Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-01

anything be clearer than the dispo-
sition that slavery is the fundamen-
tai principle on which rested the op-
position to the protection of Amer
lean industry: an opposition made
solid by the Democracy OF the
South, and yet continuing. The
views, Interests and sentiments OF
the South begotten By slavery yet
live. The agricultural products Of
the South are yet the same. Negro
labor is inst an essential as ever to
| the raising OF cotton, rice anu to-
bacco. The black population Is yet
subordinate, ii not slave. lthad no
real voice in the government Of the
South, and the whites OF the South
resolve it shall not. Who are the
governing class Of the Southf They
are Democrats, and not only so, but
solid IN their cohesion and adher'
ence 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 naturally 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 adherents
declared: ave denounce the pres
emit tariff, levied on nearly 1000 ar
ticles, as a masterpiece OF injustice,
inequality and false pretense."-
Again: ave demand that all Gus.
tom house taxation shall be only for
revenue In tire platform OF 1860
they pledged themselves anew to
the constitutional doctrines and ira
ditions of the Democratic party, as
Illustrated Dy the teachings and ex-
amples of long line of Democratic
statesmen and patriots embodied IN
the platform of the last National
Convention of the party" This is
followed Immediately by a repeti-
ton of " a tariff fer revenue only"
Such were the doctrine and pledges
of the Democratic, party four years
ago, and on this pledge the Solid
South, the soil OF slavery and all its
memories, supported Hancock. Such
is the fundamental principle on
which 151 free trade Democrats,
under the lead of Carlisle and Nor
rison in the last session of Congress,
voted to reduce all duties 20 per
cent. while only fourty- four under
the lead of Randall voted against
this fat and indiscriminate reduc-
ton. Mark, too, the coincidence OF
this 20 per cent. scale with the 20
per cent. compromise bill OF 1888
forced BY the South upon the North,
and which brought ruin and bank
ruptcy on the whole nation.
Now, in 1884, we have a Demo
cratic platform purposely dubious to
prevent defeat, interpreted in the
South as free trade, so much so that
such free traders as Carlisle, Morri.
son, Hurd, Watterson and others
stand satisfactorily upon it. On
this uncertain platform, who stands
as its exponentf Adumb candidate,
whose silence proves its inter want
of honest expression. With an
avowed protectionistthe Democratic
masses might 20 to battle or even
this dubious call, but with platform
aud candidate speaking no posi-
tive conviction, who can trust that
party9 What is the result A
party without leader or q chart,
laundering in the waves Of uncer-
tainty a country hating on the
great highways of business a Ma
ton looking anxiously for a calm
when it can embark once more on
return to prosperity. For this there
is but one real avenue of hope--the
election of Mr.. Blaine and a contin-
uance OF the openly avowed Repub.
lican policy of protection. It's plat
form is positive, and it's candidate
speaks out boldly and honestly.