The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-10-29

ern Wings. This purpose WAS iui-
ther carried out by the Dred Scott
decision ofthe Democratic majority
of the Supreme Court made in 1856,
but withheld until after Buchanan s
inauguration in 1857 This deter,
mination to give slavery national
status ended in the division of the
Democratic party in 1850 between
the Douglas and Breckenridge
wings. the election of Mr.. Lincoln
and the insurrection of the South.
As consequence, the war brought
into existence new laws passed by
the Republicans for revenue and the
protection of American industry
Under the influence of these laws
the devastation of the war was re-
paired and the country brought up
to a condition of prosperity in ~
wears unprecedented in all our his
tory. and even greater than IN all
our former National life.
THE SOUTH RULES THE PARTY.
These are the recorded facts which
have passed into the National histo-
~ beyond dispute or recall. Can
anything be clearer than the propo-
sition that slavery is the fundamen
tai principle on which rested the op.
position TO the protection OF Ameri-
can industry; an opposition made
solid by the Democracy of the South
and yet continuing. The views, in
terests and sentiments of the South,
begotten by slavery, yet live. The
agricultural products of the South
are yet the same. Negro labor is
lust as essential as ever to the raising
of cotton, rice and tobacco. The
black population is yet subordinate,
if not slave. 1t had no real voice
in the government of the South, and
the whites of the South resolve 1T
shall not. Who are the governing
class of the South I? They are DEM
ocrats. and not only so, bat solid in
their cohesion and adherence to
their policy and doctrines, forcing
them on the Northern wing of their
party, willing or unwilling. Here
and there in the South bright spots
are beginning to appear, but the
whole mass is yet dark and solid.
These well-known facts would nat
urally produce their results in the
public acts of the party.
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM on TARIFF.
Accordingly we have them in the
platform of 1876, in which the solid
South and its Northern adherants
declared: I'VE denounce the pres
ent tariff, levied on nearly 1000 ar
ticles, as a masterpiece of injustice
inequality and false pretense.' Again
"We demaad that all custom house
taxation shall be only for revenue.
In the platform of 1880 they pledge
themselves anew to the constitution
al doctrines and traditions of the
Democratic party, as illustrated by
the teachings and examples of long
line of Democratic statesmen and
patriots embodied in the platform
of the last national Convention ofthe
party" This is followed immedi-
ately by repetition of "a tariff for
revenue only" Such were the doc
trine and pledges of the Democratic
party four years ago, and on this
pledge the solid south, the soil of
slavery and all its memories, sup
ported Hancock. Such is the fun
damental principle on which Isl
free trade Democrats, under the lead
of Carlisle and Morrison in the last
session of Congress, voted to reduce
all duties 20 per cent, while only
forty-four under the lead of Randall
voted against this fiat and indiscri-
mate reduction. Mark, too, the coin
cidence of this 20 per cent. scale
with the 20 per cent, of the compro-
mise bill of 1888 forced by the South
upon the North, and which brought
ruin and and bankruptcy on the
country.
Now, in 1884, we have Democrat
ic platform purposely dubious to
prevent defeat, interpreted in the
South as free trade, so much so
that such free traders as Carlisle,
Morrison, Hurd, Watterson and
others stand satisfactorily on it. On
this uncertain platform, who stands
as its exponent A dumb candi-
date, whose silence proves its utter
want of homes. expression. With
an avowed protectionist the Demo-
cratic masses might go to battle on
even this dubious call, but with
platform and a candidate speaking
no positive conviction, who can trust
that party? A party without a
leader or a chart, fioundering in the
waves of uncertainty;a country halt
ing on the great highways of bust
ness; Nation looking anxiously for
calm when it can embark once
more on a return to prosperity. For
this there is but one real avenue of
hope-the election of Mr.. Blaine
and a continuance of the openly
avowed Republican policy of pro-
lection. Its platform is positive
and its candidate speaks out
boldly and honestly.
DANIEL. AGNEw.