Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-01-16
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
SOME SOUND TRUTHS THAT
CANNOT BE ASSAlLED.
The FaIse-Pretense Republican Congress
Taking Back Water at Every Move
The Question of Cash In Two Admin
istrstiouS.

1Stf&e1OnS.
Chicago Chronicle, Dec. %: A Wash
ington correspondent who claims to
have his information from the inside
says that Dingley's committee pro-
poses ito make absolutely no changes
in the tariff ~for protection purely.
avoiding general revision and pro-
ceeding on the revenue theory ex-
clusiveIy''
He then gives particulars which snow
the falsity OF the pretense that the COM
mlttee intends to proceed on the rev.
enue theory exclusively To begin
with, he says the plan is to put go per
cent OF the Mckinley rates on wool and
wooden goods. There would be some
revenue in that Undoubtedly. There
would be about $a6 ,O00, 600 if the i'm
ports should be as large as they were
IN 1893 under the mckinley law. But
OF that there wouIl be no certainty. If
they should be as large the increase
over the receipts last year under the
present law would be about $S,OOO,OOO
From this point out there is prec-
lous little revenue in the scheme. 1t
is proposed to increase the present
duties 25 per cent On animals, barley,
nay, eggs. and dairy products All
these articles produced only $2,559,OOo
IN 1898 under the Mckinley high rates
The proposed increase on present rates
would not bring Ia more than $40O,O0o
at the most. Next it is proposed to
put 60 per cent of the Mckinley rates
on lumber and all articles in the wood
schedule. THAI might bring an addl-
tional million.
1t cannot be pretended seriously that
all this tinkering is for revenue. Ii
that We're the real object it could be &C
complished far more easily by hori-
zontal increase or by duties on tea and
! coffee, which would be purely for rev.
enue. The purpose is protection
and such a combination as the repub-
hcans think will be most serviceable
for log rolling purposes and bringing
In the campaign fat. This purpose
| could not be made palmer if it were
| expressly declared. Everybody can see
it, because if revenue were the object
there is beer, from which 100000, 900
could be had by passing a law of half
| dozen lines.
If the republicans really think, as
they have continually protested to do.
that the people have sent them to
| Washington with instruction to restore
the Mckinley law why are they so
cowardly about it? Why does not Mr..
Dingley's committee bring in little
| bill restoring the Mckinley law as a
whole? They could pass that as easily
as they can pass mixed and tangled
bill providing for 60 per cent of some
of the existing schedules?
And why are they so cowardly as to
offer their proposed halfway return to
McKin1eyism as a temporary emer-
gency measure only? Why do they
propose that their increase on existing
rates shall expire by limitation in two
and a half years? If they really be-
lieve, as they pretend to do. that the
people are crazy for McKinleyism again
there can be no possible excuse for such
| cowardly halfway business and for such
a promise to restore what they have
been denouncing as the ''ruinous Will
son-Gorman tariff in two and a half
years from now.
| By the way, this promise to reduce
excessive duties after the passing of
the emergency calling for them is an
| old piece of republican guile. When
| duties were greatly increased during
luO civil Wal W luLSEudl
taxes on nearly everything the repub-
licans solemnly promisedsto restore the
low rates as soon as the exfgency
should pass and the internal taxes on
| merchandise should he abolished. They
never kept their promise. They abol-
ished the internal taxes and, forget
ting their fine promises. they put the
tariff taxes for private revenue higher.
They are trying to confidence the peo-
| pie in the same way again and making
the most of the WAT furore for that
purpose.
Questions of Cash.