Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-04-05

tarded importatious are checked and
revenues diminish; hence the strictly
revenue tarin can never he depended
upon in an emergency. !mportations
are reduced 10y the fact that the party
i'm power is pledged % decrease the
duties Those who otherwise would
import goods are influenced not To
do SO now because the present ad-
miuistration is committed to the policy
of lowering the duties from "A pro-
tcctive to a revenue basis Merchants
win not import goods at go per
cent rate when the government is
pledged to Il so per cent rate, nor
can home manufacturers produce with
safety under such conditions I'M
portvrs will wait for the lower duties,
and while 50 waiting impurtatious will
declining with the inevitable result,
which we now see, OF greatly dimin-
i>hcd revenue
"T'he government requires a large
annual income "a meet it's current eN-
pcnSes This can only he secured by
taxation. Some form Of taxation to
provide necessary revenue is INSOFAR
able to all governments. IT must either
hc direct or taritf taxation We must
either tax ourselves and our property.
our lands ana our investments, or we
must tax the products of other nations
seeking a market here The latter
method is reSorted to by all nations
and has been our chief means of rails
ing revenue since the government was
founded The prevailing wide
spread distress emphasizes the ncccs-
sitv for enlightened public policy and
wise craftsmanship. The Indifference
which has been too prevalent for
many years has given place TO a deep
and absorbing interest in public af-
fairs The masses of the people are
considering economic questions more
earnestly than over before and are
aroused 10 their Importance as affect
ing their own individual happiness
and prosperity TO wisely guide them
calls for the exercise of the highest
wisdom, coolest Judgment, and pWest
patriotism No party can be safely
trusted with these sacred interests OF
the people or the control of the govern
ment without it possess fixed, hon
est and enlightened purpose. Single
ness Of purpose is necessary to every
reform Indispensable tu wise admin
iStration and legislation. The want OF
this quality is the inGrmity of the
present administration and the present
congress. Their victory was due TO
discomfort Of every kind. 1t was not
the result of unity of purpose, or of
lofty and united public sentiment II
was the outcome of misguided judg-
mCnt. piquc, passion and prejudice.
The majority Of those who voted for
Mr. Cleveland and the present demo
cratic congress did not agree upon
any principle or policy. They had
their several different reasons for OPP
position TO the republican party and
their temporary union was not in
spirud by devotion TO democratic prn-
ciplcS, purposes or policies Frce-silyer
men voted the democratic ticket; OPP
poncnts to free silver, or to any silver
i'm our circulation medium. voted if;
the widest innationists. as wen as
those inhcxibly opposed TO every form
of imitation of our currency, voted 1t;
the protcctioniSt voted II because he
did not believe the democratic leaders
would be reckless enough TO disturb
'hc tariff; the free trader voted it In
the belief that the democratic leaders
would dcmoliSh all cuStom-houseS and
iuauguratp unrestricted commerce with
all the world the singletaX men, the
disciples of Henry George voted it,
while thousands who hate all such
yugaricS voted il; the silver standard.
the gold standard, the double stand
ard. the paper money advocates and
the advocates of state bank money
voted il: pensioners voted it and those
who were certain that the democratic
leaders could be counted upon to wipe
ont all pensions voted it. And wheI
II was all over and the victory was
won by these various antagonistic and
coutcudng elements, the realization Of
their hopes and the enactment of any
legislation for the good Of the coun-
try were of course found to be utterly
impossible Failure and disappoint
mcnt were bound to follow an admin
isration and congress thus chosen,
and the whole country suffers as a
result. The administration and con-
gress are without compass or rudder.
Before they have accomplished any.
thing while they are yet wrangling
about what they will do-the people
have become so dissatisfied as to burn
with Impotence for an opportunity to
repudiate them A general election
was never before so much desired as
now, and never so much needed The
altogether too common idea that there
is in fact little difference between the
two parties, and that the country will
prosper equally well whichever may
be in power, has been completely ok
plOded by one years trial Of the demo
cratic party. That difference has beer
shown to be so vast as TO fill the
country with establishment 1t is q
greater question than who shall hold
the offices In fact II has been demon