The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-07-21

taxation, great or small, is alike viola
tion of democratic principle and demo-
cratic good faith. hope you will not
consider it intrusive if say something
in relation to another subject, which can
hardly fail to be troublesome to the con-
ference. / refer to the adjustment of
tariff taxation on sugar. Under
our party platform, and in accordance
with our declared party purposes sugar
is legitimate and logical article of rev.
enue taxation. Unfortunately, however,
incidents have accompanied certain
stages of the legi lation which would be
submitted to the conference that have
aroused in connection with this subject.
a national democratic animosity to the
methods and manipulation of the trusts
and combinations. confess to sharing
in this feeling, and yet it seems to me
we ought, if possible. sufficiently to free
ourselves from prejudice to enable us to
cody weigh the considerations which, in
formulating tariff Legislation, ought to
guide our treatment of sugar as a tax
able article. While no tenderness
should be entertained for trusts, and
while am decidedly opposed to grant
ing them, under guise of tariff taxation,
any opportunity to further their par
ticular methods, 1 suggest we ought not
to be driven away from the democratic
principle and policy which lead to the
taxation of sugar, by the fear-quite
likely exaggerated-that in carrying out
this principle and policy we may indi-
directly and ordinarily encourage com
bination of sugar-refining interests. ]
know in the present conditions this is
delicate subject, and l appreciate the
depth and strength OF the feeling which
it's treatment has aroused. / do not he
lieve we should do evil that good may
come, but it seems to me we should not
forget our aim is the com mpletion of the
tariff, and in taxing sugar for proper
purposes and within reasonable bounds,
whatever else may be said of our action,
we are in no danger of running counter
to democratic principles. There must
be in the treatment of this article the
same ground upon which we are all will
ing to stand, where liberation and con-
ciliation may be allowed to solve the
problem without demanding the entire
surrender of fixed conscientious convic-
tions."
ought not to prolong this letter.
If what L have written is unwelcome, 1
beg you to believe in my good inten-
tions. In the conclusions of the confer
ences touching the numerous items
which will be considered, the people
are not afraid that their interests will be
neglected. They know that the general
result, SO far as they are concerned, will
be to place home necessaries and com
forts more easily within reach and to in
sure better and surer compensation to
those whQ toll. We know that a tariff
law, covering all the interests and con-
must, of a necessity. be largely the re-
suit of honorable adjustment and COM
promise.
81 expect very few of US can say, when
your measure is perfected, that all of
its features are en- irely as we would pre-
fer. You know how much 1 deprecate
the incorporation in the proposed bill of
the income tax feature. In matters of
this kind, however, which do not violate
fixed and recognized democratic doc
time, we are willing to defer the jndg-
ment of a majority of our democratic
brethren. 1 think there is a general
agreement that this party duty is more
palpably apparent when we realize that
the business of our country timidly
stands and watches for the results of
our efforts to perfect tariff legislation
that quick and certain return of pros
perity waits upon a wise adjustment,
and that confiding people still trust in
our hands their prosperity and well
being. The democracy of the land
pleads most earnestly for the speedy
completion of the tariff legislation,
which their representatives have under
taken but they demand no less earnest
ly that no stress of necessity shall tempt
their trustees to the abandonment of
democratic principles