The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-08-07
DoDGINa A VITAL QUESTION.


FroA. the Nsw York Tribune, Monday.
General Hancock talks rs auently about the
Constitution NJ his friend, the late Andrew John.
son, used to when swinging round the circle
10 such profound wisdom rs this: THE Constitu.
ton forms the basis Of the Government of the
United States" lie says that neither the general
NOR the state Governments should trench upon
tho jurisdiction Of the other, q truism we have
heard before. lie lays down old. wcll-worn max.
iins rs though they were newly discovered truths.
The powers granted by the Constitution 90 tho
Legislative, Executive and Judicial Departments
define and limit the authority Of the general Gov
eminent" he says, which nobody will deny. lie
has space enough In his letter oF such phrases as
these, but he has not u word 10 say about matter
Of the utmost Importance to n large portion Of the
American people. The Cincinnati platform de.
ciares In favor Of free ships" and "a tariff for
revenue only" Hundreds Of thousands Of work
ingmen whose interests are directly at stake in
this matter have been waiting TO hear what Gen
eral Hancock thinks Of these declarations. lie
doe, not even mention them. Amid the lawns
and gardens Of Governors Island, kent in order
By liberal Government for the pleasure Of him.
sell and his brother officers, with soldiers in hand.
some uniforms 10 do his bidding. and n band to
drive dull care away with the latest opera airs he
doubtless forgot that there were grimy, hard
handed mechanics and operatives toiling in work.
shops, ship-yards and factories TO whom this tariff
question IL one Of bread and clothes and shelter
for themselves and their families. Perhaps he
does not know what = revenue tariff Is. A man
who has been n soldier all his life cannot be ex.
pected to have very clear ideas matters Of legis
lation and political economy, or perhaps the Dem
ocratic politicians told him he had better dodge
the question, because the less said about Il here in
the East the better for the party.
Well, the workingmcn do not intend that the
question shall be lodged In this canvass. They
will interpret General hancocks silence rs an ac-
In Nha M
logic will be simple and direct. "If he does mot
believe Ia tariff for revenue only, they will saw
"he would have said 80 in his letter" They know
very well what that little phrase "for revenue
only signifies. II means that the protective sys.
ten established by the Republican marty. mum
which NIL vast Misunderstanding interest," re-, /.
to be abolished. and heavy importation Of foreign
goods encouraged by low duiies. The mar, i'm,
portations the more revenue. The NOR, good.
imported the less will there be for American work
men to make. With less work for them To- de- will
come lower wages. scarcity OF empioy ment, hard
times and poverty. All this is as plain as that
two and two make four.
The mechanics In the ship. yards or Maine.
Pennsylv ania and Delaware know tina, "fr,.
ships" mean ships bought in England. Scotland
and Norway to engage in our c"astUisc anil Ter
eign trade under our flag in competition with nmr
hcme.buiit craft. For every such foreign ship
given an American register they know there viii
be one less FOR them t. build. The free ships"
policy of the Democratic party would close every
important ship yard in the country within - year.
The iron workers of Pennsylvania. Ohio. Indiana
and Missouri know that for every ton "f foreign
iron laid down upon our docks there /, one ton
less for them Ia make. They understand perfect.
iy well that u tariff designed TO stimulate inpor-
tations of iron would ruin tho irsn industry in
this country and reduce them to poverty. 80 il
Is with the sik wcavcrs and leather manufacturer
Of New Jersey. the spinncrs and weavers Of Mas.
sachusctts. the hardware and tool makers Of Con.
necticut. and with all the members of that great
army Of artisans of whom General Garfield speaks
in his letter of acceptance. "whose intcllis cnce
aud skill. he says. powerfully contribute to the
safety and glory Of the nation" They all know
that their welfare depends upon the continuance
OF the present wise system Of moderate protection
To- home industries.