Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-07-13

Confidential.
EADQUAR T ERS
led. of the
ALBERT DAGGETT.

Dictated. of the
REPUBLICAN LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES.
New YORK, May 25, 1888.
My DEAR SIR: The Republican Leag ue
of the United States desires to bring you
face to face with the startling fact that
the coming presidential election is not
to be fought on the old party lines
which have heretofore divided demo
Gratis and republicans, but upon TIE di-
rect issue of free trade vs.. protection.
The league stands for protection and
is fgLting in your interest. 1t is no
Fourth of July organization for dress
parade, but is an everyday working
force of practical political workers, who
have in four months enrolled an army
OF over four thousand men to fight
against British free-trade ideas, British
gold and democratic Hessians, who are
fighting under her banners. l. is useless
to argue the case. Democracy stands
for free trade and against your interests
and you know it, no matter whether you
have heretofore been democrat or
republican. High sounding platforms of
words cannot gaiHsay this fact or fool
you unlees you wish to be fooled.
The coming campaign viii he fought
for protection under disadvantages new.
er before encountered. Ninet--nine per
cert. of the federal officials ale demo
Gratis and will contribute financially to
the hoped for success of the free traders.
Never before has the democratic free
trade, or tariff reform" party been in 50
fortunate a position.
The republican league is not composed
of theorists who are forever promising
to do something and never keeping their
promises. 1t has already done more
than any other political organization
ever attempted before the presidential
candidates had been placed in the field.
AS your patriotic volunteers sprang to
the country's defense when secession
threatened its destruction, so at the call
of the league vast armies have been en-
rolled to fight the thousand times more
dangerous foe to the country's continued
prosperity-free trade.
We will win this fight if you will do
your share and help Us to finish what
want it at once. We are overwhelmed
with calls for tariff documents and for
speakers and organizers. We propose
to organize and fight against free trade
in every doubtful congressional and leg
islative district in the United States
To-day there is but one majority in the
senate of the United States when the
lines are drawn between democrats and
republicans, and unless much is done the
next congress will see free trade house
senate and president, and then good -bye
to your pros perity.
1t may not be Of your personal knolcledge,
but it is u fact, nevertheless. that the manu-
tacturers of the United States, 1Uho are most
benefited By our tariff Ia1cs hare been the
least ,CiIIing to contribute to the success of
the party which gave them protection,
and which is about to engage in a life
apd-death struggle with free trade.
A republican United States senator,
from state which never had a demo
cratic representative IN either house of
congress- or democratic state officer
in speaking of the well-known disposi-
tion of the manufacturing interest to
lock up its money, fold it's hands and
look on while somebody else fights for its
success, says:
"The campaign which We are about to
enter will concern, more than anybody
else, the manufacturers of this country.
They have heretofore been very laggard
in their contributions to the republican
cause. In fact, if I could punish them
| without Furnishing tte cause of protec-
tion itself, l would consig9 them to the
hottest place l could think of on ac-
| count of their cravenal parsiuIony. If
this class of people do not care to con-
! tribute to the success of the republican
party, they are welcome to try their
chances under democratic administra-
ton: can stand 1t as long as they can"
And again: II was solicited TO contrib
ute to a protective tariff league. and l
I replied that if the manufacturers of the
| United States in their associated capacity
were an eleemosynary institution that
l would vote to give tksm q peSsion, but
that l did not propose myself to contri-
| bute money to advance the interests Of
men who were getting practically the sole
benefit, or as least the most directly i'm
/ portant benefits of the tariff laws
am in favor of protection. not precisely
| the kind We are having, but / might be
willing to keep even that rather than not
| TO have any, but / am sure / can get
| along without any of it fully a. well as