Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-07-28
The Low Wages Party.

| Inc Two prominent features IN the
Democratic platform recently manufac-
thred at Columbus are free rum and a
low wages tariff. Upon these they in
tend to go before the people and hope to
win success for their ticket. Yesterday
we pointed out the reasons which impei
the Democracy to foster poverty and
crime by sustaining the liquor interest
and now we propose to show from their
own record that they are the consistent
and persistent enemies of protection to
| American industries. AS party the
Democracy have ever been the advo-
Gates of free trade. During the past
quarter of century or more their lead
ers have been constantly assailing pro-
lection, while through their successive
national conventions they have clamor-
ed for a revehve tariff, which is merely
the Democratic name for free trade.
Last year their convention declared
for a tariff for revenue only" On that
issue they went before the country and
were beaten. Not satisfied with the
verdict then rendered, the Ohio Demec-
racy have determined to reopen the case,
and, with view to that end, have de-
clared in their State platform that "a
tariff should be for revenue" From
this it will be seen that the Ohio Democ-
cratic leaders still maintain their enmity
against IA tariff which protects home in
dustry and secures to working classes
employment and fair compensation.
They endeavor to make it appear through
their platform that they are the friends
of the common masses by declaring in
favor of equal taxation" and yet they
seek to destroy equality of taxation by
advocating that which is.essentially free
trade. What is tariff but tax which
the people pay indirectly? Every man
pays according to the sum which he ex-
pends in the purchase of imported goods.
The poor man does not pay for the lux
uries of the rich. Every man pays for
himself according to the sum expended
and in this there is real equality. Sub
stitute free trade for protection and the
Government will be compelled to rely
upon direct instead of indirect taxes
for support. And it is not the working
masses who enact the laws, what then
would become of equality and where, it
may be asked, would the toilers of the
country find means to pay taxes?
In no sense of the word can the Dem
ocratic leaders, with their free trade or
low wages platform, be held to be the
friends of the industrial classes. Give
them their way and permit them to car
ry out their purpose, and they would
SOW the country broadcast with penury
and want. They would throw our ports
open to the free importation of foreign
goods, the products of the pauper labor
of Europe. They would strike down
our own industries and reduce Ameri-
can operatives to sQualid wretchedness.
They would, in fact, place the manufac-
turing interests of this country in the
position which those of England occupy
at this time. So wretched, indeed, is the
state of affairs in that country that
the people are clamoring for protection
to save their waning industries. In the
face of this fact, and the experience
which our own country has undergone
in the past, the Democracy of Ohio re-
newedly plant themselves on low wa
ges platform and ask support at the
hands Of the people, Wa are ready, as
we were last year, to meet them on this
tissue, and shall hold them squarely up
to the mark and permit no dodging.-
| Cleveland Leader.