Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-09-09
Two Democratic Blunders.

4
aProgress of the Presidential Canvass
writer in the Atlantic for September
very clearly sets forth the differences be-
tween the Democrats and Republicans
in the campaign. He says: upon two
questions the Democrats have in their
platform departed from their non-com-
initial policy. The platform demands
free ships and tariff for revenue only.
Here the Republicans can join issue
with them squarely. Free ships, how
ever desirable in a theoretical sense,
mean practically the entire abandon
pent of American ship yards. The
| Italians and Norwegians can put togeth-
er wooden ships cheaper than our
Maine shipwrights can build them, and
fthe great Clyde-side and Tyne-side
yards of Great Britain can underbid
our Delaware yards for the construction
of iron vessels. The ruin of our ship
building industry might be compensated
for by. commercial advantages in time of
peace, but we should be seriously Grip
pied in case of war, for our navy yards
are not capable of supplying our navy
with the additional armed vessels it
would need, to say nothing of the fleets
of transports that must be rapidly i'm
provised for military operations. Leav-
ing the commercial question aside alto
gether, the support of American ship
yards by protective legislation is de-
fensive measure of the highest national
Importance. The Democrats have made
no point here that will help them in the
canvass. Indeed, in view of the close
ness of the State of Maine and the hopes
Of carrying it by their alliance with the
Greenbackers, it looks as though they
had committed serious blunder.
They have succeeded no better with
their tariff for revenue only" plank.
Such tariff means the entire abandon
ment of the American system of protec-
ton under which our multiform manu-
featuring Industries have grown and
prospered. A tariff for revenue is
tariff which will produce the most rev.
enue, and is of necessity a low tariff,
that will stimulate large importations
Of foreign goods to undersell our own
products in our home markets. This
plank arrays against the Democracy the
entire manufacturing interests of the
country, together with the large body of
artisans and iaborers whose daily bread
depends upon its prosperity. 1t throws
away the very fair chances the Demo
Gratis had of carrying Connecticut and
New Jersey, and the possibility of their
securing Pennsylvania the home State
of their candidate. Besides it will lose
them many votes in New York, where
there are thousands Of industries which
would be ruined by the repeal of pro-
tective duties. In return, the Democrats
gain nothing. The South, which is the
only section of the country where free
trade ideas largely predominate, is solid
ly Democratic in every case. The West
is Republican, and will not change its
political faith on account of this bid for
it's favor The East, where the pivotal
States OF New York, Connecticut and
New Jersey are to be the battlefield of
the Presidential contest, is firmly we'd
ded to the protective system by thou
sand motives of self interest. Thus the
Democratic assault upon protection can
only be regarded as gigantic blunder'