Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1884 — THE CONVENTIONS. [ARTICLE]

THE CONVENTIONS.

As the time of the conv ntlons is drawing near, it will be well enough to put this item where it can be found when wanted: State Democratic Convention. Indian* apolis, June 25th National Demoi ratio Convention. Chi* cago, July Bth., “Beware of card*sharpers, ggntta* men,” he said with a smihj, and etitOott away.— Nqv

Chicago Times: The republican party once more proclaims its belief in taxation as the choice and only elixir of econ )mic life. If the country is afflicted with any economic ailment, such as tne complex malady known as hard times, administer some taxation. Ii you want to make the country an industrial and commercial athlete, give it plenty of taxation. If ypu want to make all the people prosperous and rich and happy, give them big doses of taxation. '‘Taxation, O. taxation, The joyful sound proclaim,” etc. That is the whole gist of the ongest and most elaborately wrought plank in the latest platform. ‘lt is the first duty of a good government to protect the rights and promote the interests of its own people.”— Therefore should it tax them roundly. If a man has the right to sell what lie has grubied out of the ground by hard oil for the most anyone is wiling to give, put a tax in his road and compel him to sell to some one who will not give him so much. If it is to a man’s interest to get the most he can f or his product, put a custojnlouse officer in ambush to wa yay him and make him disSorge a tenth of his profits for Lie use of government, and liree or four tenths more for :he “protection” of his neighbors. If he gets back from lis neighbors by the same cus-tom-house agency, he may not doubt that he is enriched by the taxing process, and must deem himself thrice blessed that he lives under so beneficent a government.

“The largest diversity of industry is the most productive of general prosperity and pf the comfert and independence of the people.” Bnt the stupid Seople do not know enough of tiemselves to diversify their industries and seek their own comfort and independence, and must needs be directed by an omniscient being calleu government. “iVe therefore demand that the imposition of duties on foreign imports shall be made not for revenue only, but that hi raising the requisite revenues for the government such duties shall be so levied as to afford security to our diversified industries and protection to the rights and wages of the laborer, to the end that active and intelligent labor, as well as capital wiall have its just reward, and the labor man his full share of the national prosperity.” Because we want the people to diversify their industries and be prosperous, therefore we propose to tax them not for revenue only, but for something else. We do not propose to take from them what is required for the purposes oi government and leave the re mainder of their earnings in their own hands for them tc

use land enjoy in their own way. 1 hat would suffice if we loved them less; but since we ardently desire to make them richer and happier, we propose to take from them much more than th 3 government needs, and to take it not for any public purpose, but to promote the interests of some few of them at the expense of the others.

And as we love the people in general, so more especially do our fond hearts go out towards the “laborer.” Rethink more than we can tell of his ‘ ights and wages.” Above all do we dote on “active and intelligent labor,’’and we want it to have “its just reward,” and we mean to see that “the laboring man” has “his full share in the national prosperty.” That is why we tax him all the way along from 20 to more than 100 per cent, on the shirtings, sheetings, calicoes, jeans, woolen goods, crockery, stoves, cutlery, salt, sugar, and a hundred other necessaries of life. Oh, how we love the “active and intelligent labor’’ that patiently stands all thi g taxation, and has at the same

time to brea st rm protected she competition of every human being who chooses to come to this country, otherwise than under contract, from any eountvy on the face of the globe, except China. ***** “The republican party pledg es itself to correct the irregularities of the tariff and to reduce the surplus, not by the vicious and indiscriminate i>rocess of horizontal reduction, but by such methods as will relieve the taxpayer without injuring the laborer, or the great productive interests of the country.” So, then, there are irregularities of the tariff which the republican party pledges itself to correct. But how does that happen, when the republican party by its representatives made thetariff just as it is? Some two years ago that party set about correcting the irregularities of the tariff in its own chosen way. It created a commission to travel from place to place and find out just where and what the irregularities were, and howto correct them. 'I hey chose the members of this body and every one of them was in accord with the republican view of the healing and invigorating virtue there is in taxation. They took the report, and in accordance with its re commendations proceeded to correct the i rregularities. 'J hey controlled both houses of congress, and there was nothing to prevent them from doing the work as they wished to do it. And now, in less than a year from the time when they completed one job of correcting, and pronounced it good for ten years, they confess that the irregu lari ties are still there, and give their pledge to remove them. What new access of wisdom and skill have they received within twelve months to perform a work in which they have confessedly failed after the most elaborate preparation and diligent effort? None, it is fair to presume, since they turn about and scold the democratic party for not accomplishing with one house only what they themselves failed to accomplish with both houses, the pre,- ident and a choice commission of experts to help them. * * * * Under all the circumstances it takes a gooc| deal of “cheek” for the republican party to do the scolding. But a party which proposes to make people rich and happy by taxing them for something more than revenue, and at the same time promises to relieve the taxpayer, probably has “cheek” enough for any emergency.