Daily Republican., 1884-08-05
a;novelanu, the Free TT Hde Candi.
date.


chevelanu, sbe Free TT Hde Candi
date.
A Now that the Democrats have found
shat free trade or any thing approxima
ting 1t Is extremely unpopular they
would If they could shift the contes
and run 1t upon some other issue. 1t /,
TOO late now 10 change the character Of
the campaign, and as President Lin
coin is credited with saying cit i,
dangerous to change horses while cross
ing stream"
The Republicans have had nothing
10 do with making up these issues, but
~ they were forced upon them they
met them squarely and boldly. Each
party. has had its Convention, named
Its candidate and formulated its plat.
form.
Each platform has for its main plan K
the principle of protection involved eth.
ar for or against it, due entirely to the
Democrats. For the last two years the
latter have been carrying on an agrees
sive warfare against protection, and hav-
ing gained possession of the National
House OF Representatives, partly
through the management and partly
through the corrupt practices of certain
Republicans, they banded their forces
together and succeeded in electing Mr..
Carlisle, kentucky tree trader, and
one of the leading free traders in
the country Speaker in the House.
The Republicans did not make this
issue, but were forced to accept it. The
FIRST action of Mr.. Carlisle in making up
his committees was TO put a majority
Of free traders on the Committee Of
Ways and Means, and to appoint Will
liam X. Morrison, leading free trad
er Of illinois, Chairman of it. This ac.
ton well delineate1 the plans of the
Democrats, and according to their well
defined intentions and their expectations
they attempted to pass bill in the in
terests of free trade, making general
tariff reduction of twenty per cent.
Against this bill the Republicans with
two exceptions arrayed TIA nselves, and
being joined by Mr.. Randall and soEe
forty other Democrats who favored pro-
lection more than free trade, the bill
was defeated.
free traders did not lose heart They
boldly declared that they would trans
fer the free trade fight from the floors of
the House of Representatives to the
Democratic National Convention. They
were as good as their word. The free
trade defeat in the House of Rem
resentatives was fully redeemed by
free trade victory at the Democratic
Convention at Chicago.
1t is true that the Tree trade plank of
the Democratic platform is thinly dis
guised, but its meaning is known, and
now the people of the country are ask
ed TO take IA stand upon that, indefinite
that unstable structure. But platform
suCh AZ adopted was capable of two
constructions.
Like the chameleon 1t was an animal
that was RED one moment and blue the
next. What was to be done in this
emergency Free traders would con.
tend that 1t meant frt e trade and pro-
economists that 1t meant protection.
This has since been verified. Mr..
Carlisle, MIR. Morrison, Mr.. Watterson,
Mr.. Hurd, the real leaders of the free
traders, say that it meaus free trade,
Ehille Mr., Randall, Mr.. Converse, Mr.
Curtin, leading protection Democrats,
say that it means protection. But d
Democratic candidate was to be select
ed, and one not in harmony with free
trade, would be in position to foil the
plans of the free traders, if elected, by
the veto power. There must be no mis-
take about the views of tie candidate
upon the question of free trade, no mat
ter what the platform was.
The men who were working in the
interest of British manufacturers fore
saw this danger, and determined to
take precautions TO ward it OFT by ST.
curing the nomination of free trade
candidate. In Cleveland they found
the man they wanted, and they deter
mined to rally around him. In an in
terview few days before the nonina-
ton of the Democratic candidate for
the Presidency, Congressman Hurd, tie
leading free trader of Ohio, speaking OF
Cleveland's chances, sail: " His
tCieveland's) views respecting The
tariff are all that | or any other tariff
reformer Gree trader) could desire. He
approved the Morrison bill, and is with
US. But the question is can he carry
New York?" Two days after this in
terview Cleveland was nominated by
he votes of the free traders in the con.
V1ntion, who saw in him candidate
ready and willing to carry out theil
wishes in respect to free trade. II is NJ
wonder that with such a candidate and
such platform, the Democratic party
Is receiving the hearty support of tn,
Nj gish free trade press, and the FREE
trade Republicans who have seen fit I,
dub themselves Independent kepubli
cans.
Such support was to be expected, ant
should cause no surprise. This is tn
candidate and this the platform tn,
working people, the mechanic and TIN
manufacturer are asked to support. Tn
thousands of mechanics and working
men employed in our manufactures an,
work shops, and only have employment
On account of protection to American
industries, are asked to rally aroun'
Mr.. Cleveland, the free trader, who rt
ceives his strongest and heartiest SUI
port from English free trade papers.
these people be the political slaves I'll
Democrats say they are, they will, {
Course, vote as they have been voting
for anything dubbed Democratic, with
ont regard to the far-reaching cons
quences. We do not believe, howeve
that they will do it any longer. If the
n n md I =