The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-03-17
She democratic adroeatr.
wEsTMI md.
SATURDAY. MARCH Il. 1894.
Democratic Promises.


The most inconsistent and cratic paper
in the country, perhaps, is the Baltimore
,Saa Il barps on the Democratic party
keepine its promises, and is wild in urging
the passage of the Wilson bill, measure
that confessedly would not raise enough
money Ia meet the expenses of govern
ment. There was deficit this year, IN
der the Mckinney law, Of some seventy
millions If dollars. and bond issue was
necessary to protect the credit of govern
Dent The Wilson bill. if passed by the
Senate without change, would also leave
an annual deficit. The bill did not meet
the Democratic promise The reduction
Of duties was not great enough on some
articles and too much on Others to make it
a revenue measure. and the Democratic
party did not promise tariff law that
would not raise sufficient revenue to pay
the expenses Of government. The Senate
has undertaken to remedy these defects,
aud 10 altering the bill have put on the
dutiabIe list some articles that were on the
free list. \ bill for revenue ought not to
have a free list If it is deemed proper to
tax al imports. then there is no use in
ennmerating those that are not to be taxed.
1t is ouiy necessary to fix the rates on those
articles of import from which revenue is
Ia le raised. Bot it is not our intention
TO discuss the tariff bill,-only to show the
inconsistency of fhe Great LuminAry that
shines only for the interests of its proprie-
tors and serves as sluice way TO carry off
its spleen upun the Maryland Senators.
The Democratic party not only promised
a tariff bill inr the whole country. but the
Maryland portion promised an assessment
law. The Sun is urging the ful6lmeut Of
the national pledge and using its best en-
dcavors to defeat the party in keeping he
state pledge Relson-under federal tax
lays the average citizen pays almost as
much tax AS the millionaire, aud any re-
ducfioR of rate benefits all alike. Under
the present state laws the wealthy escape
Just taxation, and the proposed assessment
bill made the burdens more equal. The
bill comes near taxing people according to
their wealth. and the Tax Doiger organ is
opposed to capital bearing any burdens that
can be shifted on the farmers and men of
small homes. Then the SIN would glory
in the downfall of Senator German, andfor
years has been doing its best to discredit
him
IN speaking Of the Wilson bill on Tuesday
the SIN prelaccs a mean attack on Senator
German with these words
The multitude of changes, some of them,
il is true. of a minor character. which the
Senate sub committee have made in the Will
son tariff bill, as il passed the House, have
excited Il natural curiosity on the part Of the
public 20 know why those changes have been
made.
4 few days previous, in an article de-
Tending the Wilson bill from the charge
that it was framed by Southern men in
the interest of Southern enterprises and
products, the Great Luminary remarked
..It has been truly eaid that for every dol
lar that the Southern States receive in pro
lection from the Wilson bill New England
will receive five dollars. -
Does a bill that diseriminates against one
section in favor of another meet the Demo
cratic promise? And what nonsense it is to
talk about protection of any interest, or any
section, when the Democratic platform de-
nnunced tariff for protection as unconsti-
tutional and declared for II tariff for reve-
nue. only. BY tariff for revenue only, it
meant tariff bill that would raise enough
revenue to pay the necessary expenses OF
government The Wilson bill did not do
this, and therefore was not tariff for
revende measure The Senate bill has the
merit of raising enough revenue, at least,
butthe whole free list ought to be knocked
ont of it. just as all exemptions ought to be
knocked out of any assessment bill for
Maryland.
Every intelligent Democrat desired the
passage Of the Wilson bill-not that it was
perfect measure, but as : beginning in
the right direction, knowing that the Sen
ate would closely scrutinize it, and that
finally it would 20 to conference COM
mittee of both houses to be finally put in
form to produce enough revenue to pay
the expenses of government, relieve the
people as far as possible from unjust tax
alton. and fulfill the Democratic promise.
The Baltimore Ne,cs, with about as
much consistency as the SIN, has been
urging the passage of the Wilson bill and
the defeat of any fair assessment bill. In
regard 10 the Wilson bill it has gone wild,
aed has flooded the state with petitions to
the Maryland Senators to support the bill
lust as it came fFoH the House. The pc
titions have been namereusly signed by the
unthinking and uniformed, but we have no
idea that the movement will have any effect
atAii The great mass oftac people do not
know much about the Wilson bill, and
IL Is very doubtful whether the News ed
itors are any better informed. 1t is in
conceivable how any weil-informed and
intelligent man could desire the passage Of
tariff bill that would produce Treasury
deficit every year. The expenses of gov
eminent must be met. If the money is
not raised by taxation, it mnst be raised by
the sale Of bonds, thus adding annually to