The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-06-27
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umADY yOx TvgE CONFLICT.
III two great parties are now resdy
~ - national conflict. The preIifni-
my ennvs~s i over and the platforms
ma eandidafs1 are sioat 20 be sssb-
nxif16d 10 the people. From nos TN
10 Kovsuasey The battle viii rsgs. and
= 11sefr wisfosn the American people
wi juds~ I~tween the men and The
Dnlteies presented
The canpAisn viii be very Largely
eue d principles rather than o.
men. The question 10 be de-
efded IL WHISTLER the people de-
IN : continuance Of the system o.
usotert5on 10 American industries un-
der whirh the country has sttsiped
nmch marvellous prosperity or whether
dizzy wish 10 stake all upon the uncsr-
tain experiment Of fires trade. Its 10
~ / battle bstwecn twoeemsomie theo-
riee. The adoption Of one has already
Wrought to the country an increase In
wealth and popusation and general
prosperity such - no nation has ever
l6eEors experienced. The adoption 81
~ other would be an experiment, the
result al which Il uncertain even In the
eyeS Of IT, most enthusiastic advocates.
The choice must he made between
practice and theory, between the
strong. common-sense idea that the
duty Of The government II 10 regard
~ prosperity Of the American people
and The beautiful theory that Amer
ics's Grst duty II the unseifish one OF
striving 70 better the condition OF the
undevpaid workers of Europe. Be
aide the tariff issue all other questions
VIM sink into insisnipcanee. The
American people win he called upon
% eive their Judgment on that qaes-
tienux directly ms jury II called upon
10 pass upon the case before ,.
The declaration III the Republican
rarity upon this great question il Singh
larry frank aud clear. The party IL in
favor Of maintaining a tariff. not for
revenue alone. but for the protection
IL American industries. II does not
belipvs that the second object should
- made incidental to the first, but
That psoteetion should be the prime
object 81 oar tsriif laws. II the rev.
ensse should become so large nv to
threaten the accumulation IN the treas
ary al q surplus Of really dangerous
rroyortious, the Republican party
slsouId reduce Il IN some other manner
than by attacking the tariff laws. While
occupying this unmistakable position.
ne party recognizes the fact that tar
III ixw must IN the nature Of things be
subject 10 frequent amendment and re-
vision and pledges itself to make such
changes III The present law a. are from
time 10 time deemed necessary.
Tho declaration Of the Democratic
pIatfdrm on the same question Il NJ
equiyocal as that OF the Republican par,
tyisfrank. II anybody can tell precisely
what the tsrif plank OF the platform
adopted by the 81. Louis eonven-
tion means. he has yet 10 he heard
from. II rcIterates the plank Of lssi,
which was itself 40 obscure that even
those who prepared 1t did not know It's
meaning, and 1t then indorses rresi-
dent ss'leveland's last me sage as the
correct Interpretation OF that plank.
70 President cleyeland's message,
then. and 10 President Cleveland him
sclf rather than 10 the platform of the
PARTY we must look for a statement of
che pesitlon OF the Democracy on the
sysat question of the day. The mes.
xase Il, question Is nothing more nor
- thar poor but pretentious arri.
ss6stin favor Of free trade. II Is a
ahaft borrowed from British econom-
i<sx anil aimed al the protective sys-
tenn. II II collection of tiine-worn
arguments whose fallaey has been in.
contYovertahly shown by the most
unerring Of logielans IL
Il mn appeal 20 the people OF the l'nlssd
States 10 break down the only barrier
which separates the fairly raid labor Of
America aud the pauper labor az E,,.
rope. The ncmocratle party. then.
Judged by is candidate and hy hi. nj.
terSnecs. which we're specifically IN.
dorsed BY It's national convention.
must be regarded a. the PARTY ~ free
trade. From this conclusion there is
no escape. However the Democrats
may seek 30 dodge the issue, the battle
Is between free trade. represented by
the Democratic party and pretcetion.
represented BY The Republican party.
The Republicans prssent a candidate
WINS ri hasWuss< with every line Of
their platform. From I'M youth he
has been arm belicver IN thu kNsri-
can system of protection. and every
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