Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1883-08-21
Communicated.
tor Shirt of Jefferson j:

Editor Spirit Of Jefferson:
A writer signing himself "Little
Massachusetts" in your issue of Au-
gust 18th, corrects the imputation he
supposes is contained in your paper
of July 31st, that the Democratic
party of Virginia ever committed
itself to so impolitic word as ''only''
as an aflix to any plank in its plat
form, and more especially to ''tariff, -
the watchword of the Presidential
campaign of 1884. So we see the
spirit of compromise abroad in the
land, and the Ohio convention fol-
lowed with great Difference by the
convention of Virginia, have length
ened the terse expression, ga tariff
for revenue only" which contains a
principle, viz: opposition to class leg
islation and discrimination, conform
ity in tariff laws to the very definition
of the born books of the law, that
law should be ssrule" uniform and
universal, not applicable to one man
or class of men. They have length
cned it into comparatively cumbrous
sentence full of Inconsistencies, show
ing morbid desire for Office without
regard to principle, covering for all
the storm-beaten Democrats of the
wide Union who long for haven and
rest. What says this platform of
the Ohio convention: eve favor a
tariff for revenue, limited to the ne
cessities of a government econom-
ically administered, and so adjusted
in its application as to prevent I'M
equal burdens, $50 far we'll enough,
so say we all. gentlemen, encourage
productive interests at home and af-
ford just compensation to labor, but
not to create or foster monopolies. {"
1t is to this latter clause that we OBJ
object seriously, it is the antedote to
the poison contained in the first clause
that makes the whole palateablc to
great many stomachs which would re-
jcct the incompatible first clause, adj
ministered alone. Encourage produc-
tive interests at home! How, pray
by taking money out of one mans
pocket and putting it into another
This is indeed encouraging" to those
who are thus protected, "and afford
just compensation for labor" This
is a fallacy! Labor and protection
through tariff laws, as this clause in
dictates, have no connection-Fencour-
age productive interests at home -
This, sir, is creating and fostering
monopolics, but if you read on it is
added, ''but not to create or foster
monopolies." There is the irrcsist-
IDLE force and the immoyablc body.
E'Little Massachusetts" goes on to
explain the difference, as he under
stands, between the two great parties
on the tariff question. He says, "the
Democratic party favors tariff, rev.
enue being its object, and of amount
just sufficient for the expenditures of
the government" If that is its OBJ
ject, how possibly can it encourage
productive interests at home. -
Another plank in this admirable plat
form, ''Thc protection to home indus
try that must necessarily result being
a mere incident.' I don't like this
''incident, which, like the tale of the
dog, may after while manipulate the
body.
''The Republican party favors tariff
with protection as its object" l see
not why consistent with the two plat
forms of the Republican and Dem
Ocratic parties, as expressed COM
monty in the State conventions, the
word Republican might not be substi-
tutcd for Democratic throughout the
dissertation of ''Littlc NIassachu-
sets" and metamorphosc it into first
class Republican editorial. 1t is such
shilly-shallying with principle as this
that makes such slurs of common
sense on the Democratic party as the
Republican papers, cast full with keen
satire such as ''The Democratic party
can do nothing heroic" or the appli-
cation to the Democratic party of
Disraclli's famous attack on one of the
leading parties in England, ''liEe
the mule in politics that engendcrs
nothing" Let us in the application
Of the principle ''tariff for revenue
only" yield ground to a cautious
policy of avoidance of a crisis by a
two hasty approach to the dcsidera-
tum, the abolition of all protective
systems, North or South, or otherwise
let us insert protective tariff in our
platform, and if right in principle
maintain with argument and our suf-
frage. But let us have principles,
and not men, even though those men
be voters by whom we may carry the
next Presidential campaign.
You've DEMOCRAT.