Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-13

Those who have sought occasion OF late
totsee perfection in the existing tariff, who
have magnifled every partial step back to
that prosperity the country turned from
when 1t entered into partnership with the
Democratic administration are peculiar,
very peculiar, logicians. il the present
tariff in oil right, Is what the country
needs, why did the Maryland Democratic
state convention insist upon endorsing the
national Democratic platform and the ex-
listing tariff In the same BREATH The tar
If plank in that platform condemns the
existing tariff as severely as 1t did the
Mckinley tariff. Here is what 1t says
1--WE denounce Republican protection
as fraud, q robbery of the great major
ity of the American people for the benefit
of the few We declare 1t to be funda
mental principle of the Democratic party
that the Federal government has no con-
stitutlonal power to impose and collect
tariff duties, except for the purpose of
revenue only; and we demand that the
collection of such duties shall be limited
to the necessities of the government when
honestly and economically administered.
We denounce thu Mckinley tariff law en-
acted by the fifty first Congress as the Gull
minating atrocity of class legislation
1t is indeed refreshing to recall these
things occasionally; refreshing, we mean,
to oil but the Democratic party. Such
recollections no doubt have become very
tlresome to them.
Again, II the existing tariff Is all right
how is this country to pay Its legitimate
was not far from million dollars each Sc
oular day. Since the defeat of the income
tax no proposition whereby this deficit
can be made good has been advanced. We
find none suggested by the recent Demo
cratic state conventions. From a debt
paying policy this administration has
turned toa debt accommodating policy.
We hear no comment or suggestion for re-
lief from those who In ono breath endorse
the existing protective tariff and in the
other endorse a platform that denounces
n protective tariff in toto. And while they
are endorsing both of these antagonistic
positions they occasionally drop words of
appreciation for Messrs Cleveland and Will
son, both of whom denounced the existing
tariff In unmeasured terms and threatened
to change 1t at the next opportunity.
There is not money enough to pay our
soldiers. There arc not funds to meet the
running expenses of the government. We
have spectacle of an appointive officer
refusing to obey the mandates of
law and equity setting Congress at
defiance in refusing to pay the sugar
bounty all because the four or five million
dollars It represents is needed In the treas
ury to tide over embarrassing situations.
We have had inadequate appropriations
and even those cannot be met and for
WHAT For economy That cannot be
tional debt is mounting higher by mil.
lions annually. And yet we are told that
the tariff is all right; that the country
would have gone to the dogs without 1t J
Was there ever before such sublime con-
fldenoc in popular ignoranceY such
comedy of errors? such mass of inconsis-
tencies? such decentralization among those
who ESSAY to manage the affairs of the
greatest country on the face of tho earthS
And yet their prophets are undaunted
and talk on as II the voters had no memo
ry unmindful of the truth to which Abra-
ham Lincoln called attention when he
said the people could not be fooled all of
the time