Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-07-24
The Democratic Tariff Fraud


From Post and Tribune.
No tariff platform upon which Randall
and Morrison, Converse and Carlisle, the
Democratic prOtectiOnists and the Dsm-
Ocratie free-traders, can all stand, can
possibly be an honest one. Any such
platform is necessarily an attempt to
cheat each other and deceive the people.
Such self evident fraud is the Demo-
cratic national platform Of 1884. Gen.
Butler defed any man to state what it
meant, and NO one dared accept his
bold challenge.
If it does not mean either free trade
or protection, but if every Democrat is
left free to stand upon it either as free
trader or prOtsctiOnist, just as he pleas
es, then it is fraud and the Democrat
lc party having acted-aS Watterson
said it would in such a case-the part
of coward, "will march to certain and
merited defeat and render up its soul
to God, who hates liars, towards and
FOOLS" The Republican party is in ia
yor of protection to home industries,
and il says 80 squarely, bravely and sim
cerely. 1t attempts to deceive neither
itself nOr the people. 1t is manly and
honest. 1t does not deal in double faced
expressions, nor seek in any way to
dodge or darken this great issue. The
Democratic party does seek to dodge and
darkeu this issue. liz plays a dishonest,
cOwardly, cheating gam0, alike with its
own factions and the nation at large.
If its tariff platform really means free
trade, why does it not have the manli-
moss to say SO? Can there be any other
reason thought of than desire to cheat
the protection Democrats and fool the
people? If it really means protection
why net say SO? Can any one render a
reason unless it be to cheat the freq
traders and fool the people?
Already the different factions are con :
STRUNG the platform as a cheat upon
each other. Mr.. WattersOn said with a
free-trade chuckle, as he thought how
nicely this platform would deceive and
betray the Randall faction; "The tariff
plank is all right, / can stand on it and
fight on it. 1t is as good as the tariff
platform of 1860. There is no differ.
enco in the meaning; only change OF
phraseology."'. By this ne meant that
if the protection Democrats would turn
in on this platform and help the Deme.
cratic party to power, after the victory
the free-traders would enact a free-trade
tariff,
Mr.. Converse said he could stand on it
he was satisfied. He meant that If the
free-tradors would only take hold upon
this platform, and help the Randall
, Democrats to win, after the party OBJ
tanned power then those free-traders
would find themselves sOld-then his
faction would put through Randall
tariff.
Either way it is construed it is q cheat
"a deliberately designed cheat. 1t il
designed to operate as cheat in every
congressional district in the land. Il
Is cunning trap to catch political gulls
It is particularly meant to fool the hon
est working men with seeming fail
promises made on purpose TO dissapOlnt
their hopes. All workingmen may well
beware Of any platform and party whieL
does not deal honestly with this ques
ton. Any party which really means t.
protect American labor and build uI
home industries through tariff pr0tec
tion need not be and is not afraid OF
ashamed to say so plainly, fairly ant
squarely as the Republican party has
ANY party which does not say 90 plainly
fairly and squarely does Lot mean t.
protect the interests of w0rkinemeE
through tariff protection to home labor
and the building up Of home manufac
lures