Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-14
THEPLANK'S POPULARITY
REFoRMERs AND PROTECTION.
ISIS WELL SATISFIED.

| Prominent in Hewing Out the Plat
fOrm-Thurman Given an Enthusiastic
Reception on His Return Home. and
Expresses Satisfaction with the Result.
CHICAGO, July 13.-Speaker Carlisle.
/ Mr.. Morrison, Mr.. Hewitt and the other
more moderate revenue reformers are
I delighted with the tariff plank in the plat
form. To them it signalizes a great
revenue reform impetus. 1t defines, they
say. the issue between the two parties
respecting taxation admirably. 1t de-
clares for the Democracy, in accordance
with the wishes Of a large majority Of its
members, that it is in favor of revenue
reform and tax reduction. They believe
that the ticket nominated yesterday is
greatly strengthened by the platform
upon WHICH 1t stands, and that the strength
Of that platform lies in its declarations in
favor OF revenue reform. The satisfaction
felt by these gentlemen is well understood
| here, but it is not as well known that
Frank Hurd and j. w. BOOkwalter. of
Ohio, who are more radical in their views.
are as well pleased as the more conserYa-
tive revenue refOrmegs.a
HURD SATISFIED.
Mr.. Hurd, when asked to-day what he
thought Of the tariff plank in the Demo-
cratic platform, said: "The platform is
eihIlreiy eil satisfactory to me. 1t contains
the fullest and the clearest statement of
revenue reform ever made in a Democrat
lc national platform. In its principal
statement that Federal taxation should be
/ exclusively for public purposes, it repeats
IN the stronger language the principle of
the platform Of 1880. Its provision as TO
the Importance of untaXed raw materials
20 the manufacturer, the necessity of more
intimate commercial relations with other
American republics, its approval of the
policy Of free trade as existing between
the several States of the Union, and the
suggestion that its extension to the world
would result in giving to America her
snare OF foreign commerce now mOnOpO-
| Lied by Great Britain, clearly indicates
the tendency Of the Democratic party to
greater freedom OF trade. In declaring that
taXauOn snail hereafter be exclusively for
publc uses, 1t condemns the present
system which taxes the people for the
benefit Of particular individuals.
No SUDDEN CHANGE,
''It, however, proposes that the change
from the old to the new shall be gradual.
IN order that the business interests shall
ADJUST themselves to it without loss. IT.
also declares that no change Should be
made which would tend to diminish the
wages Of labor. These limitations upon
the methOdS oil taxation are recognized
as proper by all revenue reformers: in
deed, every free trader believes that the
changes proposed cannot be made with
out benefit to the manufacturers and an
increase IN the wages of labor. That
these views of the platform are
correct is shown by the ac
ton of the Committee on Resolutions.
IT. voted down proposition to strike out
the word exclusively" 1t refused by an
overwhelming vote to approve the Ohio
platform, which declares for tariff with
Incidental protection, and voted down bv
large majority the proposition to in
crease the duty on wool. In nv iudg-
ment the platform contains no protective
feature and is in perfect accord with all
previous Democratic national platforms
on the subject of the tariff"
BOOKwALTER PLEASED.
j. w. BoOkwalter, the Ohio free trade
manufacturer, who has been i'm CHICAGO
during the convention in consultation
with Messrs. Hurd, Watterson, Morrison.
ana other revenue reform traders, con-
cernlng the platform, said: II am pleased
with the tariff plank in the platform. and
regard 1T as decisive victory for the
tarltf retOrmers. The fact that the Drotec
uonlsts desperately fought this feature of
the platform in committee and in the con-
ventiOn, and dislike it now, is evidence that
1t points too plainly towards commercial
freedom to suit them. The essence of the
tarl1 platform is contained in the phrase:
We demand that Federal taxation shall
De exclusively for public PURPOSES This
is precisely the doctrine of those who are
called free traders. While the projections
lists call it heresy it is absolutely. in letter
and spirit, anti-prOtectiYe, and if carried
INTO effect Will sweep away the high war
tariff and taxes that lay as a crushing
weight upon our industries.
THE PLANK AND FHE CONSTITUTION.
But this doctrine in our platform is
stated in language almost identical
with that of the Supreme Court
of the United States, which has de-
cided that taxation for other than
public purposes is unconstitutional.
so that those who oppose our platform in
TINS respect array themselves against the
co. stitutiOn and the Supreme Court in
lniilcting oppressive taxation upon the
people. Our platform proposes cOnstitu-
tional taxation Exclusively" Our OppO-
nents propose unconstitutional taxation
chiefly. We can afford to 90 before the
country upon this issue, and lust now
measures are more than men. We have
an excellent ticket, but the platform is
the leading candidate. l recognize this
plank as bold declaration of the belief
OF the tariff refOrmers, and this time the
party Will not apologize for it. In 1876
and 1880 other issues were uppermOst and
the tariff plank received little or no yigi-
liant attention. In 1884 the tariff is the
great issue, and after a struggle the party
has placed itself upon platform of ius-
tlce IN taxation, with its face toward the
right. believe that it will take no steps
backward and Will be no Lots wife,
BENEFITS THAT WILL ACCRUE.
"The realization of this policy will be
benefactiOn to the depressed industries
OF the country and to the laboring masses.
To the manufacturer it means cheaper
materials, cheaper production, larger
markets at home and abroad and an en-
larged foreign commerce upon which he
must to great degree depend for a steady
prosperity. To the farmer it will bring
relief from an insidiOus and oppressive
tax of hundreds of millions annually,
which so increases his cost of production
as to almost close against him the
doors of the markets of the world.
1t would unlock the gorged granaries and
give traffic to railways, aiding all their
cOrrellative industries. To the labOrer it
would give steadier employment and in
crease in the purchasing power of his
every dollar. ItwOuld revive our silent
shipyards, enable our builders to again
produce ships cheaply enough to warrant
our merchantmen in once more engaging
in the carving trade, and thus recover
our lost commerce, causing the; American
flag to wave as it once did in every har-
Dor of the world"