The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-29

campaign In Ohio, Secretary sherman
has published his views in the shape of
the following letter addressed to the ed
itor OF the Cincinnati Volksblatt:
Department OF State,
"Washington, Oct. 20, 1897,
ITO L. Markbreit, ESQ. Cincinnati o.
"MY DEAR SIR.-Your note of the
asd instant, In which you request my
views Of the coming election in Ohio and
IN Hamilton county, is received. have
carefully observed the PROCESS or the
canvass with increasing interest as It
advanced and can hardly express In
language my appreciation OF Its Import
ance. My chief regret Is that could
not personally participate in It, as by
usage carefully observed from the days
of Jefferson to this time the secretary
OF state is precluded from actively shar-
ing in political discussion other than
foreign affairs.
II look upon the pending canvass in
Ohio as a re-trial OF the issues involved
in the election OF 1896. State issues, II
any, do not seem to be the subject OF
debate. Naturally the first is now
whether the first administration OF VIM.
Mckinley is approved by the people OF
Ohio. Upon this question there ought
not to be any difference Of opinion HIS
prompt calling together the Congress of
the United States to provide requisite
revenue for the support OF the govern
ment and his recommendation OF the
prompt repeal Of the indefenslble tariff
law known as the Wilson German law
has met with general approval. The re-
vival OF all industries and the com
mencement OF prosperity in all parts OF
the United States was the natural and
necessary result OF the action Of the
President and Republican Congress.
TARIFF DISCUSSION.
"The tarlff laws have been the sub
sect Of discussion from the days Of
Washington to the days of Mckinley.
From the time entered Congress in
1855 to this hour have at every cleo
tlon heard. both in and out OF Congress.
Of the respective merits of a revenue
tariff and a protective tariff. and upon
these questions the two great parties
have taken opposite sides. The Morrill,
tarlff, passed in March, 1861, Is the text
OF the policy OF protection to our Amer
lean Industries, and though greatly
changed from time TO time to meet new
conditions, II still forms the ground
work OF the policy or the Republican
party In respect to the tariff.
"Thls act was passed at a period OF
development with light taxes and in
creaslng population. The average
yearly expenses OF the national govern
ment from 1870 to 1860. including the
expenses Of the Mexican war, were
about $50, ,00O,000 The civil war changed
all this. Its cost has been stated as
over six thousand million dollars. To
meet this enormous demand, the duties
on imT orted good were greatly increas-
ell and internal taxes In almost every
form were levied on domestic products
and upon the income OF individuals and
corporations. The ascertained national
debt at the close OF the war was S2,740,-
O00,00O but this was greatly enlarged by
claims afterwards presented ana by the
most liberal pensions ever provided by
law. In the face of these obligations
and expenditures the interest of the
debt, and every year from 1866 to 1893.
Il portion OF the principal, of the public
debt was paid, thus reducing II to s96l,-
43l,7 on the Ist OF July. 1893.
I'm 1880 Congress passed what is
known as the Mckinley tarln act, which
was q careful revision Of all existing
revenue laws. II largely reduced inter-
nal taxes and carefully revised the tar
IN laws then in force. If II had remain
ed on tho statute book 10 this time, the
policy OF protection and debt paying
wou,d have largely reduced the public
debt and prevented the severe strin-
gency that followed It's repeal
ut Is the declared purpose OF the Re-
publican party to restore and maintain
the policy embodied In the Mckinley
tariff net IN the recent tartf act known
rs the Dlngley tarlh. II is unfortunate
that the beneficial provisions OF the lat
ter act cannot be In full operation for Il
year or more, owing to excessive impor-
t0tl0ny under the Wllson-Gormhn act.
but confidently believe that within n
year Under the present law the revenue
Of tho government viii be ample to pay
not Only current expenditures, but n
large sum in reduction OF the public
debt To secure this desirable result
the Republican party must be sustained
not only In Ohio, but In the United
States.
MONETARY MATTERS.
Another question Of public policy OF
equal Importance to the tariff Ia what IL
known no the FREQ coinage Of silver with
out regard to its market value or the
great commercial nations al The world.
Silver and gold have sinoc tho framing
NJ the constitution been the standard
coins N our cJuntry-but the rclntlvo
market value " each has changed from
time 10 time. The coinage ratio of the
dollar n the ounce OF gold aB The eluyn-
lent Of 10 ounces Of silver. In the cOln-
0ge OF parts VI dollars the ratio Of gllyef
90 gold Ia about n ounoee OF oliver to ! Of
gold, but the legal tender Of such minor
coin In limited 10 ten dollars Within
tho past twunty years, the market price
OF silver bullion has reduced moro than
one half NO that one ounce NJ gold In now
equal IN value TO 20 ounces Of silver.
Notwithstanding this wide diversity "
thc market value of the money metals Of
tho United Btatea oil the leading COM
murclal nntiona OF the world have maln-
tainOd their silver coins without change.
This was done, ana could only bc done by
limiting the ugc of the ehefBef metal and
by oHning only on government nccOunt,
n Ia now proposed nn the cardinal prlncl.
plo NJ scattered parties that the holder
" any silver bulhon without regard to
ltH market value may present II 10 the
mint tU have II coined into dollars and