The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-08
Free Trade Against Tariff.

the election of Mr.. Carlisle ana the
possible results:
Itwas made to cruelty every South
ern conservative element of the party
and force liberal Southern members
to desert Randall or be retained at
home. A contest thus waged and
thus won can take no step backward.
1t is revolution in Demf cratic pol
icy, a bold departure from all Demo-
cratic teachings and traditions of the
last century-a defiant declaration OF
war against even incidental prOtec-
ton to the dissatisfied industries
which are to day the pride, the force.
and the wealth of the Republic. For
years the Democratic party has bat
tied against prohiDitory protection,
nut never until now has it avowed its
purpose 10 discard even discrimina-
ton in favor of domestic industry.
The new Democratic deliverance
will startle the country North and
South. The suicidal declaration for
"a tariff for revenue only" in 1880 de-
feated the Democrats in Indiana,
Ohio, Pennsylvania. New York, Con-
necticut, and nearly lost New Jersey
and Delaware, but the party disa-
vowed it in all these States, and the
country had enough faith in General
Hancock to prevent the positive dis
Indignation of the party. But now
the Democratic proclamation of ag-
gressive hostility to any and every
shade of protection to American in
dustry comes from a House assuming
to speak for the party just on the
threshold of Presidential contest,
and the proclamation comes from the
body that is charged by the coun-
try with the preliminary legislation
about the subject.
1t is not the mere deliyerance of a
party platform that may be forgotten
after the battle. 1t is the deliberate
declaration of the supreme Demo-
cratic representative body, and it will
promptly proceed to execute its pur-
pose. OF course it can accomplish
nothing in the modification of the
tariff, as the Senate and the President
are both ready to defeat and profit by
this impracticable Democratic aglta-
ton but it will throw uncertainty
and unrest upon the already depressed
business of the country, and all past
history must be at fault in its lessons
if the business interests of the land
shall not be crystalized against Dem
ocratic authority, and Republican
authority, with all its CHASTITY sorce
ofcorruption, profiigacy and sectional
despotism, continued as a choice of
evils.
Nor will this sentiment prevail in
the South alone. There are many,
very many, patriotic Southern men
who have thrown themselves into
the breach to arrest this wanton as
sertiOn of sectional force.
The obvious result of the issue will
be united North on the tariff, and
every State east of the Mississippi,
and divided South, with majority
of the ableSt journals of the South
aggressively against the whole sec-
tional and industrial policy delivered
by the election of Carlisle. This is
the entertainment to which Southern
sectiOnalism invites Democracy. 1t
would give Virginia back to M hone.
1t would make North Carolina, Ala
hama, Louisiana. Tennessee and West
Virginia doubtful, and it would leave
the Democrats without the hope of a
single electoral vote in the Northern
States.
Such is the outlook to-day, and
only the resOlute reversal of the Sec
tional policy declared by the House
can give the Democrats the remotest
chance to contest the election of
President next year. The mere self
destruction Of the Democratic party
would be matter of very little con
sequence. But, in its self-destruction,
it 81 'es new life to the sectiOnalism
that has been suppressed in the North
by the intelligent and patriotic peo-
pie Of all parties, and that element
can and will rule the Republican par
ty whenever itcan rule without party
disaster.
From this day until the Democratic
people shall Enthusiastically repudiate
the sectionalism of their party Lead
ers in Congress, no conservative Re-
publican will be in the range of the
next Presidential nomination. II
Blaine shall re.enter the contest. as
is now more than probable, he will
refresh himself on his debate with
Hill, when he made his desperate bid
for Northern sectiOnalism, to nomi-
nate himself in 1876; and if nomina
ted, he would sweep the North and