The Baltimore County union., 1884-11-01
THE TARIFF THE ISSUE.
How it Looks from a Democratic Stand
point.


From Mondays New York Saa (Dem.) we copy
the following editorial which ought to convince
all doubling Thomases:
"Some of the Cleveland organs, frightened by
the result of Mr.. Baine's canvass in Ohio, are
now industri0usly trying to show that protection
is not issue in this campaign, and that if it is,
the Democrats are just strenuous friends of a
protective tariff as the Republicans. 1t is to the
credit of these organs that they are able to see
tho danger which confronts them They have
been blind as Mammoth Cave fish since their can
didate was nominated, and it is gratifying that
they are at last able to tell the time of day Their
eleventh hour vision is pretty startling to them.
For if Mr.. Blaine, by talking protection up and
down in Ohio, able to turn what the Demo
Gratis themselves considered doubtful battle into
an ample success, how much stronger is the prob
ability that he will carry all before him in New
York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, which are
even more vitality interested than Ohio on the as
surance of undisturbed protection to industry.
"These frightened Democrats consequently in
sist that protection is not ISSUE Unfortunately
for them, political party cannot always decide
what shall be the issues upon which the election
shall turn. 1t can 60 before the country on its
own issues, but if the other side presents some
thing in which more people are interested, that
something becomes the final test of the struggle.
The Republicans have made protection an issue,
and they not likely to stop appealing for votes
account of it because their opponents prefer to
talk about the Mulligan letters. They think they
hold winning card, and they will play it for all
it is worth. Against the curious combination of
truth and falsehood, with strong preponderance
of the latter, upon which their opponents rely to
break down Mr.. Baine's character, his partisans
are more than amply guarded by the admitted in
fanny of Cleveand's. They have reason to lay
stress upon the matter of protection, and they arc
doing it with will.
"Their opponents can neither avoid discussion
of the subject nor discuss it except under fatal
disadvantage. The Republican platform makes
an explicit and unmis, akable declaration in favor
Of p-eteotien,- and oontnins ~ challenge to tho
Democrats which they cannot accept and cannot
decline. The declaration of the Democratic plat
form, on the other hand, the resultant of the OF.
posing theories of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, is
an ambiguous compromise, meaning everything
and nothing.
"The Republican party, since the Independent
doctrinaires have withdrawn from it, is solidly
protectionst. 1t is in every State uniformly de
voted to protection. The Democrats are protec-
tionists in one State and free traders in another,
protectionsts in this Congressional district and
free traders in the next. They are circulating
free trade arguments in Kentucky and high pro
lection arguments in New Jersey. Nobody knows
whether the Democrats in particular county or
post village protectonists free traders till
he inquiries. He doesn't have to inquire to know
the position of the Republicans.
"It will be hopeless task, then, for the Demo-
Gratis to try to show that they good protec-
tionists in protectonist States as the Republicans
People who want protection maintained are going
to vote for party sure to maintain it and not for
party which doesn't know its own mind. From
the Democratic party, unless it has grown wiser
than it was last year, sweeping and illogical
change, such as it attempted last winter, may be
expected, at least the Republicans will persuade
10 hat c,,nb; ;c fha nd tly M
bic person can lay his hand upon his heart and
conscientiously say that party which nominated
Grover Cleveland few months after its tamper
ing with the tariff has been growing wiser.
at must learn wisdom form defeat, and if
Cleveland isn't enough to defeat it, the Repubi
cans will supply the deficiency in the issue of pro-
lection. The Democracy might have recovered
from the effects Of the Morrison bill, but it will
take them very long to recover from the effects of
Cleveland"