The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-15
THE TARIFF PLANK.
Prominent Democrats Tell What
They Think of It.
Hurd, w attersOn, Morton and Wal
lace Interpret Tt-Brftish View of
Both National Platforms
Political News Items.


CHICAGO, July l5-The Tribune's Wash
ington City special says: Frank Hurd, the
Ohio revenue reform Democrat, being inter
viewed on the tariff plank in the Democratic
PLATFORM declared it satisfactory to the re-
formers Upon being asked why, he said:
In the first place, all idea of protection of
any kind is clearly excluded from it. The
provisions which relate to raw ma
terial, to the establishment of some
ultimate intimate commercial relations
with the other American repub-
hes, and to the loss of the American
marine trade on the high seas under the pres
ent tariff policy, all point to a reduction of
the tariff rates and close approximation to
free trade. The further declaration that all
federal taxation shall be exclusively for
public purposes declares the principle
on which all tariff -reformers are agreed
viz: that no money shall be collected
by the government for the purpose of help
ing any business or individuals. Theplatform
declares that hereafter taxation shall only
be for the use of the government The sys-
TEN that has hitherto prevailed has levied
taxes for the benefit OF individuals. In the
change from the old policy to the new the
platform declares that all changes shall be
made gradually in order that no interests
which have been established shall be injured,
and that they shall have free opportunity to
adjust themselves to the new conditions. 1t
also declares that no changes shall be made
which will lessen the wages of labor. These
are the only limitations upon the methods of
exercising the taxing power for public SER
vice These limitations are recognized as
just ones by free-traders"
Mr.. Bookwalter late Democratic candi-
date for governor of Ohio, and a revenue re
former said:
Il am deeply impressed with the fact that
the immediate issue is tariff reform. went
to Chicago for the purpose of aiding so far
as could in getting into the platform
plank declaring in the fullest terms for tariff
reform"
Tariff reform meaning whats"
Meaning the collection of revenue for
general and not specific purposes. In other
words, to meet public necessities and not to
aid private enterprises. l am thoroughly
satisfied with this feature of the platform,
as it means unmistakable tariff reform, and
if carried into effect will ultimately sweep
away the high war-tariff taxes we now raise,
in my belief imposing burden on all in
dustries in this country"
Henry Watterson. of The Courier Journal
according to Tribune report was seen at the
Palmer house, and said: "Well, declare, if
any one can see anything in that platform
that savors of protection he deserves d
chrome, as being gifted with an abnormal
amount of perception"
Then the alleged protection in the plat
form does not protectiS
mo, sir | refer, though to the tariff
plank which says that revenue shall be raised
exclusively for public purposes. That plank
means nothing more nor less than a tariff for
revenue only
do you regard the platform as being
free trade onel"
No; cannot say it means free trade, and
l am sure it does not mean protection It
does not go to the extreme of free trade"
Did the protectionist members of the COM
mittee make fight on the question:
YES, sir; but they got very much fooled
Mcpherson and Hay wanted a protection
clause"
Did the committee express the will of the
convention by adopting the tariff for-revenue
exclusively resolution ?"
Yes, sir. There is no doubt but that the
convention desired a platform of that sort
1t reaffirms Democratic principle which
the party could not abandon"
j. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska, was pres
ent at he above conversation and was asked:
"How do you interpret the tariff clause in
the platform!'
1T means that we have got to make fight
for tariff for revenue exclusively"
"On what grounds did Gen. Butler object
to the plankF"
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 US as much trouble as possible
He carried out his intention in so far as the
giving us 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 to have kicked
him out of the convention. Indeed, we ought
never to have allowed him in it."
Senator Vim. A. Wallace of Pennsylvania,
was asked:
Whats your opinion of the PLATFORM
1T is all right, but not what we wanted 1t
comes very near the platform of '7G OF
course, a tariff exclusively for revenue means
the same as a tariff for revenue only How
ever, we are satisfied"
w III tut ttILl De hIl ISSUE Ill lie IISUL.
1T will Blaine is nothing, ii not an ag-
gressive man"
A FOREIGN OPINION.
LONDON, July 15-The Times in an article
upon the Republican and Democratic no.
minees for presidency says: THE platforms
cOncented by the Republican and Democratic
conventions are both equally unworthy of re
spect They are distinguished by the absence
clear convictions, by evasions and trim
mings, by servile rivalry, in flattering the
masses and in pandering to popular preiu-
dlces, modern demagogues and social quacksn
Carl Schurz' Paper.
ST. LOUIS July 15-The Westliche Post,
the paper in which Carl Schurz is largely in
terested, and which came out against Blaine
and Logan Immediately after t&sy were NOM
mated, has retraced its steps 1t is said the
cause is that the papers subscribers fell away
so rapidly that it was business necessity to
return to the Republican party. The paper
says:
The strongest man has been nominated by
the Democrats, and we detract nothing of the
good words we have said concerning him
But the more we tried to familiarize ourselves
with the idea of Democrat at the head of
our national administration the less we were
able to reconcile ourselves to it. The longer
this wasagitated upon so much, the more vivid
became the Renaissance of the past, and to-
day we do not find that we are justified in
making any guarantee that a Democrat
be his name Grover Cleveland even, would
present an uncOmpromising front under all
circumstances to the menacing onslaught of
the southern "Brgadiers" From the vice