The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-29
.,,,.,s sophistry

from his shOuuei7'
s,ms,s sophistry.
80, Az ANXIOUS CONVERT IN
LEIIEh ino co,rxrY CRITICISED by THE
PITTsyLvANIA Cousii
T T"" ,oI,ow;n.- letter, written by William
ST. uu ioi .T~ ;ndependent go-as-you-please
candidate for Congress, appeared W .uu
I ta', ;sum -, The Franklin Gazette. IL WIN
ho re e,o that this letter is addressed
~ . Democrot and that at the same tlihe
tbe sbiit;nc sims had written Coa'i'ion
' 1ue r"t ~ TuSoe Iairston. Here Is the
Democratic letter: ,,st 4 1900
Captain G.. W. b. Hale: ,o,,or ost
Dear Sir,-In answer 10 you; n ,v,'E IN
ing my views on several points 20 ,,,,. ror,o
national politics, and asking M ~ - Mo,f;ns.
would be presented beloru W. thoro ' T. .
vile convention, / reply that tnere Is
wide difference in our party ~ ~ '"o n'''''''
ING Of the word "democracy'
r. como Il means free trade; to some
II means "hostility to internal improve,
ments Inv fine General Government; and
to some it means Opposition to pubic
education at national expense
To such II seems almost sacrcligious to
have any change in Democratic doctrines
and. while the world is moving, Democracy
must stand still. As DR.. Samuel Johnson
used to say, "You don't see your way
through the question, SIR
To me democracy has no such mean.
ing. | define the word as "tle power OF
the people, under the Constitution, as eX-
hibitcd by the laws made by representatives
fairly elected and administered by hones'
officials"
Thus far / am an old-iashioncd Demo
crat. but no further. | am in favor OF liDe'
raj and systematic internal improvements
at national expense; | am IN FAVOR OF q
tborou.,h frcc.school education by national
authority and at national expense, ana am
in favor OF tariff high enough TO raise all
the revenue that we require to support the
Government and schools, to pay the inter-
est on and create i sinking iund Tor Tic
national debt, and 10 carry on liberal inter-
nal improvements.
Old-fashioned or stagnant Democracy
will be shocked at these views as anti
Democratic ard anti-consttutional $50
they arcl; but they are simply progressive
IioiIy or worsel. The Federal Constitu-
lion provides that Congress shall nave
power TO Law and collect taxes TO pay the
debts and to provide for the public defence
and general welfare OF the United States"
Surely this is broad enough to cover
the Improvement Of all OF OR rivers,
even for battealIX navigation. We find eX-
tremc men OF all parties, like President
Arthur and Congressman Samuel >. Cox,
who think that nothing tends to the gene
raj welfare in the Tnternal-improycment
line except appropriations for New York
harbor: but we inland people would like
TO receive some local benefits for the taxes
we pay. Better abolish the unnecessary
taxes. and we'll have the whole sum, with
out waste and stealage in the collection
and disbursement, wherewith to help our
sclvcS.]
Does not the general welfare also demand
tina: our Government, which gave the right
OF suffrage TO or late slaves, shall furnish
the means to educate them and tit them for
the new responsibilities which have been
thrust upon them. especially when the
States are too poor TO educate them!
Free trade, theoretically, is beau
tiful doctrine; bat we must drop
theories when we have practical result,
to refute them. Look at the wealth
OF the rOrthcrn people, ana you see
the effect Of a protective tariff mot reyc-
nue. tariff, though, but prOhbitory oncl;
and now that or district is beginning %
hear the music OF the stcam-cneinc, the
ring Of tie miners pick, and the hum OF
thc loom. we must learn to protect our IL
FAINT and growing industries, at least 10 the
extent necessary to force tie consumers Of
foreign wares to support the Government.
Our tariff revenues are sufficient for this
purpose; and we can hopefully look for
ward TO the near future when the tax Oh
brandy and tobacco will be repealed and
the odiols internal taX-gatherer driven
from our midst: [GO softly, Colonel. You
will want all the help YOU can get from
."odious" fellows like Fernald and our
friend j. u. Carter in your new position
This result is possible, however, only
by preserving the tariff, n a reduction
OF import duties will necessarily compel lis
to continue to raise money from whiSkey
and tobacco. by no means. Such rcduc-
ton, 10y increasing imports, will increase
The revenue from thcm.l
| know not whether my views are ac-
ccptabIe to the Democratic party OF this
district, even ii was personally the choice
OF the Convention; nor do | know now
whether my name will re proposed in the
meeting.
| can only say that II it's proposed, and
am defeated. ] hope my defeat will be caused
BY personal antagoniam to me. and not by
amy hostility 10 my politicalopinion, for the
party can easily select candidate better
than myself [loW YOU talk sensibiy, Colo
nei j; but, III my humble opinion, they
cannot afford to oppose the ideas | have
expressed. Yes; they can and will "Sit
down on YOU and your ideas, Colonel,
and tlattcn YOU out like pancake.
With great respect ! am your friend,
W. f.. SINS.