New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-19
GENERAL BUTLERS LETTER.


GENERAL BUTLETS LETTER
General Buffers letter of acceptance Ia
unique nothing like it has been or is likely to
be issued. Addressed to nobody in particular,
it lashes everybody in general. AS was to be
expected. it assails both parties with impartial
tierceness but it's assaults upon the Republican
policy are rendered harmless by the substantial
prosperity Of all branches Of industry. The
depression which prevails at this time over oil
the civilized world, though felt In this country
also. does not drive honest and industrious
labor 10 want IN any pnit 81 the lana, ~"
workers on farms and IN shops know how
greatly their wnPcs have increased nud their
condition improved since the Republican tArn
was enacted IN 1861, aud they are not likely TO
forget II because General Butler AYERS that all
evils have not yet been corrected. Neither are
they at all likely because Of his rcasonnHS' to
so east their votes as to give the Democratic
party power 10 break down the protective
tariff.
To my constituents" is General But
lcr's address, and he 81 inns to represent the
entire Democratic party of Massachusetts, the
Greenback- Labor party, the Anti Monopoly
party, and The caiisc OF Woman Suffrage. His
to have been for the purpose of getting certain
principles adopted by the Democratic party,
and he then proceeds to show how every i'm
portant declaration proposed by him was re-
.lccted. Naturally, he treats the tariff question
as the one of greatest consequence, ana shows
how the Democratic party strOve To deceive the
people by fraudulent statement on the subject.
He urges with force that the people were
obliged to require the most explicit pledges
from the Democratic party because Of IFS at
tempt in the last House to "make a free
trade tariff and " to break down very many
rising and struggling industries to the de-
struction of the homes of our wOrkingmcn and
the home markets of American producers 1t
was not to be expected that General Butler
would pause to show that those industries had
been enabled to "rsc " and to "struggle by
the policy of the Republican party, or. that
"thc homes of the wOrkngmen," so different
from the habitatons of labor in Europe had
been created by that policy or that " the home
marketn with all its benefits to farmers, had
been vastly enlarged by the same wise pro-
tective system. But nothing can surpass in
force his indictment of the Democracy in Con-
grcss, where ne shows that "the very fear Of
" It's action has so paralyzed American enter
"pIise and business that mills are everywhere
CLOSING, mines shut up, furnaces blown ont,
and every kind Of employment curtailed."
This indictment is true, notwithstanding the
fact that the prevailing depression exists in
greater measure in other countries. The pro-
tective system would have more fully shielded
our industry, as it has in part shielded that IN
dustry. but for the fear that the system would
I 4 ...N.s 81
Democratic President But tins very truth, so
strongly stated by General Butler, is the
sufficient answer TO his charge that in
dustrics are not now altogether as
prosperous under the Republican policy as
they sh0uld be. And il is upon the theory that
the Republicans, though intending to protect
labor. have i'm some degree failed To do so, that
his plea for a new prty wholly rests. As
against the Democrats his argument IS unan-
swcrabe. But his argument again5' the Re-
publicans ne answers cllcctually himself II Is
the fear OF the Democratic party aud ITS utterly
pcrniciOus tendencies which has made the Re
publican policy less ciliccnt for the moment
than it. was designed to- be. and has retarded
The Republican party in every effort 10 improve
and perfect that policy. Yet ~ II Is. 1t has
conferred upon the people Of this country IN
Calculablo benefits.
General Butter proposes 10 his supporters to
fuse with the minority party IN every State. on
n division OF electoral votes pt0poriOncd 10 the
votes cast for each candidate. Probably he
knows ~ well M any one that this h iinpraci-
cable. If carried out, the plan would only
force every voier to choose, as lac must choose
now, between Cleveland with British free
trade, and Blaine with protection Of home in
dusry.