The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-10
The Northwest.

There Is talk amongst the free-trad'
Democrats Of abandoning New York, New
Jersey, and Connecticut 20 the Repubii'
cans. because they are protection states,
and relying upon Wisconsin, Illinois,
Michigan, and perhaps other States in the
Northwest. TO make up to the Democratic
marty the losses which would thereby be
xuxtsined. We trust that there are but
xrw Democrats anywhere who would adj
wise their party to pursue such policy.
As we have heretofore said, all the free
trade Republican Journals and all the free
trade Republican statesmen and leaders
will support the Republican nominee for
President Of the United States. and upon
q platform declaring for protection to Amer
fcan industries. Those Republicans do not
regard the tariff question as the most i'm
porsant one before the country. On the
contrary, they will subordinate 1t this year,
n they have done for the last sixteen years,
to questions concerning more OF less the
relative powers of the governments State
and Federal, to the prejudices growing out
Of the late war between the States, and to
their determination TO keep the negroes
solid for the Republican party.
The attempt to induce the anti-tarif Re-
publican voters In the Northwest to side
with the Democrats in the presidential
election because the Democrats oppose, or
are understood TO oppose, protection TO
American industries, will fail as inglori-
ously as did General MAHoNE's attempt in
1880 to divide the Democrats OF Virginia
In the presidential election Of that year on
the debt question. In that failure the De-
mocrais who advocate the policy we are
discussing may read the fate which will
certainly be ours II we wander off after
strange gods.
We have on this point the testimony Of q
northwestern Democrat OF much promi-
nence in the present Congress-we mean Mr..
CONVERSE, a distinguished Ohio member,
who stands as high in the House OF Repre-
scBtatiyes as any other in that body. He
was interviewed in Washington the other
day by reporter for the Wheeling Intel
GgeRccy. In the course of his conversation
with his interviewer, Mr.. CONVERSE said
that the subject OF most interest in Ohio is
the wool tariff; that mass-meetings and
conventions are being held all over the
State in behalf Of restoration of the tariff.
He then added:
"That's what our people most want.
There are forty-siy thousand wool-growers
in the State, and they can control its poll
tics. People may talk as they please. but
ii was the wool interest thai carried the
State for us last year, and ii we do them !
Justice they will help us to carry it again." (
Mr.. Converse says the Democrats will |
have the hardest struggle next year they |
lxye ever fought, and with the chances |
sganst them, unless they abandon free
trade. "No party can succeed in this
country now" he continued, ION free
trade platform. Another generation may
De educated up to it, but now it is death
20 any party. There are millions Of people
either directly or indirectly in
and they will not tolerate
'ree trade. The laboring classes are Or
yanized, and will go against us solidly il
we declare for free trade. Why, my dis
,pct has four thousand Democratic ma
ority, and vet no Democratic free-trader
an be elected in it, The platform adopted
" the Ohio Convention last year suits us,
nd IL the National Convention will plant
tself upon that we can win; but II we at
empt to raise free-trade issue it will beat
Is"
That platform. we need not add. was the
anne as the Virginia Democratic platform
o far as the tariff was concerned.
These warnings ought not to pass I'M
leeded. II they do, defeat will end all.