The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-09-14
ECONOMY THE REMEDY.

ECONOMY THE REMEDY.
The tariff and not silver is again
going to be in issue, unfortunately for
the country. The presidential cam
paign will be fought largely on this
issue, principally because there is no
other. The silver question will cut
some figure, but it will not be the sub
ject matter of the political fight. The
issue is going to be forced by the Re
publican party, and the only one it
has had since the war. and indeed the
only one it seems capable of going
into battle on is the tariff. As we
said, it is unfortunate that this issue
cennot be permanently settled, for the
ever present liability to change unset
ties business.an keeps the country in
turmoil. 1t would be good thing if
the constitution would provide that it
-7conld be changed at stateH fnteryals,
only except in case of war. We do not
believe in protection, other than that
which is incidental to the raising of
revenues; but we do believe that either
protection or free trade would be bet
ter than the present conditions, when
the business of the country is pre-
vented from knowing on what basis it
is to be carried on. We believe the
Wilson bill was a great improvement
on the Mckinley bill, and we believe
the Wilson bill could be improved
upon without great effort, but what we
have would do, if we were certain of
it continuing for any definite time. If
the change only came with the change
of parties the matter would be in the
hands of the voters, but this is not the
case. The Mckinley bill was change
of the tariff made by the Republicans
and scarcely congress convenes but
that the tariff laws are changed. Since
1851 under Republican rule the duties
have been steadily increased, until
from the average of 20 per cent of the
Morrill, tariff they had increased to
about so per cent under the Mckinley
bill, and these in turn were reduced to
about Al per cent by the Wilson bill.
Our Republican exchanges tell us that
the duty is not high enough to provide
revenues for carrying on the govern
ment, and that this is the cause of the
issuing of bonds. We cannot believe
that this is the cause of the trouble.
Previous to the passage of the McKin
ley bill, or up to about 1890, the duties
were lower than under the Wilson bill,
yet with these lower duties the ex-
penses of the government were met
and nearly S2,OOO,OOO, of the war
debt was paid off. How was this done,
when the population and wealth of the
country was but little more than half
what it is now, if our present duties
are too low? If a tariff steadily in
creased during 25 years from 20 per
cent to 45 per cent, produced revenue
enough to conduct the government,
and paid off two-thirds of the war
debt, why viii not Al per cent tariff |
peyi the running expenses of the gov |
5srnhent? The answer is easily found.
q {a4r .55sssssrrs5ss we ITO NOT colleEs3
enough, but thatlwe expend too mucse
's17lJn vast sums to draw from congress
has been too liberal, and the expenses
of the government have been unnec-
essarily increased. We spend $1,000
900 every week day in the year, much
of which is unnecessary. We spend
$500, 900 a day or nearly that for pen
sions, and while we believe in pen
sioning every soldier who is entitled
to it, by reason of wounds OR sickness
incurred while on duty, we believe
further that the pension list which
should be roll of honor is loaded
down with undeserving parasites.
There are many other bad leaks that
in the aggregate make large sums.
The remedy for the present condition
spending less. In the department of
Justice there are bad leaks as everyone
who has given the matter any atten-
ion must know. A deputy United
/ 4
Of SO day, arresting alleged viola
Iors OF the law against selling liquor
20 Indians and carrying them to Port
and, and he was not alone. Pendle-
on had similar case, and half dozen
,ther points in Eastern Oregon were
INTO the same game. 1t has been esti-
mated that each of these Indian cases
.ost the government 5000, and in less ;
han a year Eastern Oregon cost the :
government not less than 800, 600
Judge Bellinger put a stop to this in =
his section but it still goes in other
districts. This is, of course. COM
'arati~ely small leakage, but we call
.ttention to it because it is so well 7
,nown to all our readers. The cost of
unning the government is too great, q
nd the manner of correcting the de- ;.
cit is not by taxing the people more, /
nut by expending their money judi q
iSasly, economically and honestly. :,
matters not how much income one 9
lay have, whether it be $40 day, or !,
10000: if a greater amount is ex- Y
ended than is received, the result will +
g bankruptcy, and that is what we, as +,
nation, are courting.
MLNERAL LANDS.
The making of grants 'of immense n