Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-03-02

should be demanded: and tins de-
mand should be intensified by a
situation which plainly discloses
the shelter and aid that existing
tariff laws afford to huge mOnopo-
listic business combinations which
menace the sturdineSs of our cit
izenship by closing against the in
dividual the door of independent
industrial enterprise.
On this subject, expressed in
general terms. Mr.. Cleveland is in
accord with large majority of
American voters, and there can be
no doubt but that in many essen
tials the tariff laws need revision as
well as the schedules of rates. This
reform has been promised us in
various Republican party platforms
in recent years, but powerful influ-
ences have 50 conSpired as To con-
troll the party and prevent action,
while leaving no hope of reform
from a Republican source. The
only fear felt by the majority of
the people. who want to have the
schedules of the tariff 50 arranged
as to produce ample revenues for
the support of the Government
when economically administered,
is aS to the extent of the changes
that might be insisted upon, or
where the reducing process might
stop. \ large proportion of the
Republican party regard tariff re-
form a necessary: a contingent of
that party favOring tariff reform.
believe that whatever changes are
made in the schedules should be
made in and by the Republican
party. This Is an illuSory hope.
We have seen how these Repubh-
can tariff reformerS have within a
brief period been whipped into line
by the controlling element of the
party organization for we all re-
member how eX-Spee ker Hender-
son. of Iowa. was turned down and
many others of his allies were given
their quietus politically 10y methods
resembling the operation of a ban
dit gang who enforce quiet by
rap over the skull of the victim
with a hammer or bludgeon.
Upon the subject of the public
expenditures, Mr.. Cleveland Is GER
tainly in accord with his party.
The reckless extravaganza i'm the
public expenditures. as conducted
by the Republican party and its
more recent administrations of the
| Government. Is known to all men
and the condemnation of it 10y the
people is rapidly assuming such
proportions a TO excite alarm i'm
the party ranks. outside of the few
who are the benefciaries of Repub-
| ican prodigality. And it is upon
the basis of wasteful public eXpen-
| ditures that any excuse exists for
| the present tariff schedules. Upon
this subject also Mr.. Cleveland 5
utteranceS are explicit He says:
Nothing Is more peremptorily
eXacted by the creed of genuine
| Democracy than economy in pub
lie expenditure; and this we
should unequivocally pledge to the
lpeople. Such a pledge naturally
grows out of Democratic belief
that the money received from the
people for the support of their Gov
ernment IS held in trust for that ex-
press purpose. and that its unneceS-
sary and reckless appropriation,
even upon the pretext of a legiti-
mate furtherance of public pur-
poses. is bald spoliation. Though
we need no better reason than this
for eXacting the utmost circum-
lspection and economy in Govern
ment expenditures, such instance
should be emphasized by the in
creasing spread Of the contagion of
public waste and extravaganza to
our peoples home expenses-thus
undermining the contented frugal
lily of our individual life and weak
ening the stamina and endurance
of our body polite.
IF this Is to be time of abso-
lutte Democratic frankness it is diff
ficult to see why we should indulge
in promises to the people which it
Is not within the competence of any
party in Federal authority to full
fill. We shall arraign as our OPP
ponents those who have made
promises and broken them. Let
us not incumber ourselves and de
Jude the people with promises