The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-06
The @essen9er.
THE PEOPLE KEeTIVE-THE
GREAT ROBBER TAX.

Already there Is a growing belief
that the next election win show re-
verses for the rabid radical party. Tom
Reed is showing thai he understands
the situation, and is prophesying OF
for his party. His own high
handed abuse Of power, the infatuated
course of the trust agents in both
houses, the enormous tariff tax recent
Iy placed upon a very heavily bur-
dened country all combine to cause a
reaction against the party that tri-
umphed last year and now controls all
three divisions of the government.
There are signs of distress already,
and there are portents and omens in
the political skies hat mean distur-
Dances and reverses for the greedy,
remorseless robber gang now in power.
So be it. Then the people are disap-
pointed. The great a of prosperity
has not come. The promises have not
been fulfilled. But for a
and merciful Providence in sending
such abundant crops there would be
meanings and wide distress and loud
curses in this land. 1t is remarkable
how the oppressors neglect the farm
ers always in their legislation, and yet
are the first to rejoice and hurrah over
the great crops in which they had no
hand whatever in producing. TAKE the
new tariff. It has nothing good in it
for the farmer, but taxes him greatly
in scores of articles he must use.
there will be a reaction, we hope, in
- next election. People are learn
We were told Saturday of three
T. y3ons who voted against silver last
ycar-one a merchant in this city
who say they are for silver hereafter.
republicans themselves are not
confident. The whole gang, and a Few
democrats. voted together for the huge
robber tax. But they e results.
They see the handwriting on the wall.
They are not wholly satisfied with re-
suits. Some are said to be mortified
over the course of their party, and
think legislation has been unwise as
wiled by the bosses, Mckinley urging
On the bad work. The able Philadel-
phia American says:
-"Threats of revolt are ever INDUCED
in. for in threats, threats to revolt at
dictation, even though they may be
EMMY. men find relief for wounded
feelings of self-pride and Importance.
But when self-preferment hangs IN the
balance, self-pride is prone to axe a
fall. And so it is that we have threats
of party revolt vanish in noise and
smoke.
Thus is was with the threats of re-
volt with the threats to defeat the
conference report on the tariff, should
it be found to grant to the sugar trust
more protection than that granted by
the hous bill. The tariff conferees
did report a bill granting to the sugar
trust this additional protection, but
there was no revOl Republicans VINO
had vehemently protested agalnst CIV
the sugar trust any additional ia
vors. who vehemently asserted that
they would never vote for a conference
report extending such favOrs, did vote
for such report, lined up with their
partv leaders and adopted the confer
ence report without a protest. Not one
republican recorded his dissent by vot-
ing against the report"
The bad bill became a law. 1t was
carried through under pressure. The
sell-out to the giant uga trust am
other greedy trusts, was most COM
Dlete. The minority had no power to
prevent if it had been united and we'll
handled. But there were a few de-
~serters and a split among those who
opposed the monster bill. In the house
Reed ruled them out. The bill was
hurried through and the republican
party must reap the consequences. 1t
is generally and correctly held to be
the very worst tariff bill that was eve
]concocted. The sugar bill that passed
is a worse bill. perhaps, than the orig
inal Dingley bill as first reported. 1t
more favor-a higher tax-to the
sugar trust than the Dingley bill gave.
The American, thoroughly we'll posted,
9TH owners of sugar trust shares
have good reason to be pleased with
the tariff fixed up in conference COM
mittee. Not My does it increase the
differential of protective duty very
considerably above hat given by the
mouse OIL. Dul IL IuCIedSeS IAic
on all higher grades of sugar,
raw and refined. And his is greatly to
the advantage Of the trust hat has
imported during the past six months
/, 800, OO0, 900 pounds of raw g in ex-
cess of present requirements. The duty
on this sugar, 40 per cent. ad
valorem, comes to less than 80 cents a
hundred pounds. The duty under the
new law would be twice as much"
If this drastic, oppressive bill does not
eventually cause the American voters
to reject and repudiate the republican
party, hen the said voters richly de-
serve to bear the heavy burden i'm
posed by the robbers. They deserve
tt grunt and groan under the weary
load of taxation laid upon them by
the agents of trusts and combines.