The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-18

= he regular circulation Of TnR SuS nv ~
wesk sudiap Ntsv n, lssA rus: -
A New l..ue.

where h thO annals OF the national Govern
nsut, or evsA IN tho history Of the State Of
Kentucky. does our hard fighting blue grass
contemporary, the CbHrter-JbWnal find au-
thority for the following statement. which
No take from IT, columns
"Ths last two assons platforms Of the Democratic
earty demanded tara for revenue only Forty years
Of free trade tradition Ne behind IT,"
A . matter Of fact, slnae tho innugura-
tion Of JEFFKRsoH thore .hAa never been an
effort TO bring free trade to The front as the
absorbing purpose Of the Democratic party.
The nearest approach TO such an attempt 10
the recent manifesto Of the XoRRIsoN-C CAR
LnLI men. That appeared In the form OF
the MoRRlsoa bill but, notwithstanding the
apparently hat-footed declaration Of tariff
for revenue only, which was put forth be-
forchand, by the Tina Col. MoRR1sONs IDEAS
were formulated ell intelligent notion Of es-
tablIshing . tariff for revenue only, or
Of beginning earnestly to reform the tariff
or the revenue, had vanished. and even
this famous measure failed to connect the
Democratic party more closely with the
principle Of free trade. The two most con-
spioneus ststesmen u the Democracy since
the foundation Of the party, THOMAS JET
HE1sox and ANDREW JACKSON, were prOtec-
ttonists, both In the ideas Of their Admins
tratiols and IN their avowed expressions re-
earding public questions OF the day. Neither
Of them was elected On account Of being Q
free trader. Free trade was not the issue In
tie campaigns which ended In their inaugu-
ration. No President ever has been elected
- . free trader. Il has never been
nm AZ uv Tn
What Ia mora u has never been es-
tablished sfnce the beginning Of the Gov
eminent, nor hes there ever been . serious
effort to establish u
The expressions about the tariff In the sue
csssive Democratic platforms have bean SUBJ
jected to various Interpretations. for the rea-
son that never once have they been brought
into such prominence during Q canvass, nor
has there ever bssn such "A attempt to pat
them Into pruet3ce. a. would foscet the
party to debate their true import, and agyse
In one general understanding Is to their
actual intention.
There have been free traders among the
Democratic. There ore unquestionabiy more
in that party than among the Republicans.
But according TO the strictDess OF truth the
Democracy has never been q free trade party.
As Q party 1t has labored for simplicity In
our Government, economy In Federal ex-
pensee. and against the expansion Of the ma
tional Government beyond tho purposes Of
the Constitution.
But now. on tho very eve OF success almost
foregone, our free trade friends would strip
the Democracy Of all its historic and vital
energy. and in its stead make their ono
economic principle tho ruling idea for the
next Presidential canvass! Who can de-
scribe the selfshnees Of such . course
Who can appreciate rs folly? No body Of
men can appreciate 1t 80 truly as the honest
masses Of the Democracy when they see all
their patriotic expectations crushed by the
rampant Illusions Of o few cranks and fanatics.