The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-12
THE People AND THE TARIFF.

Not all Democrats are fools, nor are all of
them for free trade, as indicated in the fight
over the tariff plank at Chicago. The forces
there were so evenly matched that the result
Of their work is her1naphrodite resolution
that means everything or nothing, just as the
reader pleases The time was when Demo
Gratis were so blindly partisan that such q
straddle would be accepted for the good of
the party" But the conditions are
changed, and the people are better
educated on this point than they were eight
or even four, years ago. One of the principal
reasons Of Hancocks defeat in 1880 was the
''tarif- for-revenue-only" phrase in the Cincin
natl platform, emphasized by his own utter
ance, evidencing his utter ignorance of that
great question. A better understanding of
this issue is now evident. The repeated as
saults Of the Democratic party on
this principle which underlies our industrial
prosperity have awakened the people of all
sections to study of its merits and to real
ization Of the threatened danger Senator
Voorhees,, of this State, far in advance of his
fellow-Democrats in Indiana, has taken the
right stand and had the pluck to put himself
on record at Chicago. He evidently has the
future Of politics in view and will some day
have the satisfaction of still leading when his
coadjutors of to-day are relegated to private
life.
Nor is the sentiment in favor Of protection
confined to a half dozen States in the East
States like Massachusetts,, Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are un-
questionably in favor of due measure of
tariff protection to American mills and men.
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois are in the same
category; while sentiment is steadily grow
ing in Georgia, Alabama and Tenn
essee in favor of that policy which
has done so much to build up
American industries and strengthen the home
market. The cities of Georgia, under the
assistance thus afforded, are rivaling those of
Massachusetts in the way of cotton manu-
featuring, while northern Alabama and Ten
nessee are becoming the Pennsylvania of the
South. The Memphis Avalanche, Bourbon
Democrat from center to circumference, per-
tinently says:
'GThe enormous industrial development of
the South during the past four years under
protective tariff laws is complete and prac
teal answer to the free trade cranks who are
hoarsely bowling Down with protectionp
The South can bear with this sort of pro-
lection and this sort of monopoly until the
average price of its farm lands is equal to the
average price of Pennsylvania farm lands, OF
six times more than it is now"
It will hardly do to longer juggle words on a
question of 50 vital Importance. There are liter
ally tens and hundreds of thousands who de-
pend upon labor furnished by protected indus
tries that are personally interested in seeing
that no hostile legislation paralyze them and
send these men adrift. Nor do the men in
the mills alone realize the danger threatened
Grain growers are equally anxious to keep the
wheels whirling and all these men employed.
In the factory, they are valuable customers
Sent to the field, they are very undesirable
rivals.