Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-11
Put Trusty Men on Guard.

reduction of import duties to the
,oint of providing revenue without
my extraneous design of protection.
There is degree of earnestness in their
declarations that shows how strongly
hey feel the injustice of the present
system that robs them for the enrich
ing of mine owners and manufacturers |
in the East. The demand for revenue
reform, coming from men who feel as
they feel, is a demand which super
sedes and dwarfs all other political
and it will be repeated
with intense emphasis by the Fort
fairly represent the feeling of the peo-
pile who elected them, there will not be
a dissenting voice to the resolution re-
peating the words of the national
Democratic platform-"We demand
tariff for revenue only.n
There must be an adequate cause to
account for this universal hostility to
q protective system and demand for
a release from its oppressive operation.
This feeling is of quite recent growth.
1t has crystallized and forced itself
upon the political stage since the last
presidential election. The feeling is
not a new one, for Democratic ma
tional convention has rarely omitted
declaration in favor of the principle
of free trade, and it is part of the
traditional policy of the party. But the
present earnestness, the genuine enthu-
sias n for revenue reform, is a product of
the recent history of the party. True,
there was a strong declaration in 1876
and in 1880 for reduction of the tariff
to revenue standard, but it played an
unimportant part in the political con-
tests ofthose years. Discussion of the
tariff had not become general, and
there was great lack of information
among the people at large as to the
evils of its operation. The tariff was
vaguely known to be system of col
Letting duties, but how far it affected
the people; how ii promoted monopoly
and made high prices; how it built up
fortunes for it's beneflciaries and inn
poverished its contributors, and how
1t was rank but disguised robbery, was
} unknown and misunderstood. Since
the defeat of Hancock, which has been
attributed to the opposition of the
tariff pensioners, public attention has
been directed to an investigation of q
system whose supporters were power
full enough to defeat an apparently vic
torious party. 1t was felt that such q
system must be one of extraordinary
virtue, or one which gave extraordi
nary advantages to certain class to
command their individual support.
The discussion was started in congress
S and the press took it up. Men reao
aud investigated and thought. The
Interest became keen to know more
3 and the more that was known the
greater was the country shocked
g at the disclosure, made. 1t wa
: known that the people were pawn.
annually sum equal to $500, OOO, OOC
: to enrich manufacturers, bolster ur
j. prices and keep out cheap goods. TIL,
y discovery of these facts led to the over
d throw Of the Republican party in 1888.
o and the election of Democratic ma
C Jority to congress, pledged to revenue
reform. The attempt was made t,
e carry out that pledge, but it was re
o sisted by small fraction of the Dem
d ocratic party, representing certai,
n protected industries, who, in combina
10 ton with the Republican members
II were able to defeat the movement 70
h lower taxes. Being unable to carry GU
IS the policy which they had announced
J. through the faithlessness of some a
s. their representatives and smartin
under the odium of public censure. a
is their failure to acquit themselves az
e. cording to promise, the Democrats q
sc the country now repeat and emphasiz
he their declarations In favor of revenu
ic reform, and promise II invested wit
IL the control of government to carry on
" far-reaching system of tax reduction
y It's charged that their recent pei
VI lormance does not invite further con
10 hdence. In measure, this charge
or true They have majority Of con
n gress, and can control legisl alton. Blu
IN they claim that they should not b.
" ourdened with the responsibility a
10 the action Of forty members /,
30 opposing reduction of taxation
a when ld members stood stead
n fast for their principles. The
st Will solemnly pledge the party In na
)? tional convention to carry out IN
p measures of tariff reform, and the guar
le antee Of the performance OF tina
10 promise 10 the earnestness Of theI
70 action. This Is why Texas Dem
y ocrats are 70 fierce for tariff for reve