Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-05-24
THE DEMOCRACY AND THE TARIFF.

Though tariff discussion has been
quoted in Congress for the time being
no one can suppose that the tariff as
an issue has been eliminated from the
coming campaign. 1t has been brought
too prominently before the public and
has taken too strong a hold on the
popular mind to be thrust aside at the
eleventh hour. Political issues are
not chosen by the opposing sides as
subjects are selected for debate in po-
limic bodies, and it is not in the power
OF parties to take them up or lay them
down at their pleasure. The fact is
issues make parties, and parties have
little to do with the creation of issues
1t is this fact that is disturbing the
Democratic party. The agitation OF
the tariff has undoubtedly divided the
Democracy, as to that issue, though
the party is still strongly cemented in
all those tenets that has made it the
opponent of Republicanism. Can the
breach be healed and it not, can the
Democracy make an effectual fight
while divided in a matter of such
paramount importance With Ran
dali and Dana pulling one way in the
East and Morrison and Watterson ex-
pending their efforts in the opposite
direction in the West, how is the
Democratic wagon ever to come out of
the quagmire The Democracy can't
afford to split on the tariff or any other
issue. The saying that house divided
against itself cannot stand, has truer
application in politics than elsewhere.
A permanent split in the party at this
crisis would mean party disintegra-
ton and continued lease on power
by the Republicans. 1t would portend
a virtual breaking up of the opposition
to the party that has so long had con-
troll OF the Government and would
license that party to pursue unchecked
Its corrupt career. But the split has
already come. The Democrats are
divided and the man most in demand
is the consummate tactician who has
the skill and requisite diplomacy to
bring the opposing factions together.
This can only be done by effecting a
compromise and persuading the ex-
tremists to mutual concessions. Such
a course offers the only hope of success
to the Democracy, if it is not the only
guarantee of the perpetuity of the
party. We believe that the vast bulk
of Democrats can easily be brought to
accept such a compromise, and the
implacables of both extremes will be
forced to come to terms when their
chickering's have been ignored by the
masses.
We believe that common standing
ground on the tariff question can be
found for all Democrats without a
sacrifice OF principles by any, because
the differences that prevail are really
not SO great as they have been made to
appear. The Democratic party is COM
mitted to tariff reform and cannot re-
cede from that position. There are
few il any Democrats who are satisfied
with the tariff as it now stands, and all
Democrats are opposed to the Republi-
can idea of protection for projections
sake. The manner and tendency of
the reform to be made is all that Gre
ates dissention, and certainly a plat
form could be constructed that would
not greatly violate the views of either
faction on this point. A restoration
of the doctrine of a tariff for revenue
only is strongly opposed by a large
faction and its adoption by the Chicago
convention would be a notice to quit
to considerable portion of the party.
Something less extreme must be
adopted and we believe the much de-
sired expression that is to effect the
needed reconciliation will be the Ohio
tariff plank: