Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-03-20
AT IT AGAIN.
REPUBLICAN CoNGREssMEN TRY TO
INCREASE TAXES

Forcing n High Tariff Measure
Through the House on the Pretext
That tho Government Needed Ad.
ditional Revenue-A Big Bluff by
McKinlcyltes.
In spite of Speaker Reeds desire for
conservative action ON the tariff, in
spite of the warnings of such stauncb
Republican papers as the Chicago Tri-
| bune and st. Louis Globe-Democrat,
and in spite of tho protest Of the bust.
ness interests Of the country against
high tariff tinkering, the House OF
Representatives has passed bill pro.
viding for general increase of customs
duties fifteen per cent. higher than
under the present law. duty of
sixty per cent. of the Mckinley tariff
duty is imposed on wool and lumber,
now fell, and the rate on woolens OF
| oil kinds is also raised to sixty per
cent. of the Mckinley law, an increase
of about thirty per cent.
This precious high taxation measure
was forced through tho House with
only four hours for discussion, under
the pretenco that it was necessary to
provide for deficiency in tho public
revenues. Tho Republicans claimed
that moro money was needed to meet
tho expenses of government, and on
that ground they justified their at-
tempt to restore the trade restrictions
which were largely abolished by tho
Wilson tariff. No argument was
made from tho old infant industry,
protection-against-pauper-labor stand.
point, but the great advance in duties
was defended as a revenue measure.
With total disregard of the rights OF
tho sixty-five millions of people to q
hearing on measure which protested
to increase their taxes $40, 900. 600
annually, Gar Reed enforced his
famous 'gag rule" and the obedient
Republic partisans fell in line and
voted to undo all the good work ac-
complished by the previous Congress.
Hypocrisy is SO large part of the
stock-in-trnde of protectionists that
sheil attempt sS iot::-: McKinleyism
under the pretext of providing more
revenue deceived no one. AS was
clearly shown by the Democratic Rep
rcsentatives, there is now in the Pub
lie Treasury cash balance of $780,
0OO, GOO, sum ample to meet any de-
ficiencies which may arise for years to
come. With that large sum on hand,
it is useless for the Republicans to
pretend that higher taxes are needed
to furnish money for public purposes.
The revenue provided by the Wilson
tariff has been steadily increasing with
the restored prosperity which has fol-
lowed the Mckinley panic. With the
still greater industrial activity which
the country will experience next
year, the customs and internal revenue
taxes will be ample for all Legitimate
expenses. The attempt to enact q high
tariff for revenue purposes is therefore
entirely uncalled for, md is dishon-
est fraud which oil intelligent people
will easily SEQ through.
If tho alleged purposes of tho fath-
crs of tho new tariff arc thus worthy
OF condemnation, what shall be said of
their real intentions? That the great
business interests, which have just re-
covered from ono protection panic,
nre again to be unsettled by the threat
OF increased duties, is bad enough.
Fortunately, the injury to trade and
industry will not be SO great
as it would be if thero
was q protectionist i'll tho White
House. But the willingness of tho
representatives of trusts and monopo-
lies to heap moro taxes on the millions
of American consumers, is rs evident
rs though they had power to carry out
their iniquitous schemes. They de-
claro it to be their policy to put tax
on tho wool from which the peoples
clothing is made, and heavier tax on
the manufactured cloth. They want
to tax the farmer and worlsingman on
the lumber for his home, in order to
benefit the Lumber Combine, md %
few great timber land owners. They
are anxious to force up prices by shut
ting out foreign goods, which through
competition with domestic products
enable the consumer to buy moro
cheaply. They want not only to make
the users of foreign manufactures to
pay more for them, but also to in
crease the cost of all goods made in
this country. And if aided by tho
people to elect Republican Presi-
dent this year, they will most assur-
eddy put in force all the high taxes
which they now threaten.
Only three years ago the American
people said they were tired of McKin-
leyism. They had tried it and were
disgusted with its operations. They
said very emphatically that they
wanted no moro of it. Can it be pos
sible that they have SO soon changed
their minds? WHIDDEN GRAHAM.