National Republican., 1883-01-25
The Great Issue.

The American people having been led for
forty years through the wilderness of debate
on states rights, slavery, war, and reconstruc-
ton, and having exhausted themselves in
quarrcling and fighting about an institution
which pe1ishcd nearly twenty years ago, are
now very likely to demand the consideration
of questions which are intimately connected
with their daily bread. The only REM
nant of tho past is the negro and
his relation TO the whites, and
this will ccasc to plague either race MS
soon as both shall turn their attention to
some theme of overpowcring interest to all.
There are no nice questions of government to
settle. Tho people will not heed the wrang-
lers who attempt 60 discuss mere questions of
doctrine. Rciormcrs may distribute the
clorkships of the government among their
protegcs and write bitter partizan attacks on
partzanship; they may cant against cant
and be intolerant of intolerance; they
may crush independence in the name
of Independence, and fight over the bitten
apples of politics at the play they pretend to
abhor; but TO all this the great body of the
| people arc wholly indifferent What will add
to the general prosperity What will keep
| furnaces, foundrics, and spindles in constant
operation and ensure living wages? What
will make the most profitable market for the
farmer and the busiest trade for the NOR
chant? These are the questions which touch
the people, and the men who would lead must
have satisfactory answers, and must prove
their faith by works.
Tho democratic party is welded TO tho old
doctrine Of fifty years ago, when one agricul-
turai product of the south demanded the
right to thrive at the expense of all other
industries. Cotton is king" said South
Carolina senator twenty-five years ago and
so it was The south was then the demo-
cratic party, as 1t is now, and the demo-
cratic party was then the government, as it
now is not, and can never be. The cry
of "a tariff for revenue only" is the
sound of the breaking of II string Of the harp
that gave out political music in bourbon
halls during former generation. 1t isawail
for the good old days of stage coaches aud Il
protest against the age of steam. II secs dis
astcr in progress and an enemy in capital
Tho two millions of mon who are employed
II tariff for revenue only, nor are the farmers
whose productions their employment enables
them TO consume. The million of men en-.
ployed in the transportation of food and of all
the products of mems hands, are not for d
tariff for revenue only. Nations which only
till the soil are but half civilized. Nations
which allow foreign goods to diSplacc thcil
own products are not found among the great
powers
Fifty millions of people inhabitng cont
ncnt covering every zone and yielding every
mineral and almost every other product o
: the earth, will not confne their energies t.
y raising food for the balance of the world
b, while other peoples by the skill Of thei
hands are increasing the value of raw mate
rials from two TO ten-fold. Progress in skilled
labor marks the growth of nation, for i
creates wealth.
b, "Thc American system" of protection
- against "the colonial system" which en-
couragcd the importation of foreign manu-
> facturcd articles under light duties for th
purpose of raising the small revenue then re
quired-ths was the struggle which OH
fathers engaged in II half century ago. w
> hear much of what President POLK said wa
" the democratic doctrine on the subject, Blu
he was not good authority. lie came in whcl
-. the nulihcrs, who had been driven out O
y the democratic party by JACKSON lively,
years before, rccapturcd that fated orguniNl
tion, and led it rapidly to its manifest des
T. tiny" of annexation, conquest, secession, wal
Is and ruin The party for tariff for rcvenu
is oniy went down under JACKsoNs proclamO
VS. tion to the nullfers, and their leader barrel
Of escaped arrest for treason by agreeing TO Nj
t. CLAY's compromise tariff BILL which had 70
its core the protective principle and becam
N an administration measure. So read th
annals of the democratic party,
The JACKSON democrats were for that sci
81 tlemcnt and those who take JACKSON for
e. model cannot follow the lead of those VIII
to agree with the CALHOUN view of that da,
o. viz. that the tariff should be for revenue onl,
ut If the lines be drawn, we shall find MOI
e democrats with us in favor of protection tina
lg republicans against us in favor of Britis
ne interests.