The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-16
harmony. Colonel Gray spoke at considerable
length, and was followed by other speakers.
DEMoCRAoY AND THE TARIFF.

WattersOn Says the Platform Does Not Mean
Protection.
Special to Philadelphia Press.
The protectionists made brave fight under
the leadership of Hay and the outside direction
of Mr. Randall but the best they could get was
a compromise which the free etraders now that
it has been adopted, claim as their victory. To
show that this is true, L questioned two anti
protection members of the committee, and Frank
Hurd, the avowed and radical free-trader, who
came here on this business Said Watterson:
IF any one can see anything in that platform
that savors of protection, he deserves q chromo
as being gifted with an abnormal amount of per-
ception.p
'sThen the alleged protection in the platform
does not protect9D
No, sir; refer, though to the tariff plank,
which says that revenue shall be raised exclu-
sively for public purposes. That plank means
nothing more nor less than a tariff for revenue
only
why did you not adopt the tariff for revenue
only plank thenp
Because the word only was Objectionable to
q majority Of the members of the committee on
resolutions. They had got an idea that it was
the word that defeated the party in 1880. We
inserted the word exclusively because it
had it inserted in the Kentucky platform"
Then you played sharp trick"
"We did" Here Mr. Watterson burst into
laughter. Continuing, he said: Butler gave the
thing away, though. He was the only one who
saw through it. The old man shook his red
handkerchief at US as he would have done at
mad bull. He was constantly kicking When
the word exclusively was placed in the resolu-
tions, he came to me and said Watterson do
you think no one has discovered your trickp /
Ynnt WALL o,.
his reply, and intend to tell the committee all
about it The old growler went over to his
chair, and told the committee what the word
exclusively meant Then the row began, which
he thought would have resulted in the killing of
the resolution. We had very close CALL and it
was passed by a vote of 20 to Is"
Do you regard the platform as being free
trade oneY'
No; cannot say it means free trade, and am
sure it does not mean protection. It does not go
to the extreme of free trade
Did the protectionist members of the commit
tee make fight on the question:
es, sir; they got very much fooled. Nc
Pherson and Hay wanted protection clause
Did the committee express the will of the
convention in adopting the tariff for revenue ex-
clusiyely resolutionp
Yes, sir. There is no doubt but that the
convention desired platform of that sort 1t
reatiirms Democratic principle which the party
could not abandon"
Morton, of Nebraska, another member of
the committee, at whose suggestion the word
exclusively was placed in the platform,
said: sEhe tariff clause in the platform
means that we have got to make fight for a
tariff for revenue exclusively, which sounds
much better than a tariff for revenue only
It takes up more space, my boy. In fact,
the placing of that word in the platform reminds
me Of an experience had in-Nebraska l was
stopping at place where there was an old-time
Irishman employed. His employer left the room
where we were and he said; iBegorra Oil have
a neegawsheable smawk.' ! asked him what
kind of q smoke that was. He replied: Oil
be d. If OF know, but it sounds moighty we'll y
ION what grounds did General Butler object
to the plankP
He wanted a protection platform adopted,
and we Would not have it. really believe he
had the whole matter fixed up with Blaine before
he came here and just made up his mind to give
as much trouble as possible. He carried out his
intention in so far as to giving trouble went,
but he did not get his work in on the platform.
He may yet try to give us trouble and may be
successful. / am of the belief that we ought tc
have kicked him out of the convention Indeed
we ought never to have allowed him in itn