San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-31
THE PROTECTION DEMOCRACY,

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comes out openly for protection for
southern Industries, thus demonstrating
its alignment with the advanced press
which represents the new south. This
term new south" is by no means mis-
homer. 1t fairly and correctly defines
the position of those who take issue
with the old south in its ideas OF trade,
manufactures, labor and the attitude Of
the government thereto. That old south
denounced manufactures, and manufac-
tories and manufacturers as inimiCal to
the labor ideas of the south and de-
manded free trade. Producing nothing
but raw material, considering all labor
ers slaves, white or black, the old south
pronounced naturally and necessarily
against protection for the American
manufacturer and in favor Of the free
importation OF all manufactured goods.
This is the secret of the strong free trade
animus of the democratic party, which
has ever followed the lead Of the south
ern wing of the old democracy. The
new south, and the Kelly aud Randall
wing of the northern democracy have
pronounced in favor of the protection
ofAmerican manufacturers, and the best
journals of the southern states have
fallen into line with this idea. The Ex-
press of this city has put itself on record
as being among the number OF those
who, desiring to reverse the old law of
southern industry, would bring in the
new order and advance southern manu-
featuring Industries by wisely fostering
them under an equitable protective
tariff. The record the Express has made
on this subject is well known. Its edi-
tOrials are abundant proof thereof How
then the Express can consistently fall
into line and favor the nomination OF
pronounced free traders to seats in the
national congress, where their speeches
and votes will be mace etIectual
in defeating those very measures
of protection for Southern Industries
which the Express advocates, Is the
thing that puzzles the democratic pro-
tectiOnists of this city and the LIGHT as
well. The Express is not on record as a
blind adheTent to party. Ii is a journal
that generally thinks for itself, and eX-
presses its own opinions, and has the
credit of being consistent and COnserva-
tive. How then it can reconcile its adj
vOcaGy of the free trade congressman
Jode Sayers, by whose votes the re-
ed. with its declared protection princi-
pies passes our comprehension. We do
not class the Express among the num-
Der Of those democratic journals which
are always for party and seldom for
principle; with whom party comes first
and political principle afterward. Had
we done so there would have been no
occasion to write this article. Not only
so, it has puzzled every republican in
this congressional district to understand
how the democratic wool growers of
this district could consCientiOusly en-
dOrse Jodie SGyers' course in congress
while petitiOning for a restoration of the
wool tariff of 1867. If the restoration Of
that wool tariff, or any advance in the
protective tariff upon wool is desired by
the wool growers Of Texas, how in the
name Of all that is sensible do they eX-
pect to accomplish their object by send
ing man like Sayers to congress,
pledged to vote against their interests,
destroy their business and crowd Texas
wool out of the market by foreign COM
petition. The name of democracy like
the "Old man of the sea-" seems to have
fastened itselfupon the shoulders of the
southern wool growers and manufac-
turers so securely that it outweighs
every industrial consideration, and
holds its place despite every effort of
business consistency to throw it off.