Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1887 — READ THIS. [ARTICLE]

READ THIS.

The President’s message appears in full, on an inside page. It deals with only one subject, the question of reducing the surpius, and is simply a specious argumert in favor of free trade.—Rensselaer Republican.

NOW READ THIS. Indianapolis News, republican: The message is remarkable in every way. It is perhaps the strongest manifesto of party leadership ever put fort’., in this shape. * * * * * 'l’his document •shows tha* the president has had an accession of information, and veyy wholesome information at that. He has found that .he executive is something else besides “essentially executive;” that he is essentially legislative, too, in his proper way, and he has acted on this information in a paper that re-dly deserves that much-abused term, a “state paper.” Interpreting his duty to inform Congress on the state of the Union ta mean something, he has acted ..pon it with a directness, sincerity and cleverness worthy of all praise, ’’nd so doing has made a president’s message mean something for he first time in Io! these many years. He cleai ly savs that he has called the attention of citizens and their representatives to the state of the Union. Instead of a lot of topheavy twaddle reviewing our “foreign relations” and running the dull round of department reports, he lets them speak for themselves; notes 4 hat the affairs of the state department will be a subject of special communication, and plunges at once into the one great question that there is in our affairs today, the question of the condition of our revenue laws which is causing an overflowing treasury that means financial disturbance and demora ization, and which is usurp ing the function of the government in extorting from the people taxes for which tli.-re is no common need. We find that ho has stated this subject with great clearness and simplicity. It is its own best commentator. It has no appeal of party politics in it. It addresses itself directly to us as citizens concerning our common business affairs. For ourselves, we agree with the matter as well as the manner of the document We believe the urgent necessity for an immediate reduction of the revenue to be such as the President has stated it, and that the proper wav to rediv ' is by a modification of Ux.il unties auJ. cnlar c-

ment of the free list and by leaving the tobacco and whisky taxes as they are. It is not a question of free trade at all. Whether for good or evil, oar industrial system stands on protection. We doubt if anyone living will see protection aba doned and free ..rads adopted. All such talk is as idle as Mrs. Tooule’s lament. The question is simply a reduction of the tariff on certain articles a> d an enlargement of the free list so as to kelp not merely all the people as consumers, but those of them who are manufacturers. The purpose is o reduce the revenue to the common needs, and in so doing to better the common condition. Arguments for this position a 7 e as plenty as blackbe Ties, but the President’s arguments are enough, and we can urge, as we did yesterday, that every one read the message, and in the spirit of its parting injunction, namely, that both political parties have pledged themselves to do just what is here asked, and that — “Our progress . toward a wise conclusion will not be improved by dwelling upon the theories of protection and free trade. This savors too much of bandying epithets. It is a condition which confronts us, not a theory Relief fiom this condition may involve a slight reduction of the advantages which we award our home productions, but the entire withdrawal of such advantages should not be contemplated. Th quest’on of free trade is absolutely irrelevant, and the persistent claim made in certain quarters that all efforts to relieve the people from unjust and unnece sary ta ation are schemes of socalled Lee traders is misehievous and far removed from any consideration for the public good. The simple and plain duty which we owe to the people is to reduce taxation to the neccessary expenses of an economical ope.ation of the Government, and to restore to the business of the epuntry the money which we hold in the treasury thro’ the perversion of governmental powers. These things can and should be done with safety to all our industries without danger to the opportunity for remunerative labor which our workingmen need, and with benefit, to them and all our people, by cheapening their means of subsistence and increasing the measure of their comforts.”