN
bv means OF tariff taxation. Surely,
every manufacturer, no matter how
ayaricious. should be satisfied with The
benefits which come TO him by reason
OF tariff taxes which must necessarily
be levied, aud will be levied, for 2ur-
poses OF revenue, so long al our present
system OF taxation exists.
We not only differ from you in re-
sDect to the objects for which tariff
taxes should be levied, but we have
pIaced the highest rates of duty upon
the highest priced articles an the luXur-
les purchased and consumed oy the
rich, and the lowest rates upon the
necessaries OF life purchased and con-
sumed bv the masses, while you favor
the policy Of laying and have placed the
highest rates OF taxes upon those artlc-
les which are the neCesSaries or life,
and the lowest rates upon the Injuries.
A Democratic Congress has passed
tariff bill which gives you forty cents
per ton Of tariff on your coal. In some
portions OF our district the miners
only receive thirty cents per ton for
digging coal. Now, If you are right In
your claim that tariff on coal protects,
then the operator who pays thirty cents
for digging coal gets his coal dug free
and has ten cents profit on every tor OF
coal produced TO stick in his pocket.
We find, however, upon examination
that the benefits derived by our coal
producers from the tariff on coal are
very mu-l exagserated. II will be ad-
mitted that the coal which the pro-
ducers in our district ship TO interior
points is not affected ia price directly
by the tariff, and the only coal which
has It's price directly increased by rea-
son Of the tariff is that which we send
/ TO the Atlantic seaboard. find upon
investigation that for the fiscal year
ending June so. 1894, but l, las, Asa
/ tons of coal came into the United
/ States at all of our Seaports, and that
but 81, ESQ tons entered at the Atlantic
| seaoorts. This is all the coal which
could come in competition with the coal