The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-06
The Ohio Idea

a wide circulation rev Year, "s"' ~ ""'
upon eyery tongue, and at the end OF every
pen, in every part Of this extended land.
Weare not without hope that another Ohio
idea viii have a like run this year. We
refer, Of course, to the idea OF tariff reform
thst was formulated In the Ohio platform
Of 1883, and upon which the Democrats OF
that State won so grand victory In No
vember last. We think we can see ST. MS
indicating that, whatever rabid extremists
may say on the stump or In the
papcrs. the men who will soon as
sembIe In national convention to noml-
nate Democratic candidate for President
Of the United States will not be so unwise
,s TO throw away heedlessly victory al
most within their grasp even now. mat
pers,s,ent wsyer OF the bloody shirt, the
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, leads us 10
believe that II has seen tokens Of coming
agreement on the tariff question between
the Democrats who are called "Revenue
Reformersv and those who favor incl
dental protection to American INDUSTRIES
The Commercial Gazette says:
"Tbe anxiety OF those who advocated
free trade q few months ago to have u
known that they did not mean free trade at
.II-not even a tariff for revenue only-is
not encouraging to those who look to Nor
risou's WAYS and Means Committee Tor
radical revision Of the present tariff. 1bc
Sree.traders are beginning to hear rom
their constituents, and are crawfishing."
The Democratic free-traders, so called,
are hardly silly enough to be induced by
such slur to divide their own party IN
order that the Republican party may con-
tinue in power--a party whose proper mis-
sion ended years ago, and which party, as
well as the internal-revenue department,
ought 10 have been buried as soon a. posi-
bIe after the close OF the war. That party
survives, but it is not ga survival OF the
fittest." That department survives. but
neither is il ga survival OF the ht-
test.v The latter is menace to fair
elections, a nursery OF spies and in
formers, q terror to the less-inform-
ed among the people, and burden
which il is no longer necessary for
the public to carry upon their shoulders.
The former is the worst party that has ever
ruled this country. For years it trampled
under foot the Federal Constitution, keep
ing the southern States unrepresented in
Congress that by its nefarious measures it
might perpetuate its hateful, cruel, unjust,
and unconstitutional rule.
We repeat-having switched of" from
our line OF thought-that the Democratic
free traders, as they are called by our Gin
cinnati contemporary. are not foolish
enough to be Influenced Dy taunts and ieers
from their Republican enemies to insist
upon forcing through the House of Repre-
scptatiyes a measure which would insure
the defeat Of their own party in the presi-
DENTAL election Of this year. What the
Cincinnati paper calls "crawfishing"
Is but the hesitation OF thought
full statesmen, so at least we would
fain hope. When there is so much
at stake, why should they not hesitate! Is
tariff reform better than reunited coun-
try? Is free trade better than placing in
power party which has immense strength
in every State in the Union; which pro-
scribes men OF no section; which, there
fore, is really national party, and the only
such party in the land? Is there to be no
end to sectional strifes All, can there be
an end to it so long as the party is in power
which has for twenty years made solid
South a necessity by making a sohd North
party measure?
Now, what Is "the Ohio idea" that is
10 permeate the entire Democratic party
and cause victory 10 perch upon its stand
ards in November next? 1t is the simple
resolution on the tariff question that was
originated in Ohio last year, and adopted
in Virginia and Pennsylvania. That re-
markable resolution reads as follows:
ave favor tariff for revenue limited
to the necessities Of a government ecOnOm-
ically administered, and so adjusted in its
application as to prevent unequal bur-
thens, encourage productive interests at
home, and afford Just compensation to Ia
Dor, but not to create or foster monOp-
Olies."
Isn't that a good "Ohio idea? Study
that resolution. Read it over as often as
you choose, and it will, like the Constitu-
tion OF the United States, seem better and
better every time you read it. CARLISLE
and RANDALL, TUCKER and BARBOUR, NOR
RIsON and HOPKINS. can all stand upon that
plank il they really believe the success Of
the Democratic party this year to be more
important to the welfare OF the country
and the success Of free government and
the perpetuation Of our civil liberties, than
any question that can possibly arise over
any politicO. economical question whatever.
The Whiskey Ring