Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-03-15
WHY THE PEOPLE WANT Nh. TIL
DEN.
From the N. Y. Sun, March u

We are not surprised that the idea of
rendering to Mr.. Tilden SO great q tes-
timonial of the affection and confidence
of the democratic party as his nomina-
ton for the presidency, should be re-
ceived with expressions of dissailstac-
ton in various quarters: but
while men whose methods OF politics
have been cultivated in the dull rou
tine, might be expected to protest
against an act 40 unusual and SO nn,
precedented, we confess that we had
not counted upon n peculiar style OF
opposition which appears with the
greatest haste and with peculiar ardor:
We mean the opposition of the special
advocates and adherents of free trade
and of the utmost possible free trade
policy.
Here, for instance, is that veteran
and able Journal the Brooklyn Eagle,
which tells us that "Mr. Tiiden should
be the first to discourage such g
scheme" The reason why he should
discourage it is that his nomination
would not be a movement in the inter.
est of free trade opinions. $50 careful
an observer and SO far-seeing a states
man." continues the Eagle, "cannot but
preceive very clearly that the demo-
cratic party can succeed this year only
by taking q bold and positive position
on the revenue question; and b q any
attempt to avoid or subordinate the
tariffsissue will not only fail of the Inn
mediate result of victory. but will leave
ito-thus the Eagle concludes-s'with-
cut q principle with which to enter the
field !"
In one respect there a be nc doubt
that these observations of our Brooklyn
contemporary are true to the fact. The
nomination Of Mr.. Tilden would in
deed sssubordinate the tariff ISSUE"
His glory and renown have not been
gained in the pursuit of such untimely
and abortive distractions as the attempt
to make q free trade tariff when the
conditions of the country render pro-
lection an inevitable necessity.
Mr.. Tilden is the living incarnation
of reform Of tine government, the re-
moval OF abuses, the suppression OF
corruption, the stoppage of public
plunder, the restoration Of democratic
economy, simplicity, and integrity in
the administration. This is why the
honest and intelligent people of the
Union, republicans as well as demo-
Gratis, now regard him with a feeling
such as no other public man of any par
ty can awaken in their minds. They
believe that q reform Of the admins
tration, such as he represents and such
as his nomination would indicate, is a
matter of the most vital Importance to
the welfare of the country; and there
is nothing that they would welcome
with such Astounding joy As an assur-
ance that he still felt the strength and
the energy to grapple with the abuses
that have fourished and overgrown
the government, to smite them with
the blows of an intellect that cannot be
deluded, and a hand knowing neither
mercy nor forbearance.
But, exclaims some one of these adj
vocates of only one idea, Mr.. Tflden's
nomination would still be a declaration
in favor of a free trade policy, because,
as they tell US, the platform OF tho con-
vention which nominated him in 1876
had a decidedly free trade bearing.
What they say of this platform is true;
but they forget that Mr.. Tilden is o
than a platform. His nomination
would thrust back into obscurity now
as it did IN 1876, the merely formal
features Of any platform which any
national convention might adopt. He
stands for universal and comprehen-
sive reform; and wherever that idea
comes to the front, the Quixotic rhan-
tom of an impracticable FREQ trade pol
icy will disappear as the shadows Of
the morning twilight flee away at the
rising of the sun.