The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-12-28
Tho Denocratic Tariff OompHcation.

The statesmen of the Democratic party
are improving the period of rest between
Presidential campaigns by quarreling en-
over the tariff question. If
we are not mistaken it was the Hon; j.
Sterling Norton Of Nebraska, who
started the ball rolling by asserting in
his call for Democratic State Conyen-
tion that the time had come when the
Democratic party must commit itself,
body and soul, to the exposition of the
doctrine of free trade. Soon after Mr..
Morton,s declaration came the battle
note OF Daniel w. Voorhees,, of Indiana,
who insisted that NO party could win
that did not stand perpendicularly in ia
vor of the time-honored policy Of protec-
ton. In this enunciation Mr.. Voorhees,
was supplemented and supported by Mr..
Samuel J.Randall. of Pennsylvania, who
lives In o community where . afree-trader
would be an enormity. Then the news
papers joined in the turmoil Mr.. Wat
terson, Of the Gostrier-JouT7sal, whose
sanguinary and furious nature finds
cause for passion In the most prosaic
questions, came TO the unqualified sup,
port Of Mr.. Morton. 1--WE want"
said Mr.. Watterson, "no more pig
and-puppy campaigns evidently re-
ferring to- gentlemen sirs Han
cock and English" and no more now
you-seeit and now-you-don't tickets
Pennsylyania may 90. Mr.. voorhees,
in one another's arms and waltz of
wherever they please" !" Mr., Watterson,
it win be seen, Ia as independent as Cen
eral Hancock. Hancock, English, Voor-
hees, Tlden,s Randall or anybody else,
may go straight to the fire of the here
after unless he assert an unalterable
conviction of the eternity and the justice
of the dogma of free trade. From this
fiery position dissents Mr.. Charles A.
Dana, of the New York Sun, who, it
may be descriptively related, placed the
brand of infamy on the forehead of the
late Mr.. Hayes. The truth is" says
Mr.. Dana, a that the large majority of
American voters are earnestly in favor
of protection to American industry; and
any party which goes in frankly and
earnestly In opposition to that sentiment
goes in to be beaten. What sort of q
show would the Democratic party make
at the polls after it had driven off Mr..
voorhees, and Mr.. Randall, and cut
loose from Indiana as well as Pennsyl-
vaniaP" Mr.. Watterson's fire may
sputter and smoke because of this dash
Of cold water, but it will shed no light
ON the question propounded by the Sun.
The fact of the business is, that we
can not see much of any show for the
Democratic party at the polls, If the
tariff question is to be galvanized and
made to do duty as vital issue. Natur-
ally the Democratic party is the party
of free trade, and just as naturally the
Nation is devoted to the fostering OF
conservative protection of home indus
try. II by any hocus-pocus the party
bosses of the ,Randall-Voorhees wing
should secure control of the next Nation
al Democratic Convention, and evolve a
platform OF protectionism, the rank and
file Of unregenerated Bourbonism would
desert the Democratic colors at the
polls, while ON the other hand, If the
men of the Watterson stripe should
manage to repeat the old declaration
respecting ga tariff for revenue only
the people would not hesitate to declare
their disapprobation. as they did in the
campaign of 1880.
Allow us to suggest way out of the
woods. That eminent porcine states
man, General Hancock, stated last year
that the tariff question was merely local
issue, and had no bearing on the inter
ests of the Nation at large. At that
time he was the Democratic candidate
for President, and ought to have known
what he was talking about. Cannot
Messrs. Watterson, Morton, Dana, Ran.
dali and Voorhees, accept the definition
of General Hancock and lapse back into
apathyP-Onahd Republican.