Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-09-23
Tho Real National l.sue.

After all the Islander and defamation
Of character that have entered into the
present political campaign, the tariff
question becomes the leading ISSUE
A few persons may be moved, by the
moral issues involved, to vote either
for or against Blaine, for or against
Cleveland, but the masses are stirred
and moved by the tariff issue, because
it Is an issue that concerns and person
ally interests all the people of the
Union.
The farmer, the merchant, the ne
chanic, the artisan and the laborer, are
asking more about the character and
influences Of the tariff question. From
the Northern lakes to the Southern
CULTS, from Maine to Texas, from Flori-
da to Oregon and from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, people are inquiring about
the tariff, and asking whether their
personal interests will be affected by
it.
1t is true that in Massachusetts, GER
tain journals and college professors,
making q shallow pretence of superior
virtues, are shouting themselves hoarse
in assumed indignity about the Multi
gan letters, but the teeming thousands
of the laboring voters on farms, in fac
tories, in machine shops, and the men
with picks in their hands at work in
the mines and gravel pits, are coming
to the support of James G. Blaine and
the Republican party, because that
means a protective tariff, for the sake
Of protection.
To them 1t means more labor and
better wages at home, and that con.
Germs them more than Mulligan letters,
Little Rock Railroad bonds, or the
exact date upon which Blaine was mar.
ried, or Cleveland's child was born.
In Connecticut a score or two of unhap-
in hoarse, discordant notes in favor
of Cleveland and reform, but in the
same State thousands of Democratic
workingmsn have united with Other
thousands of Republican workingmen,
and are battling shoulder to shoulder
for Blaine and protection.
In Youngstown, Ohio, where the in
dustrial fires OF many furnaces have
been put out by Democratic agitation
of the tariff and the impending fear OF
free trade, 10000 people attended sim
gle Republican meeting, and in the
same State is An organized Irish Ameri-
can legion Of 5000 former Democratic
voters working heartily for Blaine,
Logan and protection, because they
do not want British free-trade in this
country.
In California the same influences are
at work. In Virginia, men who owl
iron mines and who have always been
Democrats, have been calling their
men together and have been saying to
them We never try to influence
your votes, but it is right that You
should know that we are going to vote
for Blaine for business reasons. If be
succeeds, our works can go on. II
Cleveland is elected we shall be Obliged
to close these works" There is no co
ercion used, no force nor no threats
made. 1t is merely plain statement
of facts
If the Republicans succeed we will
have work If Cleveland succeeds we
will have no work take your choice.
This is the proper way to put the ques-
ton. The issue is plainly protection,
plenty Of work and good wages, or free
trade, little work and starvation wages
Mr.. Blaine and the Republican party
represent the first, Mr.. Cleveland and
the Democratic ticket the latter. Which
will the masses of the people choose