The Weekly Star -
WM. H. BESNABD,EdltorandProp'r.
WILMINGTON, N. C.
Friday,
Dkcembkb 9, 1887.
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THE TIBOINI1 C18ES.
The decision of tbe U. S. Supreme
Court in tbe Virginia habeas corpus
t cases is of very great importance to
all the States. It protects them
against the aggressions of men who
would destroy the autonomy of Com
monwealths, and practically reduce
: them to a oondition ' of provinces.
With such theories as those of Bond
in regard to States and State courts,
to become tbe accepted law and prac
tice !pf the country, and North Caro
lina would have no rights left worth
'the name. With the Constitution a
nullity, and State courts and local
government at a fearful discount,
and we would have consolidation in
essence and centralization - in fall
vigor of operation.) A Republican
Supreme Court has rendered a de
cision that is of incalculable impor
tance. It is a breakwater against
the inroads of the bad, bold men of
, the Jeffreys Bond stamp. . A meaner,
more insolent, more autocratio Judge
than this Maryland Bond never sat
upon the Bench in this country.
He has ability j enough and
knows what is right, what is
-good law, but .he is one of those
vicious and reokless characters that
revolutions and domestic disturb
ances throw to the surface like the
desperadoes and bloody agents of the
French Revolution in 1792 and he
is resolved to win renown er legal
notoriety at any cost a crown of
fame or an immortality of infamy.
Ifj the Muse of History shall write
: the jlruth concerning Reconstruction
inj tbe South and judicial rulings of
Federal Judges, ' this fellow . Bond
will be forever pilloried in the judi
cial stocks, to be gazed at " and
hooted at through the coming cen
turies by all who love justice and
regard law.
Shakespeare said that
Man's judgments are
A parcel of their fortunes "
It seems to be so with this man of
the ermine. He evidently believes
with Carneades that ." there is no
such thing as justice." But he for
gets that
"There gits a Judge
That no Kin can corrupt-,"
and before Him he too must one
day appear. To find fitting punish
ment described for each an abuser of
place and soiler of judicial robes you
.mnflL-tnrn to the Inferno oi Dante.
onis UPON rilK ANNUAL
MESSAGE.
Tne Stab invited all of its readers
to carefully study the message of
President Cleveland. It is a wejl
prepared document. No one can
misunderstand it for it is a plain,
clear, direct document.
It is so brief
as not to require analysis, and yet its
leading features are such that it may
be well in our own way to consider
tbem in part or in full as the case I
may be. ' ,
The President shows that the Pub
lic Treasury groans with the unjust
and unused and unnecessary accumu
lations in money taken from the over
burdened people in taxation. It has
become "tbe hoarding place" of the
people's money wrongfully taken
from them by a system of unequal,
unfair and oppressive taxation, or as
the President says, "money needless
ly withdrawn from trade and peo
ple's use," and thus ''crippling our
national energies, suspending our
country's development, preventing
investment in productive enterprise,
threatening financial disturbance and
inviting schemes of publio plunder,"
This is not overstated. This un
wise and unrighteous accumulation
is doing all that is said of it. It is
a burden, an outrage and a curse.
The surplus for the year ending
anil, Jnno 1RAT ro.l,J ftKR KA
" vvtvui,
R-1U R4. This ia aft of mooting all
'i - - O
expenditures, including "the annual
requirements of the sinkine fund."
H muftiug iuuu,
which is intended to finally extin
guish the public debt. The Presi
dent thinks the surplus for the pres
ent fiscal year ending 30th June,
1888, will amount to $113,000,000
of Marriage or Death, Tributes of
Kesoinnons or unancs, o., are cu&rrou
a orainarr UTtnuemonu, dus oniy uau
when said for strictly in advance. At this
On that dav there will nroh&hlv ha ?"ou-. or can uue worxers in manufac
unnat oay mere fiu prooaDly be tones fail to understand that whiln hirh
$140,000,000 in the Treasury of no
" I ,
imraeuie use, auu wiioarawn, irom
the people's pockets and circulation.
Trade will be injured, the people
will be burdened, the finanoes will be
disturbed. : What is to be done ?
Shall the old bad system continue f
Must the people be raided upon from
year to year without cause and with
- malice prepense ?
The President says there is
Intimate outlet in the way of
no le-
meet-
ing TT. S. bonds by purchase.
The
bonds for the current year have been
taken up. In three years $138,058,-
' 320.94 have been applied to the sink
ing fund, in payment Of the war
debt. If the Congress desires that
the Secretary of the Treasury shall
nnmiiuii fmndn nnt due. the Presi
UU.VUWV www-- ,
i,.t T,; - l - maant.hor
UOUU lUOlOVO I1JCW vuau "
if ativa hv anprnftl IfiJTlfllatiOD. But
be evidently does not think this the
best way of procedure. Premiums
must be paid, and combinations may
enhanoe the prioe. ,v- V; v
' He doea not favor' the proposition
to deposit the money held by the
Government in bonds throughout the
country. This is objeotionable for
the excellent reason that it fosters a
spirit of dependence, upon the part
of the people, and "establishes too
lose' a relationship between the
Treasury and the business of the
country."- He also "puts his foot
down heavily upon tbe proposition to
engage in extravagant and unneces
ry appropriations to avoid farther
accumulation of surplus. . ' I
The Congress has been derelict.
For years financial matters have
been growing worse each year. The
bleeding of tbe people has continued
with accelerated activity and in
creased heroism
of treatment.
It
ought to have put a stop to this long
ago. For the failure to do so it Is
certain the Republican party is main
ly responsible, aided, strengthened
and abetted by Mr. S. J. Randall and.
his unwise and unfaithful and un
democratic folio wers.
j What is the solution offered? How
shall the increasing surplus be stop
ped, for stopped it must be, or there
will be a financial orash, which would
have come no doubt before but for
the course of the Government in pay
ing out some $125,000,000 from the
Treasury surplus in payment of prin
cipal and interest on certain outstand
ing bond?, some of them not due.
It is impossible to continue these
operations?
What is the measure of relief pro
posed by the President? It is to
reduce the present unequal and im
moral and oppressive War Tariff
upon some 4,300 articles of foreign
production, many of which are prime
necessaries of life, j
The President approves of tbe
Internal tax. He does not recom
mend that it be fjoucbed in any par
ticular. He believes it to be a very
proper tax. Referring to tbe Inter
nal taxes upon tobacco and spirit
uous and malt iiquors he says:
"It must be conceded that none of the
things subjected to internal .revenue exac
tions are strictly Ispeakiog necessaries.
There appears to be no just complaint of
this taxation by the consumers ot these
article, and there seems to be nothing to
mil able to bear lhi burden without hard
ship to any portion of the people; but our
present tariff laws, the vicious, inequitable
and illogical source of unnecessary taxa
tion, ought to be at once revised ana
amended."
The Star is
satisfied with this
important deliverance. The Stab
is glad to know that its own course
has been so much in harmony with
the plan proposed now by the Dem
ocratic President " 1
The President then enters
upon a
carefully prepared argamentj to sus-
tain his recommendation to the Con
gress. J .He sbovs how the Tariff
operates and how the monopolists
are benefited and enriched. We can
not follow him io his lucid exposi
tion.. Read what be says carefully
ftn(i ivl. uo read tt again.
The President is guarded, He does
not favor Free Trade. But very few
Americans favor Free Trade. He
s ays the Tariff "must be extensively
continued as the! source of tbe Gov
ernments income." The -American
laborer "engaged in manufacture"
will not suffer. The manufacturing
interests will cot be "imperilled.;
But a Tariff must be framed that
will protect these while not oppress-
ing the great mass of the people. A
Tariff for revenue will afford, we
have no doubt, I all of the needed
protection to Manufacturers and
laborers. Mr. Clay thought a Tariff
of but 20 per cent, would do this.
The present War Tariff averages
nearly 46 per cent
The President
all along this
is clear and forceful
line of reflection. He punctures the
false cry about "infant industries"
that are maoy of them a half century
or seventy-five years old.
There were 17,392,099 persons en
gaged in the various industries of
our country in 1880. Of these,
2,693,087 were employed in manu-
factuiing industries.
The President
says:
I "Their comDensation. bb it mil nr.
fected by the operation of the tariff laws.
should at all times be scrnnulouslv kent in
view; bdu yen, wun sngnt renection, they
will not overlook the fact that thev are
consumers with the rest : that thev. tnn
have their own wants and those of their
1 .lI .1 . mcir earnings, auu
fomiltAfl T n. nttnlM 1
i tutu me puce 01 me necessaries oi lite, as
I wen UB IUO amount OI Weir W&ees. Will
I roam Into iha mnaonvA Vt J
comforts; but the reduction of taxation de-
mande.d ebould be so measured as not to
i neceaBitata or lntofir niihnr iia i. m
necessitate or lastsfv either the loss nf em.
ployment by tbe working man nor the
lessening of bis wages, and the profits still
remaimog to the manufacturer, after a
necessary reaojustmeni, snould furnish no
excuse for the sacrifice of thasHnterenta nf
nis employes, either in their onnortunitT in
work or in the diminution of their compen-
nff is claimed to be necessary to allow
i the payment of remunerative WBITM. it ivr.
toinly results in a very large iucrinthe
I Pric of nearly all sorts of manufactures.'
which in almost countless forms he needs
ior me use or himself and family.
But our space is about up. Bead
the message again and again. Ton
wui learn from it concerning the
Tariff. The people need relief and
the people demand relief. Tbe Con
gressmen who Btudy the signs of the
times will not fail to discern this.
The President says:
"An ODDOrtUnitV for B Bfa. pornfnl anil
deliberate reform is now offered, and none
of us should be unmindful of a time when
an abused and irritated ftennln. hPAriioea nf
those who have resisted timely and reason-
AhlA TAllof lntM ... - J! 1 1
sweeping rectification of their wrongs."
He proposes to increase the free
list and cheapen the tax on the ne
- I cessaries of life. FT iliAnmnniu t
I . "V
- either redn nr .tAli.i.
I , : --ww.wa, VUO IWUObD
I OU TSW materials U8ed in m an n fart
I taring. He says this will give the
manufactures a better chance in the
foreign " markets. He reminds the
two great political parties that they
have - again ; and j again tsondemned
'ttnneces8aryTevenues: and ?have in
the most solemn! manner promised
their correction.'? He says, and every
intelligent, voter should say heartily
Amen, and Amen, to it: '
"The simple sod plain duty which we
owe the people is to reduce taxation to the
necessary expenses of an , economical ope
ration of the government, and to restore to
the business of the country the money
which we hold in the treasury through the
perversion of governmental powers. These
things can and should be done with safety
to all industries, without damage to the op
portunity for remunerative labor which our
working men need, and with benefit to
them and all our people, by cheapening
their means of subsistencee and increasing
the measure of their comforts." .
This is a most noticeable and
markedly important deliverance. " It
is the keynote to' viotory. Lift the
burdens of the people, protect honest
labor, stop the growing and needless
surplus. . Mr. Cleveland is the ' only
President who confined his Annual
Message to the consideration of but
one topic. ,But what a tremendous
topio it is 1 j ; - -
COVNTJt A FFJLZRS. ,
BleellDK or tbe Board of Commii
... mi0nen.
The Board of Commissioners met
yesterday in regular session; Mr. Ho
race A. Bagg, chairman, presiding.
The county treasurer's report was
submitted for the month or Novem
ber, showing the amount on hand on
account of educational fund, $4,446.73;
general fund, $34.63. :, -
The register j exhibited the trea
surer's receipt for $10 93; 'amount re
ceived for marriage licenses.
1 L. D. Cherry was appointed sur
veyor, to survey lands of H. Can
aday and others in Harnett township.
Several persons, on application,
were relieved from payment of poll
tax.' . ' f ;.-
Annual reports were received from
Justices Jas. W. King, John Cowan,
and J. C. Millis.! ; '
Maj. John W. Dunham, clerk of the
Criminal Court,1 reported the sum of
$20 collected as solicitor's fees from
the Criminal Court,and was paid over
to the county treasurer.
It was ordered that Samuel Blos
som, owner dl the ferry across the
Northeast river, be notified to present
the Board with a tariff of charges.
Ordered, that the valuation of the
property of Catharine A. May, block
488, in the city of Wilmington, be re
duced from $800 to $500.
S. Van Amringe, Clerk of the Supe
rior Court, submitted rus report,
showing the amount of $600 received
as fees, &c, during the year from
corporations, $125 ; j inspectors' li
censes, $530; jury tax, $21; pension for
George Peadman, $120. ;
A communication from S. H. Man-
rung, . van Amringe and J. is.
Sampson, asking for a janitor to at
tend their offices in the Court House,
was laid on the table J ;
Sheriff Manning, Treasurer Hewlett,
Coroner Miller and the other County
officials, renewed
their several bonds
with the same sureties heretofore. All
were approved. . -' :
It was ordered by the Board, that
all ; magistrates who have not made
their annual reports be required to do
o at the next regular meeting,.
Th miaaloc Bleai - ""
No tidings have yet been received
here of the three young men who itis
feared were lost in Currituck Sound
last Thursday night, Messrs. Thad.
Branch, John Keeter and Chas. Bar
nitz. Mr. J. W. Branch, the father
of Thad. Branch, received a letter
yesterday from Cap t. J. H. Williams,
of the Stetson. The letter was written
from Elizabeth : City j and was dated
Sunday and in I it Captain Williams
say 8: -.
I am sorry to inform vou that the
theee men are j yet missing. On last
Thursday evening Thad. Branch,
Keeter and young Barnitz left the
dredge to go to Powell's Point P. Q.
after the mail. Thev reached the
shore all right, got the mail and left
for the dredge between 6 and 7
o'clock. They were under sail and
that is the last tidings we have heard
of them. ii j
It is possible thev were blown on
tne lee snore, li such was the case.
the distance was about 15 miles. The
captain of the dredge, myself and
three more men went ashore and
searched the beach for miles, but
found nothing of them, nor any part!
of the boat. i i i
We inquired of all bassinsr steamers
of a stray boat, but no tidings could
they give us. 1 1 We also went to the
llgnthouse, but could hear nothing
there. Capt. McConnell is here th
us and is trying in every way to hear
1L M 1 1 .
Bometaing irom me missing men.
This is the best information we can
give you at present. We will leave
here to-morrow morning at 5 o'clock
ior tne areage. we are in hopes of
hearing something of the men- when
we reacn tne dredge.
Iiost in Pamlico Bound. -
Three young men of this city-
Messrs. J. Thad. Branch, John Keeter
and Charles Barnitzr-it is feared, lost
their lives in the storm that j raged
with great violence last Thursday
night, on Pamlico and Currituck
sounds Teleerram
, 6
1 here yesterday a
s were received
yesterday and Sunday from
Elizabeth City, stating that the
young men mentioned had left that
Elace Thursday afternoon in an open
oat to go to a dredge-boat on which
sney were emoloved. some fourteen
miles from Elizabeth City, and had
not since been heard of. Mr. Branch
was engineerjjof the dredge; he is a
son oi jut. Jordan .Branch, of this
city. His wife was upon the point of
starting to join her husband when
ine telegrams ; mentioned were re
ceived.
The dwelling of Mr. Murphy
McNair, at PJlummersville, Robeson.
county, was totally destroyed by fire
last Tuesday.) The origin of the fire
ib unknown. Mr. McNair had insur
ance on the; propertv destroved'in
the Iaverpool, London &5! Globe In
surance Company, . represented , by
Messrs. Smith & Boatwright. ;
Kiss me, darling, for your breath is
Just as sweet as new-mown hay;
Kiss me, darlinjr, for your teeth are
Free from tartar or decay ; -
Kiss me, darling, for you won't
Forget me or your SOZODOiNT.
Tbe Atmosphere of Love.
is a pure, sweet breath. This desideratum
is one of the results of using SOZODONT,
nuwu not ouy invigorates ana preserves
-h uu renuers me moum as iragrant
1 f .,V. 1 . 3 ".. .. T
I M t JTUHO - - '
I fSMSSSS-"
Deatu or Rira, jroeepba Ataanaon. ...
On yesterday morning, in the city
of Baltimore, at the residence of Dr.
Robert Atkinson, Mrs. Josepha At
kinson, relict of the late. Thomas At
kinson, LL.D., Bishop of the Diocese
of the North-: Carolina - Protestant
Episcopal Church, died, aged about
80. She had been in declining health
for some years,7 and" for a year or mere
had, been a sufferer, being confined
almost entirely to her chamber. She
was born, we think, In the little his
toric city of Petersburg, , Va. Her
maiden name was Wilder. She wasa
woman of most strlKlng character.
Well born, connected with many of
the' leading families in her native
State, refined, accomplished, cultiva
ted, intelligent beyond most of. .her
sex, she was a woman , of mark, of
force, of influence. She - was "practi
cal," had decided managing ' talents,
was a clear-headed and sincere friend,
had intuitive decision, : had "pru
dence to withhold," was of large and
active benevolence, was an earnest
Christian, was a help-meet to her dis
tinguished and admirable husband of
blessed memory, and lived a life of
faith in'the Son of God. -. -
'Her life serene:
God crave her peace.
A thousand claims to reverence closed
In her as Mother, Wife, and Friend."
She never lost a child, and up to
Bishop Atkinson's death,:, rafter a
wedded life of fifty years, : there had
been no death in her immediate fam
ily. She had every comfort that life
required, : commanded thf love and
veneration of a large circle of rela
tives and friends, and at ah advanced
age went to her rest. '
But few . people: knew of : her many
aots ofgsynipathy and benevolence.
Only those who were in the most in
timate relations with her. knew of
her constant efforts to palliate suffer
ing and make easier . the hard lot of
the poor. : '
She made it an invariable rule nev
er to turn away any one soliciting
alms. It was the principle of her
life to give one-tenth of her actual
income to the cause of Christian be
nevolence. She said he would con
sider it as robbing the . Lord if she
failed to give at least ten cents of
every. dollar she .received. She was
1 1L a
Tery mucn attacnea to tnose oi ner
oVn blood and to her husband's kin.
She was the first mover in the estab
lishing of St. 1 Paul's Church in this
city, and as long as she could was its
most earnest friend and supporter.
She leaves a i daughter, Mrs. Mary
Buel, wife of Rev. Dr. Buel, of Ashe
ville, and two sons, CoL J..W. Atkin
son, of this city, and Dr. . Robert At
kinson, of Baltimore. Her remains
will be brought to this city for inter
ment, by the side of her husband in
St. James Church.
Death of Sir. W. SI. Parker.
The sad intelligence of the death
of Mr. William M. Parker was re
ceived here j yesterday afternoon
through a telegram from Fayette
ville. He died at the Hotel LaFay-
ettein that place at 3 p. m., after a
severe hemorrhage of the lungs, with
which he was attacked while on his
way to the boat coming to this city.
The dispatch to the Star announcing
Mr. Parker's death states that the
remains will leave Fayetteville by
train this afternoon at half -past three
o'clock. ; They ' will reach here to
night, and the funeral will v lac
u-iuurrow afternoon, and probably
from Grace Church, if the necessary
arrangements can be made,
Mr.
Parker
of age.
was about fifty-nine
years
He was a native of
Hamburg, Conn.; came to North Car
olina and settled at Asheboro in 1850,
and afterwards removed to Fayette
ville, where he was employed as a
clerk by the late Wm. R. TJtley, com
mission merchant. At the outbreak
of the war Mr. Parker was among
the first to volunteer, and as a private
served in the La Fayette Light In
fantry (Co. F.) of the t First (Bethel)
regiment, until it was mustered out
of service. During the latter part of
the war he had charge of ' the State
salt works on the coast below Wil
mington. After the war Mr. Parker
engaged in business in this city with
Mr. A. H. Neff, and in 1873 formed a
partnership with Mr. James H. Tay
lor, in the hardware business, which
has ' ever - since been successfully
conducted by the firm.
Mr. Parker was a quiet, unobtru
sive gentleman, but was ever active
in works of charity and benevolence;
devoted to his; church and to his
friends, and with a warm heart full
of the kindliest sympathy for all. He
was chairman of the Board of Trus
tees and Stewards of Grace M. E.
Church, and for sixteen years Super
intendent of the Sunday School
Important Change.
An important change , in the run
ning of trains on the Carolina Cen
tral Railroad is to be made next week.
The day train is to be discontinued,
and the entire mail and passenger
business will be transferred to the
night train, i The management . all
regret the necessity for the change,
but they say I the day. train is being
run at a loss, and this is the sole rea
son for its discontinuance. V
It is greatly to be regretted. that the
business of the' road does not justify
the ; running of j both trains, but the!
figures show that the passenger traf
fic (except in the summer months) is
too small to make ithe day train pay
expenses. - j - -'
The change will go into effect eith
er on Monday or Wednesday next.
Short Vat Extension.
A correspondent writing from Pri
vateer, S. C, says: "Contractor Har
din has commenced work in earnest
on the Augusta extension of the Wil
mington, Columbia & .Augusta Rail
road.. His construction train of wa
gons and carts arrived the first of last
week, arid also about seventv hands.
For sometime past the railroad hands
have been busy getting out crossties
in cms townsnip."
Opinions of a Leading Editor.
Almost all the diseases tnat afflict us
from infancy to old age have their origin
in a disordered liver." A really good liver
medicine is tbe most important in the
whole range of : pharmacy. We believe
Simmons Liver Regulator to be the best
among them all. We pin our faith upon
the Regulator, and if we could persuade
every reader who is in ill health to buy it,
we would wDlinely vouch for the benefit
each would receive. En. CracDnrATi Ga
XBTTB.
SEVERELY SQUELCHED.
DecUlon of the 17. S. Siprtme Court
in - tbe Virginia Habeas , Corpaa
Caaes-JTade BocKT Completely Flat
teneaV 4 Stata,aa a Polltlca tiove
rtlgatr Cannot na 8ned The Opinion
Jbat of the Whola Co art, with Ono
Exemption. ; 4. - ' ' '
Washqiotoh. Deis. 5 A decision was
rendered by tbe TJ. 8. Supreme Court this,
atternooo. In the Virginia habeas corpus
cases of Attorney General Ay res and Com'
moawe&iln s Attorneys Scott and McUabe.
who were imprisoned by order of Judge
Bond, of the U S Circuit Court, for dis
obedience t j a restraining order, forbidding
them u bring suite for the collection of
taxes in cases where tenders -have been
mide of ux - receivable coupons eut from
State b mds This Courtfc in a very long
and elaborate opinion by Justice Matthews,
holdi that the suit in which Judge Bond
issued tbe restraining order in the Circuit
Court, although nominally a suit against
IndivtauAis, Is tit reality a suit against tne
Bute of Virginia, and as such Is forbidden
by the eleventh, amendment to the Federal
Uonstuuuon; that tbe U. . Circuit uourt
had therefore no authority to entertain
such a suit; that in so doing and in issuing I
the restraining order to prevent tne omcera
of the Bute .from discharging . their duties
under the laws of the State, j Judge Bond
was acting without constitutional warrant,
and that tbe restraioiog order and all sub
sequent proceedings under it, including the,
arrest and imprisonment of the peti
tioner, were illegal and without authority..
The Court therefore directs that the peti
tiooeif, Attorney General Ayiea and Com
monwealth a Attorneys Bcott and Mcuaoe
be at once discharged.
The opinion, which la that of tbe wnoie
court, with the exception of Justiee
Harlan, who dissents, sustains s tbe
Buto of Virginia at alt points, and vir
tually declares that the State, as a political
vereigntv. cannot be sued nor coerced in
the Federal Courts, either by action brought
against her by name or by action brought
anaiosi her .officers in their official ca-
- I be uourt ueciares tnat tne tita amena
meut established a distinction between con
tracts made by individuals with each other
and coctracta made by individuals with a
8ue Tbe Uf er class cannot be enforced
by remedies used to enforce tbe former,
tbi is by suits to U. d. UourU, and tbey
are therefore without sanction, except to so
far fucb sanction is given to them by the
honor and good faith of tbe contracting
State. Such State may consent to be -ueo
in i's own Court, over tbe Federal Courts,
for a breach of contract, but it : may at any
time withdraw such consent and resume its
sovereignty, and it cannot then be judi
cially coercvtl at tbe request of .an indi
vidual. U
As soon as this announcement was made
many of the spectators betran filing out and
the marshal tad to rap for order several
times during tbe reading of tbe early por
tion of Justice Field's opinion dissenting
from some of tbe views expressed in the
opinion read by Justice Matthews, though
not from the conclusion reached.
In bis opinion Justice Fields says that he
coocurs in tbe main position upon which
the dbchirnc of tbe petitioners is founded;
mtraelv. i bat tbe suit was one -against tbe
Stte of Virginia itself and therefore in
violation of tbe 11th amendment. He
made tbis special concurrence, however.
becnu8e of the language in tbe majority
opinion expressing approval of the position
aken b ibe Court in iiouuiana against
Jumel. from which be dissented That
case he considered as brought to Compel
the officers of tbe Slate to do what abe had
ctMiseoled tbey might be required to do by
judicial tribunals. He adhered in every
rtwpft to watt ne n&a tnen saia. express
ing his conviction of tbe invalidity and un
constitutionality of the ordinance of repu
diation embodied in tbe new constitution
of Lnuieitna, and also In hi opinion of the
equally invalidlegislation of Virginia as
expressed in Antoui vs. Greenbow.
Jiist'ce tlarlan said mat ne aonereu to
biriMiisseniing opinions io the cases of An
ton! vs. Greenhow, Louisiana' vs. Jumel,
and Cunaingbam vs. Macon & Brunswick
Railway Co , and tnereiore dissented from
the ooioion and ludgment in tbia case He
expriteedthe view that suits brought Id
tbe Circuit court or toe unuea mates were
not ?uits against the State of Virginia with
in tbe ui-antag of tbe eleventh amendment
Other Deelatona. r (
Justice Harlan delivered the opinion of
the Court tv-dy in the two so-balled prohi
bition cases of Peter Mueler. plaintiff in er
ror, vs. the 8:ate of Kansas, and tbe State
versus Herman BieDoW an" " A . . ..
n no juugaieut of the lower'Court in tbe
two ' ilugler" esses and reversing th
Seibold cane. Tbe effect of this opinion is
to tiecUr valid the prohibition lawof the
State of Kansas, and is of course a victory
for the Prohibitionists The Court said
that the cuea cttne up under the laws of
Ktnsa declaring tbe malntelnance or tbe
build io for tbe manufacture I and sale of
honor to be a nuisance , and- making the
manufacture ana saie or intoxicants a mis-
- . ... i . .
deuieaoi-r. It was contended that this law
was unconstitutional, because it abridged
the r.sbis of citizens and deprived a citizen
of property without due process of law;
tbe butldinci used as a brewery beinc of
little value for any other. purpose. Justice
Harlan sai-i it had been held repeatedly
that tbe riant of tbe 8tate to ,' regulate the
sle of liquor did not invade the constitu
tional ri2Dia of a citizen. It was contend
ed, however, be said, that no State Legis-
latore bad tbe nebl to pronlDii any person
from manufactnrinc liquor ior nil own use
or for export, for tbe reason that it was an
invasion of nersooal libertv Inherent in cit
izeae. It must be - observed, however, be
said, lb t the right to manufacture drink for
one'a own use is subject to tbe restriction
that it shall not injuriously affect the pub-
he. The tight to determine wfiat was inju
rious bad to exist somewhere, and the right
of deiermiuins what measures are necessary
for tbe preservation of morals, health and
safety, bad therefore been vested In the
States by tne consuiuuonai ngni given
und r police power to regulate tneir own
internal concerns. I
While tbis police power could not be
abused and must only be exercised for
nbiocu of real merit, this Court would cer
tally not say that the liquor traffic was not
one which the Stale could lawfully pro
hibit.' because it was well known that the
abuse of Intoxicants was productive of
pauperism and crime. The next ground of
contention, the Justice said, was that as
breweries had been erected prior to tbe
nassaue of tbe prohibition law, and as they
were of little use except for breweries, their
property was taken without due process of
law and in vioiauon oi tne voosutuuoo.
But all property under our form of govern
mpnt. he held, is subiect to the obligation
that it shall not be used so as to injuriously
affect tbe rights of a community and there-
far become a nuisance. . ine state ot jsjmi
sas had the right to prohibit the liquor
traffic. It did not thereby take away tbe
property of brewers. It simply abated
a nuisance. Property is not taken away
from its owners; they are only prohibited
from uslneit for a specific purpose, which
the Legislature declared to be injurious to
tbe community.
WASHINGTON.
- Washington, Dec. 7. Although the
House was not in session to-day a number
of members were ia their seats, attending
to their correspondence and cbatling with
one enother over committeeships Speaker
Carlisle spent several hours in his room in
an effort to outline the organization of the
committees. Re has had prepared a hum'
ber of cards bearing the names of different
members which he is endeavoring to assort
into committees. These cards can be readily
transferred from one committee set to
another, so that changes are made with
facility During the day all of the Repre
sentatives who visited the Capitol' called
upon the Speaker, either by request or of
their own volition, to express their personal
oreference in assignments to committees.
Many, rumors were current this afternoon
relative to the distribution of chairman
ships. Little credence is generally given to
them. However, owing to tbe tact that many
changes in tbe list are inevitable, even after
it shall have been advanced much nearerto
completion than it is .presumed to be at
present . Any changes in one "committee
will involve . alteration in several others,
and . may affectr the chairmen, so
that predictions cannot be safely made.
The appointment of a . Committee on
Rules, which - will probably be made in
a day or two, ia awaited with special inter
est, for the reason that the chairman of the
Committee on Ways and Means has always
been a member oi tne committee on Kuieav
and the arrangement of Morrison's succes
sor on the last named committee will be
generally regarded as tantamount te a se
lection oi cn airman or tne committee on
Ways ana Means. 1
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
l Highly Intareatlng -t B oca men t
atiaborata Ireaentatlon of Iha Rev
enue aaestlon. HedneUon of the Cne
lonii Dattea Forelhly Urged sa order
to Lieaaen the Bnrdene of the Coun
try nnd Prevent monetary Tronhiaa.
fr ; Bt Telegraph to tbe Homing Star. '- -
To the Congress of the Vnitsd States y r .
-. JL TJU RIO VUUUUUWU -.u UUHUUUIU V.
yogr legislative duties with a condition of
the national finances which imperatively
demands immediate and careful considera
tion . : . The amount of money annually ex
pended through tbe operation of the present
laws, from tbe industries and necessities of
the people, largely exceeds the sum neces
sary to meet the expenses of the govern
ment, i Whenever we consiaer mat tne
theory of our institutions guarantees to
every citizen the f nil enjoyment of all the
fruits of his industry and enterprise, with
only such deduction as may be his share
towards tbe careful and economical main
tenance of the government which protects
him. It is plain that tne exaction ot more
than this is indefensible extortion and a
Culpable betrayal of American fairness and
justice. This wrong, inflicted upon those
wno bear ine Duraen oi nauonni taxation,
like any other wrong, multiplies a brood
of evil consequences. The public treasury.
which should only exist as a conuuit con
veying the people's tribute - to its legi
timate object or expenditure, necomes
hoarding place for money needlessly
yithdrawn from j trade and the people s
Else, thus ' crippling our national energies,
uspending our country's development, pre
venting investment in productive enterprise,
threatening financial disturbance and invit
ing schemes of public plunder. This con
dition of our treasury is not altogether
new. and it has more than once of late been
'submitted to the people's representatives ia
the Congress, "who alone can apply a reme
dy; and yet the situation still continues
with aggravated incidents, more man ever
presaging nnanctal convulsion and. wide
spread disaster. It will not do to neglect
this situation because its dangers are not
now palpably imminent and apparent.
Tbey exist none the less certainly and await
the unforeseen and unexpected occasion
when suddenly they will be precipitated
Upon US. iJi-. '--;-:
On tbe 30th 'day of June. 1885. the ex
cess of revenues over public expenditures, J
after complying with the annual require
ments of the sinking fund, was 117.859.
735.84. During the year ended June 80th,
1886. such excess amounted . to $49,405.-
545 20: and during the year ended June 80,
1S87. it reached the sum of f 55,567,849 54.
The annual contributions to tbe sinking
fund during tbe three rears above specified,
amounting in the aggregate to 1138,058.-
820 94, and deducted from the surplus as
stated, were made by calling in for that
purpose the outstanding three per cent.
bonds of tbe government. During the six
months prior to June 80th, 1887, the sur
plus revenue had grown so large by repeat
ed accumulations, and it was feared the
'withdrawal of this great sum of money
needed by the people would so affect tbe
busioess of the country that tbe sum
Of $79,864,100 of such surplus was ap
plied to the payment of the principal and
interest of the three per cent, bonds still
outstanding, and which were payable at
the option of tbe Government. - The pre
carious condition of tne nnanctal affairs
among the people still needing relief, im
mediately after the 80th day of June, 1887,
the remainder of the three per cent bonds
then outstanding, amounting, with princi
pal and interest, to the sum of $18,877,500,
were called In and applied to the sinking
fund contribution for tbe current fiscal
year. Notwithstanding these operations of
tbe Treasury Department representations of
distress in business circles not only contin
ued, but increased, and absolute peril
seemed at band. In these circumstances
the contribution to the sinking fund for the
current fiscal year was at once completed
by the expenditure ot Sj37.654.Z83.03 in the
purchase of government bonds not yet due,
bearing lour and lour and a naif per cent.
interest, the premium paid thereon averag
ing about twenty-four per cent, for the
former and eight per cent, for the latter.
In addition to this the interest accruing
during the current year upon the outstand
ing bonded indebtedness of the government
was to some extent anticipated, and the
banke selected as depositories of public
monev were permitted to somewhat in
crease their deposits.. While the axpendi-
tr thuo employed to release to tne people
tbe money lying idle in tbe Treasury aerved
to avert immediate dangers, i our surplus
revenues have continued to accumulate, the
excess for the present year amounting on
the 1st day of December, to $55,258,701.19,
and estimated to reach $113,000,000 on
Ebe 80 tb of June next, at which date it is
xpected that this sum, added to prior ac
cumulations, will swell the surplus in the
treasury to $140,000,000. There seems to
be no assurance that with such a withdraw
al from use of the people's circulating me
dium, our business community may not in
the near future be subjected to the same
distress which was quite lately produced
from tbe same cause; and while tbe bur
dens of our national treasury should be few
and simple, and while its best condition
would be reached. I believe, by its entire
disconnection with private business inter
ests, yet when, by a perversion of its pur
poses, it idly holds money uselessly sub
tracted from the channels of trade, there
seems to be reason for the claim that some
lagitimate means should be devised by the
government to restore in an emergency,
without waste or extravagance, such money
to its place among the people. Such an
emergency now arises. There now exists
no clear and undoubted executive power of
relief. Heretofore the redemption of the
three per cent, bonds, which were payable
at the option of the government, has offer
ed a means of the disbursement of the ex
cess of our revenues: but these bonds have
all been retired, and there are no bonds
outstanding the payment of which we have
the right to insist upon. The contribution
to the sinking fund, which furnishes the
occasion for expenditure in the purchase of
bonds, has been already made for the cur
rent year, so that there is no outlet in that
direction.
In the present state of legislation the
only pretense of any existing executive
power to restore at this time any part of
our surplus revenues, to the people by its
expenditure, consists in the supposition
that the Secretary of the Treasury may en
ter the market and purchase the bonds of
tbe government not yet due at a rate of
premium to be agreed upon. The only,
provision of law from which such a power
could be devised is found in an appropria
tion bill, passed a number of years ago,
and it is subject to the suspicion that it was
intended as temporary, and limited in its
application, instead of conferring a con
tinuing discretion and authority. No con
dition ought to exist which would justify
the grant of power to a single official, upon
his judgment of its necessity, to withhold
from or release to the business of the peo
ple, in an unusual manner, monev held in
' the treasury, and thus affect, at his will, the
nnanctal situation of the country; and if it
is deemed wise to lodge in the Secretary of
the Treasury the authority at the present
juncture to purchase bonds, it should be
plainly vested, and provided as far as pos
sible with such checks and limitations as
wilt define this official's right and disore
lion, and at tbe same time relieve nun from
undue responsibility. j .
In tbe consideration of the Question ot
purchasing bonds, as the means of restoring
to circulation me surplus money accumu
lating in the treasury, it should be borne in
mind that the premiums must ot course be
paid upon euch purchase; that there may be
a large pirt of these bonds held as in
vestments which cannot be purchased at
any price; and that combinations among
holders, who are willing to sell, may una
reasonably enhance tbe cost of such bonds
to tbe government It has been suggested
that the present bonded debt might be re
funded at a less rate of interesC and the
difference between the old and new securi
ties in cash, thus finding use for the surplus
in tne treasury. The success of this plan,
itis apparent, must depend upon tbe voli
tion ot the holders of the oiesent bonds.
and it is not entirely certain that the induce
ment which must be offered ; would result
In more financial benefit to the government
than the purchase of bonds, while the lat
ters proposition would reduce the principal
ot tne aeot oy actual payment, instead oi
extending it. The proposition to deposit
the money held by the government in bonds
throughout the country, for use by the peo
ple, is, it seems to me, exceedingly objec-
uonaoiein principle, as estaonsning too
close a relationship between the operators
oi ine government treasury ana the' busi
nesaot tue country, ana too extensive a
collection of their meney, thus fostering an
annual reliance in private business of pub-'
lid funds. If this scheme should be adop
ted it should only be done as a temporary
expedient to meet an urgent necessity.
Legislative and executive effort should
generally be in the opposite direction, and
should have a tendency to divorce as much,
and as fast as can safely be done, lbe
Treasury Department . from private enter
prise. k V ' M;- : 'V--: -
pf course it Is not expected that unne
cessary and extravagant appropriations will
be made for the purpos of avoiding the:
accumulation of an excess of revenue.
Such expenditure, besides tbe demoraliza
tion of all just conceptions of public duty
which it entails, stimulates a habit of reck
less improvidence not in the : least con-"
siBtent-with the mission of our people, or
the high and beneficent purposes of our
government.. :.
. I have deemed it my duty to thus bring
to the knowledge ' of my countrymen,
as well as to the attention of . their
representatives, charged with the responsi
bility of legislative relief, the gravity of our
financial situation. The - failure of, the
Congress heretofore to provide against the
dangers which it was quite evident the very
nature of the difficulty must necessarily
produce, caused a condition of financial
distress and apprehension, since your last
adjournment, which taxed to the utmost
all the authority and expedients within
executive control, and these appear now to
be exhausted. If disaster results f romlthe
continued inaction of Congress, the respon
sibility ' must : rest - where it belongs.
Though the situation thus far considered is
fraught with danger, which should be fully
realized, and . though it presents features
wrong to the people as well as perilous to
the country, it is but a result growing out
of a perfectly palpable and apparent cause,
constantly reproducing the same alarming
circumstances a congested national treas
ury and a depleted monetary condition In
the business of the country.
j It need hardly be stated that while the
present situation demands a remedy, we
can only be saved from a like predicament
in the future by the removal of its causes.
Our scheme of taxation.by means of which
this needless surplus is taken from the peo
ple and put into the public treasury, con
aists of a tariff or duty levied upon impor
tation from abroad and internal revenue
taxes levied upon tbe consumption of to
bacco and spirituous and malt liquors.
It must be conceded that none of the things
suojectea to internal revenue exactions
are strictly speaking necessaries. There
appears to be no just complaint of this tax
ation by the consumers of these articles,
and there seems to be nothing so well able
to bear the burden without hardship to
any portion of the people; but our present
tariff , laws; the vicious, inequitable and
illogical source of unnecessary taxation,
ought to be at' once revised and amended.
These laws, in their primary and plain
effect, raise the price to tbe consumer of all
articles imported and subjected to duly by
precisely the sum paid for such
duties, , and thus the amount of the
duty measures tbe tax paid by those who
purchase for use these imported articles.
Many of these things, however, are raised
or manufactured in our own country, and
the duties now levied upon fpreign goods
and products are called protection to these
nome ;manractures, because tbey render it
possible for those of our people, who are
manufacturers, to make these taxed articles
and sell them for a price equal to that de
manded for the imported goods that nave
paid customs duty. Bo it happens that
while comparatively a few use tne imported
articles, millions of our people, who never
use and never saw any of the foreign pro
ducts, purchase and use things of tbe same
band made in this country, and pay there
for nearly or quite the same enhanced price
which the duty adds to tbe Imported arti
cles. These who buy imports pay the duty
charged thereon into the public treasury,
but the great majority of our citizens who
buy domestic articles of the same class, pay
a sum at least approximately equal to this
duty to tbe home manufacturer. I This
reference to the operation of our tariff laws
is not made by way of instructions, but in
order that we may be constantly reminded
oi tne manner in which tbey impose a
burden upon those who consume domestic
products as well as those who consume im
ported articles, and thus create a tax upon
all our people, j j '
( It is not proposed to entirely relieve the
country of this taxation. It must be ex
tensively continued as the source of tbe
government's income, and in a readjustment
of our tariff -the Interest of American labor
engaged in manufacture should be carefully
considered, as well a the preservation or.
our manufacturers. It may be called pro
tection, or by any other name, but relief
from the hardships and damages of our
present tariff laws should be devised, with
especial precaution against imperiling the ex
istence ot our manufacturing interests; but
this existence should not mean a condition
which, without regard to the public wel
fare, an additional exigency, must always
insure the realization of immense protfit
instead of moderately profitable returns,
j As the volume and diversity of our na
tional activities increase, new recruits are
added to those who desire a continuation of
the advantages which they conceive the
present system of tariff taxation directly
affords. 8tubbornly have all efforts to re
form the present condition been resisted by
those ot our fellow-citiaens thus engaged,
and they can hardly complain ef the sus
picion entertained to a certain extent that
there exists an organized combination all
along the line to maintain their advantage.
We are in the midst of centennial cele
brations, and with becoming pride we re
joice in American skill and ingenuity, in
American energy and enterprise, and in the
wonderful natural advantages and resources
developed by a century's national growth ;
yet when an attempt is made to justify a
scheme which permits a tax to be laid upon
every consumer in the land for the benefit
Of our manufactures, quite beyond a
reasonable demand for governmental re
gard, it suits the purposes of advocacy to
call our manufactures infant industries,
Still needing the highest and greatest degree
of favor and fostering care that can be
wrung from federal legislation. i
J It is also said that the increase in the
price of domestic manufactures, resulting
from the present tariff, is necessary, in or
der that higher wages may be paid to our
worktngmen employed in manufactories
than is paid for what is called the pauper
labor j of Europe. All will acknowledge
i he force of an argument which involves
he welfare and liberation of our laboring
: people. Our labor is honorable in the eyes
' f every American citizen, and as it lies at
he foundation of our development and
irogress, it Is entitled, without affectation
r hypocrisy, to the utmost regard. The
itandard ot our laborers should not be
measured by that of any other country less
ravored, and they are entitled to their full
ihare of all our advantages.
! By the last census it is made to appear
that of the 17,892,099 of our population
Bngaged in all kinds of industries, 7,670,
493 are employed in agriculture; 4,074,238
in professional and personal service. (2,934, -S76
of whom are domestic servants and la?
borers); while 1,810,250 are employed in
trade and transportation, and 8,837,112 are
classed as employed in manufacturing and
mining. For present purposes, however,
the last number given should be considera
bly reduced. Without attempting to enu
merate all, it will be conceded that there
should be deducted from those which it in
cludes 274,143 carpenters and joiners, 285, s
401 millinery, dress-makers and seam
stresses, 172,726 blacksmiths, 133.756 tail
ors and tailoresses. 102,473 masons, 76,241
butchers, 41,809 bakers. 22,083 plasterers,
iand 4,891 encaged in manufacturing agri-
cuuunu implements, aggregating i,ia,u30,
leaving 2,623,089 persons employed in such
manufacturing industries as are claimed
to be benefited by a high tariff. To
these ! the appeal is made to save their
employment and maintain their wages by
resisting a change. There should be no
disposition to. answer such suggestions by
the allegation that they are in a minority
among those who labor, and therefore
should forego an advantage in the interest
of low prices for the majority. Their
compensation, as it maybe affected by the
operation of the tariff laws, should at all
times be scrupulously kept in view; and
yet, with slight reflection, they will not
overlook the fact that they are consumers
with the rest; that they, too, have their
own wants and those of their families to
supply from their earnings, and that the
prioe of the necessaries of life, as well as
the amount of their wages, will regulate
the measure of their welfare and comforts;
but the reduction of taxation demanded
should be so measured as not to necessitate
or justify either the loss of employment by
the working man nor the lessening of his
wages, and the profits still remaining to
the manufacturer, after a necessary re
adjustment, should furnish no excuse for
the sacrifice of the interests of his em
ployes, either in their opportunity to work
or in the diminution of their compensation.
Nor can the workers in manufactories fail
to unuersiana that while a high tariff
clim(ii tn ho - . ft" Win
- - ; - "vvcoooijt io aiiow me n
ment of remunerative wages, ir certain?"
results n a very large increase in ?he
pf nearly ail sorts of manufactures, wmS
in almost countless forms he needs for nT
use of himself and his family. He receil
at the oesk of his employer his wages
perhaps,, before hr reaches his home i
obliged, in a purchase for family use of
article which embraces his own labor i
return, in the payment of tbe increase
price which tbe tariff permits, the hard
earned compensation of many days of i0j
i (The farmer and. the. agriculturist i
manufacture nothing, but who Dav a th. 0
greased price which the tariff imposes on
eyerjr agricultural implement, upon iu
wears and upon all he 'uses and own, ,
cept the increase of his Socks and his h'e
and such things as bis husbandry produ,
from the soil, is invited to aid in the mst1
tenance of the present situation, and hi
told that a high duty on imported wool
necessary for the benefit of those who hi "
sheep to shear, in order that the ntieJ .'
their ; wool may be increased. Thev i
course, are not reminded that the fm
who has no sheep is by this scheme obli f
in his purchase ot clothing and wool
goods, to pay tribute to bis fellow farm
aa well as, to the manufacturer and Z
chant; nor is any mention made of the f
that the sheep owners themselvpa nn .l .
households must wear clothing and mjl :;
outer articles manmacturea irom tbe Won!
they sell at tariff prices, and thus as con
sumers must return their share of this in
creased price to the tradesman. 1 think ji
may be fairly assumed that a large proper
tion of the sheep owned by the fanner,
throughout the country are found in smn
AMk. 1 - 1 1 m . . w,"oij
uuuno, uumuDiiug irom twenty -nve t0
fifty. The duty on the grade of imported
wool which these sheep yield is ten cem.
each per pound, if of the value of thin?
cents or less; and twelve cents if 0f
the value of more , than thirty cents
If the liberal estimate of six pounds be al
lowed for each fleece, the duty thereon
would be 00 or 72 cents, and this may j
taken as the utmost enhancement of the
price to the farmer by reason' of .this duty.
Aignteen aouars wouia thus represent the V
increased price or the wool from twenty
five sheep, and thirty-six dollars that from '
the wool of fifty sheep; and with other
vaiues mis addition would amount to
about one-third of its price. If upon its
sale the farmer receives this or tariff profit
the wool leaves his hands charged with pre'
cisely that sum, which, in all the changes
will adhere to it until it reaches tbe con
sumer. When manufactured into clota and
other material for use, its cost is not. only
increased to the extent of the farmer's v&tm
profit, but a further sum has been added
for the benefit of the manufacturer under
the operation of other tariff laws. In the
meantime the day arrives when the farmer f '
noos it necessary, to purchase woolen
clothes and material to clothe himself and
family for the winter. . When he faces the
tradesman for that purpose he discovert
that he is obliged not only to return, in the
way of increased prices, his tariff profit on
the wool he sold, and. which then perhaps
lies before him in the manufactured form,
but that he must add a considerable sum
thereto to meet a further increase in the cost
caused by a tariff duty on the mann
facture. Thus in the end he is aroused to
the fact that ho has paid upon a moderate
purchase, as a result of the tariff scheme,
which when he sold his wool seemed so
profitable, an increase in price more than
sufficient: to sweep away all the tariff
profit he received upon the wool he pro
duced and sold. When the number of
farmers engaged in wool raising is com
pared with all the farmers in tbe country,
and the small proportion they bear to our
population is considered; when itis made
apparent that in the case of a large ponios
of those who own sheep, the benefit of riej
personal tariff on wool is illusory:
above all, when it must be conceded that
the increase of the cost of living caused by
such a tariff becomes a burden upon those
with moderate means and.the poor, the em
ployed and unemployed, the sick and well,
and the young' and old, and that it consti
tutes a tax. which with a relentless grasp
is fastened upon tbe clothing of every
man, woman and child io the laod. reasons
are suggested why the removal or reduc
tion of this duty should be included iuj h
revision of our tariff laws. I
' j In speaking of the increased cost to ihc
Consumer of our home manufactures, re
sulting from a duty levied upon imported
articles of the same description, tbe foci
is not overlooked that competition
among our domestic producers ennie- 1
times has the effect of helpln?
the price of their products below the highest
limit allowed by such duty. But it is
notorious that this competition is too strong
ly by combinations quite prevalent at this
time, and frequently called a trust, which
have for their objects the regulation of tbe
supply and the price of commodities mnde
and sold by members of the combinatioii.
The people can hardly hope for any con
sideration in the operation of these selfish
schemes. ! If, however, in the absence nf
such combination a healthy and free com
bination reduce tbe price of any particulw
dutiable article ot home production below
the limit which it might otherwise reach
under our tariff law, and if with such in
duced price its manufacture continues to
thrive, it is entirely evident that one thing
has been discovered which should be full;
scrutinized in an effort to reduce taxation.
The necessity of a combination to maintain
the price of a commodity to the tariff point
furnishes proof that some one is willing: to
accept lower prices for such commodity,
and that ; prices are remunerative. Lower
prices produced by competition prove lbe
same thing. Thus, where either of .these
conditions exist, a case would seem to be
presented for an easy reduction of taxation.
f The considerations which have been pre
sented concerning our tariff laws, are in
tended only to enforce an earnest recom
mendation that the surplus revenues of the
government be prevented by the reduction
of our customs duties, and at the Same time
to emphasize a suggestion that, in accom
plishing this purpose, we may discharge a
double duty to our people by granting to
them a measure ot relief from tbe tariff
taxation : in que8nonB here it is most
needed, and from sources wherein it can be
most fairly and justly accorded; nor can
the presentation made of such considers
tions be with any degree of fairness re
garded as an evidence of unfriendliness to
wards our manufacturers' interests or of t
any lack of appreciation ot their value and
importance. These interests constitute a
leading and most substantial element of
our national greatness, and furnish tbe
proud proof of our country's progress; but
if in the emergency that presses upon us
our manufacturers are asked to surrender
something for the public good, and to avert
disaster, their patriotism, ss well as a grate
ful recognition of the advantages already
afforded, should lead tbem to a willing co
operation. No demand is made that tbey
shall forego all the benefits of governmental
regard, but they cannot fail to ; be admon
ished of their duty, as well as of their en
lightened self interest and safety, when
they are reminded of tbe fact that tbe
financial panic and collapse to which tbe
present condition tends, affords no greater
shelter or protection to our manufacturers
than to our other important enterprises. An
opportunity for a safe, careful and de
liberate reform is now offered, and none of
us should be unmindful of a time when "
abused and irritated people, heedless et
those who have resisted timely and reason
able relief, may insist upon a radical and
sweeping rectification of their wrongs.
1 iThe difficulty attending a wise and fair
revision of our tariff laws is not underesti
mated, i It will require on the ; part of tbo
Congress great labor and care, and espe
cially a broad and, national contemplation
of the subject, and a patriotic disregard or
such local and selfish claims as are un
reasonable and reckless of the welfare of s
the entire country. Under our present
laws more than four thousand articles aie
subject to duty. Many of these do not io
any way compete with our own manufac
turers, and many are hardly worth atten
tion as subjects of revenue. A consider
able reduction can be made in the aggre
gate by adding tbem to the free list. Tbe
taxation of luxuries presents no features of
hardship, but the necessaries of life, used
and consumed by all the people, the duty
upon which adds to the cost of living in
every home, should be greatly cheapened.
The radical reduction of the duties imposed
upon the raw material Used in manufac
tures, its free importation, is of course an
important factor in any effort to reduce tbe
price of these necessaries, and would not
only relieve them from the increased cost
caused by the tariff on such material, but
the manufactured product being thus
cheapened, that pat t of the tariff now laid
upon such product, as a compensation to
our manufacturers for the present price of
the raw material, could be accordingly
modified. Such reductions or free impor
tation, would serve beside to largely reduce
the revenue.
if;
!4v
P.
1