The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-15
The Issue.


The CLARION has all along commended
that the oEer-shadowing issue of the
present canvass is the fitness of the can
didates Of the Democratic and Republi-
can parties; but there are many persons
who have become so welded to the idea
that principles and not men" should
control the voters, that We have been
occasionally taken to task for our plain
way Of dealing with the questions to be
settled on the 4th Of November.
We appreciate as fully as any that q
political party which seeks to get con-
troll of the government should be a
party of principles. This is undoubt-
eddy the rule. But it so happens,
as an exception to the rule, that the
voters are compelled now, should they
differ with the declarations Of the Dem
ocratic party on economic questions,
and agree with those of the Republican
party, to decide whether it would not
be an ofense against conscience to
cast their votes for the Republican nom
inees. For ourselves We have never
had any doubt Oh this point; and We
have contended with some warmth that
the peculiar issue of this canvass raised
by the exposure of Mr.. BLAIEE's con-
nection, while Speaker, with the enter
prise Of FISHER and CALDWELL, and
the manner in which he sought to use
his official place for personal gain,
deserved the first consideration.
In our last issue we expressed some
qualification that '"the bloody shirt, an
aggressive American policy private
scandals and the tariff" had given place
to a consideration of Mr. BLAIEE's
official integrity. And now comes the
Courier-JowRat, the very head and front
of the tariff reform movement, whose
columns for months have fairly teemed
with arguments in favor of what is pop
ularly known as "free trade" and
endorses the position we have always
held in the following editorial article:
The following is from the speech deliv-
ed by Mr.. Blaine on Thursday, at Mans
field, Ohio:
"At the beginning OF Il political cam
paign great many issues are in the peo-
pies minds, but as the contest grows seri-
Gus they begin to eliminate the incidental
points, and finally, as the parties converge
and come face TO face, there is always one
great, overshadowing issue that controls
the multitude of voters / assume that
that issue the present year is the protec-
tive tariff, and | am sure there Is not
State in the Union that has profited more
under the protective system, or that is
more deeply interested in its maintenance,
than Ohio. That being the case, and the
further condition that Ohio ranks as high
in intelligence as any State in the Union,
1t can not be doubted that you will see
your way clear to protect and maintain
your own Interests"
Not altogether so, Mr.. Blaine, but partly
20. In coming 80 near the truth there is
IOme ground for hopes of your reforma.
ion, but it is not "the truth and the whole
ruth" The issue which divided your
,wn party and united the Democrats at the
outset of the campaign is still the leading
ssue, glowing with more and more inten-
ity as the campaign develops. AS it has
'een fed with divers patches of fresh mate
ial unthought of at the beginning, it has
lot waned in the presence of other issues, |
ut has eclipsed them all. This issue is. |
hall man be placed in the highest office |
i this Government who has been con-
icted of selling himself for money, of be- |
raging his official trusts for money. and Of |
eing wholly deficient in that element of |
haracter without which there can be no |
'ossible basis of morality, honor, or even
consistency for truth. Without |
his quality there can be no possible basis |
Or any other virtue, and character becomes
thing to be shaped and governed by op-
ortunities and temptations. Moreover,
he fact that certain elements in the Re- |
ublican party had become so strong as to
Orce such a man into nomination has /
aused revolt of the better Republican
lements, not only against yourself but
gainst your faction. The Democratic
arty is unit against you both, though
OF quite unit on any other issue.
This is the overshadowing issue, Mr..
Elaine, though the tariff is also serious,
ornament issue, and we cordially agree
, help you in keeping it before the public.
In answering your pretensions in respect
} the effect OF the tariff on Ohio, we shall
imply quote from a former issue of the
ourier-Journal the following citations
'om the census:
"In 1880 the capital invested in Ohio
amounted to $18S, ,6I4,
nd in 1870, $l4I ,923,964. Here is a gain
SO per cent. under the last ten years of
Ugh tariff. In 1860 the amount so invest
/ was S57, 295, 1903, and in 1850, S29,019,.
IS. Here is gain of 96 per cent. under
lie last ten years of Democratic tariff.
a 1880 the value OF artisan products of
hiO was $348, 298, $50, and in 1870, $685.
1850, an increase of 90 per cent. In
$50 the value of such products was $12I,-
IL, las, and in 1850, 81, 591 ,279, an increase
50 per cent. In 1880 there were 1852, 2I7
ales employed in the Ohio manufactures,
I'D the total wages paid amounted to S62,-
d, 1850, and in 1870 there were 1855
nployed, earning in wages $40, 066, ASS,
rowing an increase in employees of IS per
mt, and in wages of q per cent. But in
800 there were 65, 749 males so employed.
nd the total OF all manufacturing wages
as 81, 500, 9S9, against 1864 hands and
L, 467 ,l56 total wages in 1850, showing a
ain of So per cent. in the number Of en-
Ioyes and of 20 per cent in wages.
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