Delaware weekly Republican., 1884-07-31
The Issue Raised ana Accepted.

Tine Issue Raised and Accepted
The Democrats are now raising tn
cry that protection is not an issue il
the present campaign, and find faul
with the Republicans for making tina
question so prominent. If the Demo
Gratis expect to gain anything by such I
foolish idea they cannot expect to iiusl
the campaign for the purpose OF gaining
by the intelligent vote and expression o
the people.
The tariff not an issue in the present
campaign DO the Democrats take the
American people to be vet of ninniei
aud ounces TO believe such a declara.
ton? IL is the biggest kind OF m
Issue, and TO the Democrats the people
OF the country are indebted for making
it no, and when they find themselves
completely overwhelmed and defeated
on the issue they have raised they will
nave nobody to blame for their defeat
but themselves.
The tariff Issue was raised In Con-
gress by the Democrats In spite of Re-
publican protests. It was done def
antly and deliberately by electing a
leading free trader of the House Speak
or OF that body, simply because he was
free trader. The issue was farther
raised by the free trade Speaker ap-
pointing another leading free trader
chairman Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, and by the action of the Demo-
cratic caucus that by a four-Afths vote
adopted the Morrison bill as a party
measure.
The Democrats know very well who
raised the tariff issue, and more than
that, the people know It, too. The me-
chanics and laboring men who have had
their wages cut down, and the manu-
facturers, who have had to shut up
their mills or smash up, know all about
it,and they will all be heard from when
the day for voting comes around. It is
too late now to blame the Republicans
with raising the tariff issue. While
the Democrats threatened, disordered
and prostrated industry for months, the
Republicans as every step begged them
not TO curse the country by reckless and
fruitless agitation.
But it all did no good. 1t pleased
the Democrats to elect a majority of
Congress pledged to cut down the tariff.
That raised the Issue and the issue now
being raised, the people are going to
fight 1t out on that line and completely
settle the issue at the next election. It
pleased the Democratic representatives
to not only make the tariff the only
issue in Congress, but to assail manu-
faoturers as licensed robbers" and the
men employed in branches of produc-
tive industry as thieving monopo-
lists" and now the question has got to
be settled, not in the interests of any
party particularly, but that public
prosperity may be restored.
The Republican party proposes to
settle this question. 1t welcomes the
issue raised by the Democrats and it
welcomes the opposition of the Repub-
lican party free traders who have form.
ed an annex to the free trade Democra-
cy. They do not Intend that the people
shall be hood winled, deceived and cheat
ed as they were in 1874 by the cry of
" Polk, Dallas, and a protective tariff"
They are not afraid of being beaten by
any free trade combination, between
the Democrats, the free trade Republi-
cans and English newspapers, and in all
English gold The combi-
nation failed to defeat General Garfield
In 1880, and they will find Blaine as
popular as Garfield.
The Republicans are not dependent
upon the aid of either Butler or Kelly.
Before the Democratic Convention met
they were firmly of the opinion that
Blaine was more than a match for any
that could be named against
him.
They are still of that opinion. The
free trade deserters to the Democratic
camp are fewer In number than was
expected. The Republican party want |
ed to get clear of them anyhow. So long
as they remained they only caused trou-
BILE and apparently compromised Repub-
lican principles. Now that they are |
gone 1t remains to be seen wheth- |
er Republican policy is to stand or fall. |
Already the good effects of a positive |
protective policy is felt in the party.
The working people are waking up TO
see how they have been fooled in the
past and they propose to be fooled no
longer. They have no idea of being
chained to q free.trade Democratic |
party whose strongest eulogists are the
English free-trade and monopolist pa
pers. The laboring man is welcome to
the refuge he can only find in the Re.
publican party. The manufacturer, the
farmer, the artisan and all are welcome
If they come with sincere motives. The
Republican party proposes to stand by
American industries in preference to