The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-17
TARIFF REDUCTION By THE CON.
GRESS.

Some of the political newspapers are
talking as if the tariff tax reduction
was indeed a %foregone conclusion. The
Messenger would rejoice if this was
true. There is at least a proba-
bility of "a reduction even if boss Hanna
does his utmost to prevent 1T. There
are probably enough of republicans
with the aid of honest, genuine demo-
Gratis to suit down the huge monster
that Mckinley and Company fastened
upon the American people for the bene-
fit of a BENEFICIARY class.
Where will Mckinley stand when
the battle for reform and relief and re-
duction is fought in the mex congress?
Will he continue to nod is Hanna
winks, or will he favor genuine tariff
reform? 1t is now held by some in
Washington that Mckinley will en-
deavor to silence all republican kickers
and put his big DOT down on all tariff
tinkering," a favorite phrase with
the greedy and unconscionable monop-
olists. But it is known that McKin-
ley is rather soft upon what is cher
ished in certain political circles as the
reciprocity MISUNDERSTANDING the tar
if in certain directions to please par
ticular countries who in turn will ia
vor the republicans in their campaign
Of greed and grab. There must be no
reduction but an abundance of "reci-
procity." Blaine, it will be remem-
bered, coddled that idea. The Wash
ington correspondent of the Chicago
Record-Herald recently wrote of the
difficulties in the way of inducing Nc
Kinley to oppose all tariff changes.
He said:
'HThis will be difficult, if not impos-
sible. because President Mckinley, as
loyal a protectionist as there is in the
republican party, is himself Of the
opinion that notifications in the tar
iff must be made to meet changed con-
ditions and that it is wise for the re-
publican party to make them volun-
tarily at the next presidential cam
paign. In other words, President Nc
Kinley is a strong believer in the re-
ciprocity theory, n considers it the
best policy to promote the foreign
trade by exchanging tariff concessions
with the countries whose markets we
are ScchluS. IL IcdllZCA IIldt we nave
to cut down duties sooner or later"
But what power has the president to
bring about reciprocity? Can he Of
his own volition cause such a change?
Is he really greater than the congress?
There is no doubt of the burdensome,
wicked, immoral character of the Nc
Kinley-Dingley tariff tax, the most
.r;.I;~- - Ill o44, -
that direction. The Washington Post,
an able daily, republican at bottom,
but with some sporadic independence.
gently had this:
That the tariff needs revisinr
numerous schedules is almost unani-
mously conceded. The looping off of
all duties that are not needed for pro-
lection of domestic labor and are not
productive of revenues is the most pop
ular proposition before the country.
Such duties are absolutely indefensi-
BILE, and their maintenance until an
other election occurs would be fatal to
republican success. 1t would confirm
the widely prevalent and deep-Seated
conviction that the republican party
is in alliance with and is controlled by
the tariff-protected trusts"
1T is indeed a contamination most
devoutly t o be wished" that this harsh
and robber iniquity shall be curtailed
in power and rascality. 1t will be a
blessed thing for the American tax
payers to have this great burden even
lifted in part. But congress must do
the work honestly, bravely, rigidly. Do
not leave it with Mckinley and Hanna
and the other Kitchen Cabinet"
Great and radical canges are impera-
lively needed. The robbery has gone
on quite long enough. The people in
five a have been robbed literally
for the enrichment of a favored hungry
class of many hundreds of millions of
dollars in taxes under the robber tax
system of he president.
The Post does not favor III revision
to be done by the president. 1t asks:
"Shall the work be performed in har-
mony with the letter and spirit of the
constitution, or in a clearly
.violative of the spirit and inharmoni-
Gus with the letter? Many OF our con-
temporaries coustrue remarks made by
President Mckinley inc he left Wash
ington into an earnest plea for tariff
revision. lot by congress. but by reci-
procity treaties.
Our Chicago contemporary. the Tri,