The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-04-05
DEVOTION TO

OdI1ASIS I4CS sAouS oICeS0
at the Free Trade banquet in New
York, is producing much uneasiness
in the Democratic party. The
World charges him with using bis
prominent position to give currency
to his individual opinions. "We are
also in favor of reducing taxes
says that able but polite journal,
"but we want to 60 about it in . way
that will not reduce the Democratic
party on the eve of q great battle. u
It is alarmed at General Grants
utterances. That retired statesman
declares his belief that the Republi-
cans will elect their President
through the folly of the Democratic
Congress. Give months ago." says
this political oracle. II recognized
the hopelessness of Republican sue
cess. but" he adds, 1.-The Democrats
can always be relied on in the case OF
emergency to give the Republicans q
victory" To timid Democrats, OF
whom the World IS a noted K
emplar, this sounds ominous. 1t mas
passed into a proverb, by constant
iteration, that the Democrats lost the
last Presidential election because
of the free trade plank inserted in Its
national platform; and there is a
widespread fear lest history should
repeat itself. But it should also be
remembered that no great end was
ever achieved by trucking. There
has been a great deal Of thinking
done in this country since 1850, and
the assumed merits of the so-called
protective system have been keen'y
considered. II it is true that the free
trade ayowal of the Democrats drove
the floating vote to the other side four
years ago, it is no way certain that
a similar honest declaration would
have the same effect next Novem-
Der.
That freight handlers strike in
New York opened the eyes of the
workingmen tothe inequitable work
ings of our high tariff system. They
asked q trif,ng advance of ten per
cent. in their slight pay. alleging as
q reason that the cost OF living IN
that city had advanced 80 per cent.
1t was refused by the railroad cor
and they quit work. Their
were instantly filled by refu'
gee Russian Jews, by Italians,
Swedes, Danes, Germans, and the
of unemployed for
eign emigrants who hang about
that city. This was a suggestive IL
of the workings Of our pro.
tec,ive policy. 1t is held up as the
of the workingman; and yet
when q clash comes between labor
and capital, the former always finds
Itself worsted because Of the uLfail-
ng resort of employers to 1.-THE pau
DER labor of Europe" which throngs
,ur shores ready TO be used on all &C
The folly and mischief of the pro-
ective policy r better understood
" the working class of this country
han yer before, and it is the belief
# many sound and experienced
thinkers that were the issue fairly
made between the two parties, at the
Presidential election, the side
hat inscribes free trade upon its
tanners would win more votes than
t repels: and in addition to this prac-
ical view OF the case, it is a we'll es- |
ablished fact that devotion to prin- |
iple wins sympathy and begets en-
husiasm. Free trade and sailors
lights" has been the war cry OF the
Democracy for many long years, and
borne the burden of ill-report
long, it now seems the height of
oily to cast it down now that the
ountry has been educated to receive