The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-05-03
The Radical Programme Oh the
% TartH Question.

Nv nAdOtCsts FtOSEstthAtAhc OA shC
- TartH Question.
The progress of public sentiment on !
tie protection robbery is decidedly graf
lying, It is at1engtk possible to gain
The attention or the people to measures
other than negro question; and as q
consequence there is developing hos
tihty to high tariffs which must be lit
tie sprrfising'to the nonopolists
/. irhe bih WHICH lIas occupied so much
OF the attention of Congress this season,
and which was intended to pick still clo-
ser the purses OF the consumers for the
benefit of few manufacturers, is in Il
fair way to be either defeated or so
amended as to frrstratc the designs of
its authors. Many Republican members
from the West are beginning to realize
that their constituents will no longer &C
quiesce il, policy which takes all the
profits of Western labor to increase the
dividends of Eastern capital,
The effect of this is seen from week to
week in the gradually diminishing vote
of the protectionists. So encouraging
have these votes become that cnthtisias.
tic free ira lers have had the boldnesS to
Introduce bills to materially reduce the
tariff.
But there is no hope of any relief
from the present Congress. The Rail
cal programme on the subject seems to
be about this: No important change to
be made the present sessioni hut'the
Western Radical members to 60 home
to their constituents and make Whatever
promises of future reform may be he
cessarY to secure their re. election. There
| is no kind of doubt but that q number
of Radicals who have aided efficiently in
building up and consummating the pres
eLt gigantic swindle, are now, Just at
the close of their terms, casting q few
anti monopoly votes to display to their
constituents.
1t is doubtless part of this pro
yramme that was enacted by leading
Radical editors. at meeting in New
York, last week. Such Radical papers
as the Chicago Tribune, st. Louis Dem
ocrat, Cincinnati Commercial and New
York Erening Post were represented
They we're unanimously in favsr of
reducing the tariff to revenue standard,
and appointed cczmittee of arrange
ments to call q grand convention at St,
i Louis in behalf of the revenue system,
It wonld be too much to say that these
eminent editors are insincere in their
opposition to protection; but it would
be just as much Too little to omit to say
that they have with unfagging zeal sup
ported the party which has supported
the .ariff. We may, therefore, well sus-
pect thst their object is not SO much to
arouse public sentiment on the subject,
as it is to give that sentiment such
direction as will least injure the Radical
,,iparty.
i 1t looks at the first glance like open
secession, to raise free.trade standard
in the midst of protectionist party
but we are not sanguinc enough to ex-
pect any such result, 1t will be found
that the movement has no higher object
than to make pathway around formi-
Idable obstruction which lies3in the way
of the success Of Radical Congressional
candidates In the West.
i There has scarcely been an election in
j the aast ten years in which the Radical
leaders have not cheated the people into
apparently voting for something that the
people did not wax at all and this con
vention project has every appearance Of
being another gull catching trap.
So long as a mai works ON Satan's
side, we shall lack faith in his piety. Sc
long as these gentlemen work tc
strengthen the only support OF higl
, tariffs-the Radical party, though they
, talk free trade, we shall not repose con
lidencc in them. If they are merely
!, thimble,rigsing the tariff question to
> win seats in Congress for their party
4 lthey are consistent enough; but if the,
are honestly endeercring TO break dow
that legalized system of robbery, lie
them unite their strength with that o
the party whose principles, history AM
traditions present q clean record agains
high tariffs. Then they viii comman'
confidence; until then they will not dc
seive it.
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