National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-08-24

NNNihNtihE campaign NsotlAlplls TO lht
comment Of the Philadelphia Times ON
a paragraph from THE REPUBLICAN, in
which the indications OF an active fall trade
were checrfully mentioned. Although tbs
| REPUBLICAN has changed proprietorship,
management, and editorial staff since the
clcse of last year, we donot now recall anyot
| its campaign assertions" that ought to be
retracttd.
TnE REPUBLICAN has never, at any pc
riod Of its history, been capable of believing
| or asserting that the election OF Demo-
cratic President would he fatal to the busi-
ness interests of the country. THE REpUD-
L1cAN has not, at any time, been capable Of
doing such injustice to the trainers and
builders Of our system Of government as to
believe, or assert, that they planned aud
erected a structure so fatally defective that
the continued ascendency Of any one party
was an imperative condition Of national
life.
But THE REPUBLICAN has held, and now
holds, that the economic theory OF the
| Democratic party, as enunciated in its ma
tional platform Of 1876, 1880, and 1851
the theory of strictly revenue tariffs
vicious TO the last degree, is dangerous in
| proportion to the chances of its being
adopted as the national policy.
THE REPUBLICAN has held and still holds
| that If the free traders-the Carlsles, Nor
risons, lIurds, Dlackburns, Becks, Millses,
&c.-could get control Of the government,
they would ruin some of our leading indus
tries, and bring on period of greater de
| preston and suffering than any that we have
known since the close of the last war with
England.
We believe that the Philadelphia Times
agrees with THE REPUBLICAN in condemn
| ing the free trade heresy Of the Democratic
| Iarty. 1t is certain that Mr.. Randall, Mr..
| CuItin, and the Democracy of Pennsylvania
generally are agreed with The REPUBLICAN
as to the necessity Of giving the protective
| policy very careful consideration in framing
tariff schedule. So bitterly opposed are
the Pennsylvania Democrats to "a tariff for
revenue only" that their leaders have been
hacklisted, and the entire party in that
state formally, frequently, and furiously
'read OUT Of the national organization by
the Carlisle and Morrison organs.
The Times cannot have forgotten that IN
overwhelming majority OF the Democrats
in the last House of Representatives, led by
Morrison and Carlisle, devoted all their
energies and wasted long session in at
tempting to pass the most dangerous and
foolish tariff bill that ever emanated from
the brain Of fanatic.
The Times will remember how solemnly
It's own columns protested and how loudly
its distinguished editor thundered against
that mad scheme. And the country is not
likely to forget that, in obedience to the
call of duty, to save the imperiled interests
of labor and capital, the most distinguished
Democrat in Pennsylvania led forty OF his
Democratic colleagues as reinforcement
to the Republicans in the House, and that
this alliance of Republicans and protection
Democrats barely sufliced to stamp the life
out of the busness-crusher which the Dem
otratic party had Endorsed.
1t does not lie in the mouth Of any Penn
sylvania Democratic editor to sneer at the
fears with which business men contemplate
the growing power of the free trade Demo-
Gratis. The crushing defeat of Randall by
Carlisle in 1888, followed by the story of the
Morrison bill and by the recent surrender of
the protection Democrats TO the free trade
majority Of their party, are grave facts
They are so grave that business would be
paralyzed to-day but for confidence in the
Republican Senate and in the un- Democratic,
business sense of the President.
1t is welcome truth that at this time
some fifteen or sixteen months after the
killing of the Morrison monstrosity by the
Republican party and protection Democrats,
and fourteen months after the promulgation
OF the last Democratic platform-we are en-
tering upon business revival. We do not
charge that all the depression of the past
two years has been occasioned by fears of
Democratic legislation and administration.
Other causes have had some share In pro-
GuciDg industrial disturbance. But IL is Il
self-evident fact--u fact known Of Gll men
that our great industries are In mortal
dread Of the free trade Democracy. And
any sensible man who will read the speeches
made by MIR. Randall and his associates
against the Morrison bill will find the req
Sons for this dread. 1t was those speeches
quite as much as anything else that created
alarm, for they were accepted us reluctant
confessions Of Democrats, while Repub.-
can speeches were credited to partisan zeal.
There is no danger of any free trade legis-
lation while the Republicans have safe
majority in the Senate, II is hoped that the
conservatism of the President and his Sec-
rotary Of the Treasury may have a tendency
to restrain the zeal of the free traders In
Congress. Should this hope be realized the
present business revival will last for some
time.