Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-10-03
The Peoples Question.

great NUMBER nave Ocen hJrlNluB
to force the campaign into narrow
personal issues. But, 90 where
you will, to the farms on the
border of Canadian provinces, or
to the lowlands of Louisiana, from
the factories of Massachusetts to
the wharves of San Francisco, the
people are talking of the tariff,
and of their personal interests as
affected by it. If the Pharisees
and Frauds should be met by the
public journals on the ground they
choose, there would be two dis
tinct issues this year IA mean per-
sonal one for the newspapers, and
broad, National and vital one
for the people. We go to Massa-
chusetts, and find there certain
journals and college professors
making pretence of superior virtue,
whose sole occupation is to raise
tremendous noise about Multi
gan and Fisher. But in the same.
State we find thousands of the
labOring voters, on farms, orin
factories and machine shops, COM
ing out with rare enthusiasm to
meet the Republican candidate,
because his election means the
protection of American industry
We 90 to COnnec ticut, and find
a few score unhappy Republicans
who cry for Cleveland and Reform.
In the same State, a busy work.
shop from end to end, we find
enrolled thousands Of Democrats
for Blaine and Protection. We 90
to Ohio, and find at Youngstown,
where the fires Of many furnaces
have been put out by Democratic
agitation, 10000 people gathered
at a Republican meeting. In the
same State we find an army Of 5000
to 5000 Irish Democrats Organl-
zing tor Mr.. Blaine, because they
do not want British free trade in
this country. We 90 to far-oii
California, and among the shores
of the Pacific we find great club
organized, a majority of its mem
bers being Democrats, because
they know that free trade would
be death to the prosperity ofthe
Golden State. We go to the Vir-
ginias, and find Democratic own
ers of iron mines and works call
ing their men together and saying
to them: awe never try to inliu-
ence your votes, but 1t is right
that you should know that we are
going 20 vote for Blaine for busi-
ness reasons. If he succeeds, our
works can go on. If Cleveland is
elected, we shall be obliged to close
these works" We 90 to Louisiana,
and find even there sugar-planters
organized to defeat the party
which tried to cut down the duty
on sugar last May.
This IS the issue that takes hold
of the personal interests Of nine
tenths of the voters in every State,
1t touches their wages and thelI
possibilities of employment; their
homes and the food for their wives
and children; their dinner pals aud
their bread and butter. It they
cared more for scandal and Sian
der than for their rights and needs
or were too ignorant to know
what their rights and needs de
mand, they would vote for Cleve
land. If they want prosperity To-
themselves and for all workers
they will vote for Mr.. Blaine.
1t will not be found possible t
evade this issue or to thrust it bacl
to secondary place. The peopl'
make it. They make it because i
concerns their greatest interests
3 They listen with more or less atten
tion to what is said about th
personal qualities and character
of candidates, and some of them
when the more vital question /
not directly involved, are influen
ced by what they hear. But tn
Democratic party at the last sesS
ion of Congress made the tariff tn
one vi tai, all-impOrtant issue O
> this contest. Nobody can now Civ
it any other place. 1t will cOntrC
more votes many times over iha
any other issue. 1t will render cor
temptible the appeals that com
from great importing cities, an
will decide the result Of the election
The fact that the Democrat
party does not dare TO engage !
!, any discussion Of this most vita
issue, the very one which 1t d'
liberately raised at the opening
the last session of Congress, I
which it sacrificed all Otherinterest
Throughout that session, and upO
which it then boasted that it wOul
be victorious in this Presldentia
. campaign, has sunk deep into th
minds of the people. There
reason, men see, for this anxiou
0 avoidance; reason for the tremer
J. dous effort made to darken the a
}, and divert the attention with il
s famous scandal; reason fcr tn
Z dishonest silence of the Democrat
candidate. That reason is Obviou
The party means free trade. Bl
D it does not dare to say so, and hope
J, To steal q victory by talse pretence