The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-10
SEN. GORMAN SUGGESTS A
PLATFORM FOR DEMOCRACY

Washington August 6.--(Special)-SeN
stc, Gcrn,1i IN DIS talk WA tn" newspa-
Der men on his return from Europe sue
Cessf,ly parried all questions as to his
candidacy for the presidency, but his
reply to the question as to what he re-
garded as the paramount issues for next
years campaign Is being much discussed
in Washington. There's a reforma ton
of the tariff for one thing" said Senator
German, economy for another, honesty
honesty in public places--is the other"
In this sentence the Maryland senator
suggested What nany democrats believe
viii be three ieaulng plank5 in next
years platform. They believe that tariff
reform, economy and honesty would be
three OF the best battle cries with which
The. democrats could 20 into next years
fight Despite the dissatisfaction of many
republicans in all parts OF the country
with the present trust-shetering Dngley
law, with it's high taxes on the materials
used by American manufacturers and
with it's collection from the people of 500
900 per year more than is necessary
to meet government expenses, it is certain
that the republican party cannot be trust
ed to make any move in the direction of
tariff reform. The revisionists in that
party are being quoted with vague prom
Uses of action after the presidential ele-
ton. When that election is over, how
ever, the standpatters will find some
other excuse for delay and if the country
must wait for a revision of the tariff
until it is made by the republicans there
is little prospect of anything being done
for years to como.
German and the Tariff.
g
declaration in favor of tariff reform as
one of the leading issues for the next
campaign will occasion some surprise, for
the Maryland senator has been accused
by superficial observers of not being
an advocate of lower tariff taxes. and
his record on the Wilson bill Is pointed
to as iustifyng this accusation. Senator
German S course on the Wilson bill how
ever will stand the closest scrutiny. 1t
is a matter of history that that bill when
finally enacted into law and emaScuated
by the decision of the supreme court on
its income tax feature, failed to produce
sufficient revenue for the needs of the
governments How much worse it would
have been and how much larger the bonds
issues of the second Cleveland admins
tration would have been if the Maryland
senator had not kept the fiscal needS
of the government q lew at all times
can only be imagined. Had the income
tax fea tire remained in the law 1t would
have yielded ample revenues, but not
excessive.
Conditions are more favorable for re-
duction of customs taxes than they were
in 1894 when the Wilson law was enact
ed The expenses of the government nave
been unnecessarily increased by the eX-
travasant appropriations that have
marked the past few years, but the reve-
nue. producing power OF the country mas
EXPANDED in even greater proportion.
A low average OF tariff taxes would yield
a much higher total OF revenue than was
the case nine years ago. Further imam
this when Senator German and his assoc
ciates We're insisting that the Wilson Dill
rates should be kept up to the proper
revenue producing point they could count
on only $l43 600 600 from internal revenue,
while the internal revenue recelpls ., a0r
the last fiscal year amounted to over $780,
600 900 and they are still rapidly increas-
ing.
Policy of Democrats.
Tariff reform. economy and honesty.
The three are closely interrelated. Tariff
taxes which take from the people money
in large excess Of the needs of the gov
eminent afford a constant temptation to
extravaganza and dishonesty. In the
opinion Of many democrats the party can
do no better than to take it's stand for
noIicv that will not take from the pockets
of the people more money than the gov
ernment needs and will see to it that the
money collected is economically and hon
estlv administered. The record of the re-
nubIican party since the close Of the
Spanish war makes the time very oppor-
tune for the adoption of such policy by
the democrats The Dingley law ha.
taken from the people and piled up In tho
treasury hundreds of millions of dollars
that the government has not needed. De-
snite the wasteful extravaganza and the
downright dishonesty that has prevailed
an available cash balance OF more
than $500 coo, 900, which by skillful book
keeping is reduced IN the published state
nents TO s230, 900 900 has been piled up in
the treasury. while Secretary Shaw and
Secretary Gage, before him, are on record
as saving that $4,000 1000 would form a
sufficient working balance for the treas
urv 1t IS not strange that republican
senator's and representatives IN the inter-
ests of the beneficiarieS of the Dfngley
law have appropriated money IN the most
wildly extravagant manner in the vain
effort to cut down the growing surplus.
II is not strange that men OF little moral
Stamina in the governments service have
taken advantage of the opportunities at
forded by the lavish extravaganza or the
government and have sought to enrlch
Themselves by divisions with favored con-
tractors Senator Germans declaration
for tariff reform economy and honesty Is
most timely
CLEVELAND TO MEET HANNA.
M. yry;I1 D;cc,,cc the Tabor Problem