Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-08-09

20 pay bis usual vista 20 Leonaritowrl.
Saturday last we called % see him ana
he said that while lss yet, be was 100 weak
10 walk any considerable distance, still bis
strength was returning and he hoped 20
soon be able 10 visit the village and en-
change views with his old friends. Though
confined TO his house Mr.. Harris has kept
up with current events and his views OF,
men and measures are as decided as ever.
We told him that the BEACON would b.
pleased 20 hear from him and Monday last
he favored Us with the following letter
which we think win be read with interest
not only in st. Msry's but also abroad:
ELLENBoRoUeH, August Q, 1894.
Mssrs Editors
The question Of the Tariff il AZ this time
the most prominent. II we could com
msnd revenue sufficient 10 support our
Government from any other legislative
source should certainly favor absolute
Free Trade, but a. we have no such re-
source we are obliged 70 resort 70 taxation,
and the principal plan for raising the ne
cessary funds IL by laying duties on goods
imported from foreign countries. When q
man expresses q wish for Tariff reform, his
expressions leave no impression as to the
kind Of reform he wishes for, and his ex.
pressions viii be considered ambiguous
unless We know him TO be Republican
or Q thoroughbred Democrat. If the form.
er, We recognize high Tariff man, vino Ia
for laying the heaviest duties on imports
for the purpose of giving what 10 called
protection to domestic manufactures, or, In
other words, Is for making laws which will
oblige the people to contribute money to
go into the pockets or vaults Of those soul.
less and covetous corporations and other
so-calied Trusts. III Democrat, he con-
tends that such q system is robbery. and
that no ether system can be allowed ex-
cept such an ono as imposes and collects
Tariff duties for tie purpose Of repeaue only. !"
This has been emphatically declared by
the Democratic party when IL met in con-
vention in Chicago and their declaration Ia
in the following words:
1--WE denounce Republican protection as
a fraud, robbery Of the great majority of
che American people for the benefit of the
few. We declare it to be fundamental
principle Of the Democratic party that the
Federal government has no constitutional
power To impose and collect tariff duties
except for the purpose of revenue only,
and we demand that the collection of such
taxes shall be limited to the necessities of
the government when honestly and eco
nomically administered"
Every writer on political economy OF
any authority from Adam Smith down to
the present time has sanctioned the doc.
trine set forth in the above as the only
true anG honest doctrine All the highest
courts of the many states and United States
have condemned the doctrine and practice
of the Republican party as spoliation and
robbery. / will quote one sentence from
the decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the case of the "Loan As
ISOLATION W the City of Topeka, Goth Wal
lace"
Beyond cavil there can be no lawful
tax which Is not laid for public purpose.
To lay with one hand the power Of the
government on the property OF the citizen.
and with the other bestow Il upon favored
individuals TO aid private enterprise and
build up private fortunes IL none the less
fRar l. H. l. Ar
Of law and Is called taxation"
The convention at Chicago voted for the
platform above quoted and It was believe
unanimously adopted. If / mistake not,
our Senators, Mr.. German and Mr.. Glib
son, and Mr.. Compton and others of the
House of Representatives may have been
members. Presidential nominees were
made TO stand on and advocate the princi.
pies of that platform. Cleveland and Cor.
man were two of the nominees do not
remember any others. They were both
voted for. and of course, they and their nd.
vocates were all bound as honorable
men to adhere TO and support the doc.
trine declared by the Convention to he q
'Jaadamenta! principle" of the Democratic
party"-not TO do so would be as great q
fraud" as is charged In that platform
against the Republican party. For myself
have for long time commended for the
doctrine Of the above platform and when
the presidential nominee was elected and
q vast majority of Democratic Representa-.
tive, and having, as / thought, clear Dem.
ocratic majority Ia the Senate, / was a..
most certain that the Democratic Hercules
would not leave head on the monstrous
Hydra which had been 30 long sucking
and feeding itself with the spoils of the
honest people Of the land to say nothing of
corruption with which II poisoned the sur.
rounding atmosphere. Iobserve, however,
that our Hercules has LEFT one head of the
many the monster had. probably the least
venomous, but still capable OF diffusing too
much poison for comfort or even for safety
/ mean the right of tree 'importatioa Of rae
materials for The benefit Of the nangacso.
ries" l observed that Mr. Cleveland in
his letter of acceptance after his nomina
ton favors this idea. He is, to use his own
word against demoIition-agsinst cutting
of that little head. think this mista
ken notion arising rather from pity than
from hard sense. There is evidently some
seeds of protection in this proposition and
with the cunning aud money which the
manufacturers possess in abundance these
seeds will vegitate and spread worse than
the Russian Thistle. am certainly in "a.