The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-30
THE INFAMOUS TARIFF BILL.

The game playing by the republicans
in the house is to rush through their
new monster tax bill without due con-
sfderation and due process Of legisla-
zion. This may serve them in the house
but it is to be hoped the plan if pressed
in the senate will fail, will come to
grief. 1t will be a blessed thing for
the country il the Monster is shOrn of
much OF its proportions or if it is alto
sether slaughtered. An increased tax
upon a high tax Of IS per cent. is too
~fntolerably absurd to be c~ountenanced,
supported or defended. The Philadel-
phia Record, noting the haste, says:
"Uuless the plans for jamming the
measure through shall fail it Will be
sent to the senate on April LIST. 1t is a
misnOmer TO call a proceeding of thi.
kind deIiberative Legislation. 1t is q
mere conspiracy to take advantage of
the governments financial necessities
in order to promote the advantage of
the parties to the conspiracy by an
agreed upon arrangement Of tariff
schedules"
The principle of taxation for protec-
ton is wrong, is merciless, is immoral
and unconstitutional. 1t is simply
robbery" declared so by a republican
supreme court. 1t is nothing The
new Measure Is not only fearfL. dras-
tic. oppressive and wicked, but it is
unequal and scores Of articles are tax
ed out OF all proportion to others and
most unintelligently. The bill is be-
Iieved to be unscientihc, and most un-
wise in it's determinations against a
multitude Of articles. 1t is admitted
by it's friends that it taxes very high
articles in daily use. This is the prin-
cfple II the greedy. The common nee
essaries Of life should have but little
tax, while the Injuries should have a
high tax placed upon them. Great
Britain raises some $50, 900, 900 a year
upon tobacco. We fight a protective
tax rs wrong in principle. 1t is the
moss vicious form of class legislation.
1t axe the millions for the benefit of
the thousands. 1t is against right,
honor, morality and law. 1t matters
not who levieS a protective tax it is
wrong, and has been wisely condemned
by the supreme court. The new bill is
the most famou Of all measures
heretofore DEOpOSeu. II OuSiIl " udillll
the party that favors it. and will
damn 1t unless the American people
have lost their sense of justice and
their love of the right. 1t will be a
stone around the neck Of the most
wicked, wreckIess. vicious and venal
party known to American history.
1t is to be hoped that the democrats
in the congress-elected as such-will
not dicker with the protection robbers
upon any plea. There are limitations
that some Of the democrats are dispos-
ed to form some alliance with the rob-
bers that there may be a division of
spoils. If this is done it will be un-
worthily. unwisely, foully done. The
democratic party is a very dishonest
party II it is not an anti-protectiOn
party. 1t has been lying since the
Tilden platform of 1876. s~traightout, if
it Is not truly hostile to the robber
principle whenever and wherever APP
piled. We do not see how it is posi-
bile for any honest. faithful democrat
to ouch with the longest Of political
poles the McKinley-Dingley bill. Mr.. ,
Castle, OF California, rightly said of
this monstrosity that the proper title
with which to designate it should be
T Foster Trusts and to Pauperize ;
and Peonize the Agricultural Labor
ers OF the United States" The prima-
ry object Of the bill, he said, was neith- ,
er to raise revenue nor to encourage
h industries Of the United States, but +:
was designed by it's authors for the
express purpose Of enabling the pow !
erful trusts to stand up the people Of
h country and to legally rob them. !
I'VE are today" Mr.. castle said, 'in
the transitional stage. passing from a !
republican Into the most odious form ,
Of government known in history-a !
rnonied oligarchy."
Success is tn. reward of Merit not /!