The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-17
A Free-Trade Platform.


they may consider themselves brainier
men than Ben Butler, and nobody ever
called him fool. The whole purpose and
design of this platform, wherever it does
not endorse the Republican record and
follow in the trail of the Republican plat
form, is to deceive. 1t seeks by double
dealing |; by the profuse use of words, and
by cunningly turned sentences to dodge the
issues it assumes to present, and eyade the
responsibility Of definite position. This
is especially noticeable in the tariff plank.
And that it's dishonest, cowardly action
upon this most important question may
be understood, it is necessary to give some
of the incidents connected with the COM
mittee's work.
The committee on resolutions was nearly
evenly divided between moderate protec-
tionists like Converse, Of Ohio, and such
rank free-traders as Morrison, of Illinois,
and Watterson, Of Kentucky. For.thirtyr
six hours the wrangle overithe tariff plank
was continued. The Virginia and Ohio
IcOOlublUu Wdo lllUlOuuCOu ttllu fOoNN1 Nv " =
by majority of two to one, and various
other like disreputable evasions were SUBJ
mitted and rejected. The free traders had
the advantage, and they were determined
that the action of the majority in Congress
on the Morrison Bill should be indicated.
The result justified their ]abors. Converse
and his associates were OutvOted, and
Watterson and Morrison, and such dis
tinguished free-traders as Hurd, Of Ohio,
and Everett Wheeler, President OF the
New York Free-trade Club ,rejoiced at
the victory. There was only one member
of the committee who was honest enough
not to stine his convictions. In the commit
tee Butler denounced it as a sneaking de-
ception, unworthy Of men who asked the
confidence of their fellows, and i'll his
vigorous speech in the Convention his
condemnation was bitter and unsparing.
Converse tried to answer him, but it was
PLAIN that Converse agreed with him.
When the vote came, Voorhees,, the pro
tectionist, rose in his seat and stated that
he wanted his vote recorded for Butler IS
substitute, and 81 Others followed his ex-
ample. 40 stils
But their efforts were vain. The Dem
ocratic party is the party of free-trade,
and its platform was made by free-traders
for free-trade. 1t denounces the Repub-
lican party for taxing raw material. = and
demands that "Federal taxation shall be
exclusively for public purposes" If this
doesn't mean tariff for revenue only, as
ontradistinguished from tariff for pro-
lection, then it doesn't mean anything.
Its true meaning has already been deter
mined. All of the free-trade journals,
such as the New York Times and Post, the
Washington Post, CoasrSer7sJoawaaal, and
others of like ilk, backed by the English
press, are shouting themselves hoarse in
its praise, whilst free-traders of the Geo.
VIM. Curtis and Beecher, stripe declare it
the perfection of political wisdom.
In the contest of 'S4 the tariff will he
the leading issue. The line has already
been distinctly drawn. 1t is America VS..
England home against foreign land pro-
lection against free trade; independent
labor against European pauperism.
The reception Of the nomination Of
Cleveland in this place was pretty much
as it was throughout the entire country
There was not a cheer OF overt intima-
tion of satisfaction. 1t fell fiat with Demo
orotc opd M ovnroccion IF opprOya1 oOuld
be heard except from Republicans. With
them it was the nomination they desired,
for it relieves them of all anxiety as to the
result in November, and gives assurance
| of the election of Blaine and Logan, be-
You'd reasonable doubt. A number of
Democrats have admitted this. and not a
few say they will cast their first Republi-
can vote this fall. An intelligent Demo
crat, who has always voted the straight,
iron-clad Democratic ticket, came into our
office this week to subscribe for the VIR-
GILMAN for the campaign. He gave as his
reason, that he wanted several of his
neighbors to read it. as lie believed if they
would do so. they would vote as he had
determined to do. He did not need it for
himself. His mind was fixed, and rs sure
as the election day came around his vote
should be cast for Blaine and Logan. The
indications here and elsewhere are that
the Democratic nominees will receive the
cold shoulder from large numbers of those
who have heretofore been faithful, but
who will not support a free trade candidate
On a free trade PLATFORM or sanction the
deception and duplicity, attempted to be
practiced on the people through a two
faced resolution onzthe question of the
tariff. .,,..,,,s. ..-stl.er3...sl, "a
The associated press dispatch from
Lynchburg, Virginia, dated July 10th, to
the effect that the work ON the Cripple
Creek Extension of the Norfolk 81 Wes-
tern railroad has been suspended for want
of funds to pay contractors is not true.
Before the company began work on the
Cripple Greek Extension they sold 81 $780,
600 of improvement and Extension bonds
with which to1pa for this and other new
work. The syndicate that took them had
an option on 81 100000 more, which, if
taken, would furnish ample means to COM
plete the contemplated improvements
The company determined that no work
should be done beyond what was provided
for in cash owing to the present financial
depression, the last 81 100000 of bonds
have not been negotiated and the company
has stopped the work until the funds for
its completion are assured by the sale of
the 81 100000 of bonds referred to. The
contractors have been promptly paid and
are in funds to pay laborers and sub-con-
tractors. The work has been suspended
because the company would not go on
with it beyond the cost of what was actually
provided for in cash by the sale of the
bonds. They do not propose to borrow
money in such a way as to pile up floating
debt for this or any other purpose. The
company is abundantly able to meet all it's
obligations. M.a el9s@ tst tia 's3it.et q
Geo. w. Curtis. the N. Y. Times and
Post, and other Independents are moved by
considerations of public morality to
bolt the Republican ticket and support the
Damocratic ticket They want to n1rifv