Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-10-14

steadily fallen. Industries once flourishing
are now languishing. A New York banker
as secretary of the treasury not only in
creased the boards of the treasury, but sus.
pended for nearly year the payment of the
public debt. And New York treasurer of
the United States transferred from Wall
street to Washington the methods of the
money sharks until congress was compelled
= S. S;-t S.ne in our financial histn-v IN
restrict his powers and regulate his discre-
ton. 1t is only the bounties of Providencs
in magnificent crops and the active industries
of great people. and not the aid of Demo-
cratic fnanciering that give US the hopes of a
good time coming"
Senator Sherman then spoke of the only
economy practiced in public expenditures by
the present administration as the vetoing Of
pension bills by the president, saving less than
would meet the expenses of the presidents
greenhouse. Continuing, he said:
There is not in his message one open,
manly word in favor of the protection of
American industry, but this is called "a pre-
text for a protective policy Undoubtedly
the great body Of those who elected Mr..
Cleveland are free traders, and would if
they could, bring American laborers into
hard, close competition with the cheapest
labor of Europe, and they will creep in that
direction as fast as public opinion and the
necessities of revenue will permit Honest
men may differ about the effect of protective
duties, but no honest man of ordinary intel
hgence can doubt that the tendency and
spirit of the Democratic party is towards
free trade in the English sense OF the
phrase.
SOn all the other various subjects referred
to by the president in his annual message,
there is not a clause or paragraph indicating
broad national policy upon any subject.
The routine common places have their Or
derby turn, but with the exception of his
earnest protest against polygamy in Utah,
there is not a word that indicates trust in
God, love of country, sympathy for wounded
soldiers or widows or orphans, nor an aspra-
tion for the education, Improvement or ad-
vancement of mankind. His brief reference
to pensions for sick and disabled Union SOL
diers is a complaint that one in ten Of all
who enlisted are receiving pensions, and that
the pension list is vitiated with fraudulent
practices Suppose it is true that one in
ten enlisted Union soldiers are sick or dis
abled, is this not an appeal to the justice and
humanity Of congress rather than a matter
for querulous reproachs And suppose fraud
in some cases is attempted or practiced, is
this any ground for Suspicion ag ainst othersl
What l complain of in the president is his
whole tone and bearing towards the Union
soldier-his claims and pensioEs-it is one of
apparent suspicion, distrust and hostility.
"And this view is emphahiZed by his nu-
merous vetoes of pension bills, founded upon
the most frivolous reasons and stated in such
terms as exclude all possible sympathy with
the soldier, dead or living. l say this with
no feeling of unkindness for the president,
for | have felt since his election that he
should not only be treated by all Republicans
with the courtesy due to his high office, but
with reasonable charity and forbearance.
But, aside from his political opinions and as
sociations, he has made two capital mistakes.
He has refused the senate access to papers on
the public files indispensably necessary for
the discharge of their constitutional duties,
and, throughout his administration SO far
has treated the Union soldier with scant
courtesy and respect. Although 5O0,0O9 of
them gave their lives to preserve the coun-
try over which he now presides he distributes
his patronage and marshals his favors chiefly
among those distinguished in the rebel SER
vice, some of whom were and are the most
offensive and violent in their hatred to the
country whose honors they are now selected
by Democratic president to enjoy. 1t
seems to me that decent respect for the
proprieties of his situation and of the strange
and questionable circumstances that brought
him into his present position should lead him
to give the Union soldier at least an equal
chance with the Confederate soldier.
TURN THE RAscALs OUT"
at is a matter of just pride to Republicans
that their officers and agents were proved to
be honest capable and efficient Among the
thousands removed the president was not
able or willing to give to the senate any
cause for removal There were no rascals to
turn out. But he appointed rascals without
number. More jail birds, convicts and de-
faulters were appointed by Mr.. Cleveland in
year than were appointed by his predeces-
sors in twenty years. So repeat that the
actual result of his administration thus far is
to prove that the pretenses upon which it was
elected were false pretenses, and that the only |
material change has been to substitute in
executive power the teachings sympathies
and dogmas of the rebellion with its leaders
In the south and sympathizers in the north in
high office, for the teachings, example and
principles of the Republican party and the
Union cause. Let US look at what
has been said and done by the Democratic
party in the present house to tighten your
burdens or advance your interests. 1t was |
elected during the last presidential contest,
and contains a majority of nearly fifty DEM
ocrats, the great body Of whom are from the
southern states. Did it find and propose to
repeal any obnoxious laws upon the statute
book! Nearly all the acts of congress for a
long series of years are Republican measures,
opposed at the time by the Democratic party, |
but are now acquiesced in as wise and just
laws. What affirmative measures did this
Democratic majority propose2
THE MORRISON TARIFF BILL
"The chief one was the attempt to break
down, if possible, the protective system es-
tablished by the Republican party.
After many futile efforts the Democratic
majority of the committee on ways and
rleans reported the Morrison tariff bill, the
wool on the free list.
"This bill is pending in the present house,
and if a majority of Democrats are elected to
the next congress, in all probability it will
be the basis of action of the Democratic ma
1ority in the present or the next congress.
The farmers of Ohio are too familiar with the
history of the duty on wool and the pledges
and promises made by the Democratic party
in the past two or three years to need any
warning from me. When the act of 1873 was
pending, reducing the duty on wool two cents
a pound, but still leaving a duty of ten or
twelve cents pound, according to quality,
earnestly and heartily opposed the reduction,
but still 1t became part of the law, and was
denounced by men of all parties in the state
of Ohio as an unwise and improvident meas
ure The Democratic party then, both in
the legislature and in its convention, resolved
to favor the restoration of the duty on wool
to what it was under the act of 1871. The re-
duction of the duty was undoubtedly great
damage to the farmers of Ohio. 1t largely
diminished the number of sheep in Ohio and
in the United States and reduced the price
of wool 1t led to the importation of several
million pounds of foreign wool to enter into
competition with our own, and made it I'M
profitable to raise sheep.
"And now, if the present duty should be
repealed as proposed, it will absolutely de-
stroy an industry that in 1888 produced 81
600, ,00l pounds of wool worth Sl00, 900 900
This decay of the sheep industry of our
country IS an unmlxed natlOnai calamity,
and will greatly affect our wooden manufac-
turers by making them depend upon the
foreign market for wool Still, If the Dem
ocratic party should maintain its majority,
it will be construed as the judgment of the
people, a decision in favor of making wool
duty free Democratic members from Ohio,
however earnestly and honestly they may
oppose this measure, cannot be relied upon
TO resist the action of party caucus.
"The southern states, not adapted to manu-
factures, but engaged in producing cotton
and other articles for expectation, will
naturally favor this measure, while the peo-
pie of the north, largely engaged in q di-
versty of production, will as naturally favor
the protective policy, SO as to secure the
American market for American production.
American wool can be and ought to be con-
sumed by American manufacturers, AMI this
can only be done by giving American wool
the same degree of protection as is given to
American woolens. The Republican party Is
now thoroughly committed to this policy,
and believe will heartily and un.tediy !oin
in retrieving the error committed in ;SSi
"The wages paid for labor in this country