Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-06-28
The Ohio key-note.


The Ohio Keynote.
There is deep disgust in Republican
circles at the tenor Of the platform Of the
Ohio Democracy. The Chronicle can find
no words Of rcprobation for its trimming
tendencies.
The truth Is that the Ohio Democratic
outglying is charac terized by rare wis.
dom. Our Republican adversaries con-
adently expected to see outlined in 1t
some Of the premature Free Trade non.
sense with which the columns OF Henry
watterson's Louisville urier-Journai
has been 80 heavily loaded Of late; load
ed to~#a extent, indeed, which has
really seriously obscured the natural
Intellectual brightness Of that virile and
able newspaper.
As matter Of fact, the Democrats
have proved themselves entirely equal
to the occasion. They have pronounced
ia favor Of tariff which will provide
an ample revenue for the needs Of the
national government, and which will, at
the same time, protect the interests
Of American labor by the equitable
method Of its distribution.
Our esteemed contemporary, the San
francisco Chronicle, in reviewing this
phase OF the Ohio Democratic platform,
pronounces 1t mere demagogy, because,
says that sapient sheet. as to all pur-
poses Of the tariff, the interests Of capi-
tai and labor are identical.
1t thus appears that the Chronicle is
In truth very impcrfoctly acquainted with
the infamies Of which the Republican
party has acquitted itself in the interest
Of protection to American industries,
so-called. Fortunately, we can refresh
Its memory. Take, for instance. the
case Of tho celebrated 0nondaga Salt
Company, a pot Republican corporation
Of the State Of New York.
Just here is salient feature to which
we propose to invite special attention,
a. 1t illustrates, in q remarkable degree,
the slavish devotion Of a Republican
Congress to protection as an agency for
bestowing positively royal largesses on
its own adherents--a policy from which,
to do them justice, such Republican
bodies have never departed, from the
the days of the Onondaga Salt Manu-
factory to those OF the Credit Mobilier,
Whisky Ring and Star Route scandals.
Bear in mind that we only introduce
the onondaga Salt Manufacturing Com
pany as an instance in which high pro-
lection did not benefit the revenue OF
the United States or the income OF tho
laborer to the extent of sou marquee.
A number OF influential Republicans,
having purchased several salt wells in
the State Of New York, they at
once set about persuading Con-
gress that American industries ought
to be protected. As consequence,
they procured the imposition Of extrav'
agantly high duties ON all foreign salts,
not to protect any American industry,
or to enhance the wages of the Ameri-
can laborer, but to enrich themselves
beyond the dreams of avariee. By the
soandalous completely of Republican
Congresses, they were enabled to declare
dividends at the rate of two hundred
per cent. year, Anybody who thinks
that the men who worked around this
salt factory got more than q reasonable
per diem are egregiously mistaken. In
truth, no man who harbors such an
opinion lives outside of lunatie asylum.
Nor was that all. Not only was the
0nondaga Salt Company enabled to
declare such unprecedented dividends,
through Republican Congressional favor
itism, in which the laborer was not
represented to any extent whatever but
further scandal was developed. The
product of salt, stimulated by such ex-
-ceprfonal aaa-seendaloas profts. was so
great at 0nondaga that the incredible
spectacle was witnessed of great saline
expectations to Canada, which were sold
ts the Kanucks at less than one.half the
price which infamous Republican Con-
crosses permitted these people to exact,
for years, from the people of the United
States.
The San Francisco Chronicle affects to
denounee as demagogioal that clause of
the platform of the Ohio Democracy
which pronounces for protecting Ameri-
can labor, as contradistinguished to capi-
tai, in providing tariff for revenue.
In the instance we have adduced, it may
be seen how tariff may nominally be in
the interest of American labor, while it
is really an engine OF oppression, and
adds not dollar to the revenue Recog.
MIXING the gravity of the national bur
dens, and the necessity for raising q
hdisc IeNeuueJ the bAio buiNNi"NS Nu'
clare that the customs impositions shall
be honestly directed to assure the Ameri'
can workingman the highest possible
benefit For capital, which can always
protect itself, the Ohio Democracy ex'
hibit precious little concern. In this
they are undoubtedly right. In fact,
they are both right and sagacious.
Too long far too long have SNUG
hypocrites ensconced themselves in the
temple OF protection, ostensibly in the
interest OF the masses, while, in truth,
they have been diligently engaged in
giving the people away, and in accumu-
lating unutterable infamies in the name
of banded capital The Ohio Demo
cratic platform is n trumpet proclama-
tion of the fact that, while American
labor shall be protected, and the exigent
demands of the national treasury shall
be provided for old time protcctionist
injustice shall cease In its attitude on
the tariff, as in its utteranees as to sump-
tuary laws, the Ohio Democracy has
turned up the winning card 1t is not
only right but il will be successful,
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WE regreat that we are not at this