The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-17
THE ISSUE PREsENTEn.

Chairman Wilson has presented his
bill in mastery way, so far as his
strength permitted him to proceed with
his speech. He shows the disadvantages
under which the committee had labored
because of cowardly democrats whose
zeal for reform is in proportion to the
square Of the distance from their own
localities and their own industries" in
addition TO ordinary differences. He
shows that now above all times the
necessity for reform is imperative. The
country is PROSTATE from the results of
vicious STANDARDIZATION which
the people have condemned at the polls,
and which the democratic party was
called upon to repeal. He shows the
deliberate, intentional dissipation Of the
governments resources by the last re-
publican administration for the purpose
of giving an excuse for the continuance
of the great burden of taxation on the
people for the advantage of the tariff
benefciaries. He shows how the mag
nificent surplus accumulated under Mr..
Cleveland's former administration was
thrown away. and additional expenses
were provided in order to prevent
another surplus from being accumulated
by frugal and economical administra-
ton. One cannot refrain from wishing
that Mr. Wilson's strength had per
mitted the completion of this clear ex-
position of the question.
In only one point is any statement
made by him susceptible Of misinter-
probation. He says:
1 do not believe that those who voted
to put the last administration in power
expected any revision from it. in the
direction Of increasing rates The cam
paign Of 1888 was fought on the ques-
ton of reforming and reducing the eX-
listing tariff, and not ON the question OF
revising and raising the tariff of 1888.
No single interest in the country, either
in congress or elsewhere had the hardi-
hood TO assert that il meant TO demand
an increase Of the protection accorded it
by the DILL Of 1888, and 1t was only the
wantonness of self-gTeed, rapacity and
selfshness, and the knowledge that their
demands, no matter how exOrbitant,
would be graciously recorded, that
brought them to Washington in 1890 to
write up, in their own interests, the sue
ceSsive schedules OF the Mckinley bill.
Under the operation of that bill, taxes
in every one of the important schedules
have been mercilessly and needlessly in
creased.
1t is doubtless true that many per-
sons who voted the republican ticket in
1883 had no belief that the republicans
would increase tariff rates as they did
in the Mckinley law. but the platform
of the party certainly declared that they
would. 1t declared that the republicans
would effect all needed reduction OF
the national revenue" by repeating the
taxes on tobacco and spirits used in the
arts, land by such revision of the tariff
laws as will tend to check imports Of
such articles as are produced by our
that and that IS to increase duties. The
platform further said that if further re-
duction were needed they would repeal
all internal revenue taxes rather than
tective system" The Mckinley law
carried out that platform. OF course
many republicans did not anticipate that
the party would do what the platform
said, and this was shown by the ter
rife revolutions of 1890 and 1892. The
protective beneficiaries understood it.
and they demanded and obtained their
pound Of flesh. as Mr.. Wilson says.
The tariff issue has not only been fully
discussed before the people, but the re-
publican side of it has been tried and
rejected. What is wanted now is the
democratic side as presented to the peo-
pie and Endorsed by them.