The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-03-17
THE TREASURY DEFICIT.
and Republican ExtravaRancs
the Cause.

Inc 6encit NOW existing In the United
States treasury Is the direct result of
republican legislation and republican
administration, not of one republican
administration, but as the legitimate
result of the03pplication of false eco
nomic theories applied year after year
in moro and moro extreme form and of
false ideas of the purpose and Office of
government.
But even yet protection and paternal-
ism has not borne its worst fruits
About two more republican admins
trations, without democratic interval
for repairs and reform. would have
been required to undermine and de-
government of this republic was oriRi-
nally founded, and to bankrupt the ma
ton and bring about revolution.
lT he ways and means committee of
THE house of representatives is supposed
to frame laws and devise methods for
raising revenue to defray the public ex-
penses of the nation. and the api,ropria-
tons con.aittec supcrvises the nation
n expenditures, and both committees
are supposed to give careful attention
to tho necessities of the government
and to conform the revenues and the
appropriations therefor but in the last
republican congress tho needs of the
government did not enter into the cal
culations or control the legislation
planned and directed by either commit
tee.
The ways and means committee, pre-
sided over by Mr.. Mckinley, framed
bill bearing the name of its chairman,
which was cunninGly devised to oper-
ate in restraint of trade by prohibit
ing, SO far as possible. all foreign i'm
portations and securing the control of
American markets to domestic trusts
and monopolies organized to force
down the prices Of the farmers raw
prices of food products to the consumer,
and rob and tax for their own private
gains the masses of the people upon all
articles of manufacture which by aid
of prohibitive tariff these trusts We're
enabled absolutely to control.
The first step in the Development of
the protect tive, Or trade prohi bitive,
idea was based upon the constitu tional
right Of the government to levy a tariff
for revenues. If such a tariff afforded
incidental protection to home manu-
facturers it could not be successfully
attacked as unconstitutional. because
its chief object was to raise revenue for
the support of the government.
But gradually the trade monopolists
grew holder. and their political tools
advanced and extended the doctrine of
protection. pure and simple, intrench-
ing it behind the revenue idea, but APP
plying it in a manner to work restraint
''protectcsi'' industry demanded more,
and SO Ions; as any importations what
ever were possible under any tariff
schedule, this fact was urged as a
reason for increasing the tariff tax to q
rate which should work absolute pro-
hibition of imports. And as, under this
doctrine, all articles which could not be
grown or manufactured in this coun-
try were placed on the free list and not
taxed at all. the tendency was constant
ly to decrease the amount of revenue
while increasing the tribute that the
people were compelled to pay to pri-
vate monopolies for all necessaries of
life except those not produced at homo
in sufficient quantities.; and even upon
sugar, though freed from tariff taxa
ton. they were compelled to pay a tax
in tho form of bounty to the home
producer.
The browning infamy in the develop
bill, which, coupled with the extrava-
CANT appropriations of the Reed con-
gress, is directly responsible for the
present dangerous condition of tho
United States treasury.
The Mckinley bill is framed to pre-
vent the accumulation of revenue. by
prohi biting importations, and thus to
work restraint of trade. The people
will remember that it is the Mckinley
law, now in force, which fails by ten
million dollars every month to provide
the treasury with sufficient means to
meet the obligations that were created
at the same time by a repu blican con-
gress: while the people, because of this
same Mckinley law, are forced to r,ay
millions into the Golfers of trusts and
monopolies, which sums. if paid into
the national treasury instead, would
fill it constantly to OVERLOOKING and
soon extinguish the national debt.
AT the common law, q contract in re-
straint of trade is void, as being
against public policy and welfarc; but
republican legislation has legalized
and encouraged restraint of trade to
tho injury Of the public welfare.
1t is this condition of things, made
almost impregnable by long success,
with which the present democratic adj
ministration has to deal. 1t requires
courage and hard fighting to bring
about reform, and it demands the exer-
else of patience on the part of the peo-
pie. Great reforms are accomplished
gradu ally, and so it will be with tariff
reform. We must patiently but per-
sistently and steadily undo the wrongs
that have been done to the people, in
the name of specious, but false and
vicious principles and doctrines. kan
sas City Times.
Cause CT the Deficit.
Republican tariff legislation injured
trade and reduced revenues. Republic
an extravaganza wiped out the surplus
and substituted a deficit. Republican
bullion buying made the mass of idle