The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1888-09-20


and advantage 10 the employers Of domestic lar
Dor as will easily compensate for any difference
that may exist between the standard OF wages
which should be paid 10 our labOring men and
the rnte allowed in other countries We pro-
pose, too, by extending the markets for our
manufactures, to promote the steady employ;
meot OF labor, while, by cheapening the cost OF
the necessGries OF life, We increase the purchas.
ing power OF the workingmans wages, and add
TO the comforts Of his home
And before passing from this pha Sc OF the
question l am constrained 10 express the opIn-
ion, that while the interests OF labor should
be always sedulously regarded In any mDdihea-
ton Of our tariff laws, an additional and moro
direct and efficient protection to those interests
would be Afforded by the restriction and prohi-
bition OF the immigration or importation OF
laborers from other countries, who swarm upon
our shores, having no purpose or intent OF be-
coming our fellow-citzens or acquiring any
permanent interest in our country, but who
crowd every Geld Of employment with unintsl-
nzent labor at wages which ought not to satts-
fy those who make claim to American citizen
ship.
The platform adopted by the late National
convention OF our party contains the following
declaration lodged by Democratic princt
pies the interests OF the people are betrayed
when, by unnecessary taxation, trusts and COM
binations are permitted and fostered which,
while unduly enriching the few that com blne,
rob the body OF our citizens by deprving them,
as purchasers, OF the benefits OF natural com.
petition" Such combinations have always
been condemned by the Democratic party.
The declaration OF Its National convention is
sincerely made, and no member OF our party
will be found excuslng the existence or belit
ting the pernicious results OF those dev ces TO
wrong the people. Under various names they
have been punished by the common law for
hundfecs OF years and they have lost none OF
their hateful features because they have as
sumed the name Of trusts instead OF consprar
cies. We believe that these trusts are the nat
ural offspring OF a market artihcially restrict
ed; that an inorjirater high tnriff. besides
furnishing the temptation for their existence,
enlarges the limit within VIII .ch they may oper-
ate against the people, and thus increases the
extent OF their power Tor ng-doing. With
an unalterahie hatred OF all such schemes we
count the checkipR Of their baleful operations
among the good results promised by revenue
reform.
While we can not avoid partisan misrepre-
sentation our position upon the question Of
revenue reform should be plainly stated IS
TO Hdinlt Of no misunderstanding We have
entered upon no crusade OF free trade. The
reform we seek to inaugurate IS pred Gated
upon the utmost care for establ shed industries
and enterprises Jealous regard Ter the inter
esIs OF American labor and d sincere des re to
relieve the country from the injustice and
danger OF a condition which threatens evil TO
all the people OF the land We are dealing
with no imaG nary danger Jts existence hos
Ueen repeatedly confessed by all pol 4 cal par
ties, and pledges OF q remedy have been made
on all sides Yet, when in the legislative body.
where. under the Cons titutlon all remedial
measures applicable TO this subject must origin
ate the Democratic majority were attempting
VI til oStremh moderation o redeem the pledgn
common TO both parties, they were met by de-
term ned opposition ana obstruction: ard the
minority refusing TO cooperate IN the House Of
Representa- YES, or propose another remedy,
have remitted the redemption OF their party
pledge to the doubtful power OF the Senate.
The people will hardly be deceived by their
nhandonnert OF The field Gf legislative action
10 meet IN political convention and fippantly
declare In their party platform that our con.
servative and careful effort to relieve the stu.
HtiOh is destructive to the American system OF
protection. Nor will the people be msled by
| the appeal to prejudice contained in the absurd
allegation that we serve the interests OF Eu-
rope, "hlle they VIII support the interests ol
America. They propose in their platform 10
thus support the interests OF our coun ry by re-
moving the internal revenue tax from tobacco
and from spirits used in the arts and for me-
chanical purposes. They declare, also, that
there should be such revts on ct our tariff Laws
as shaN lehu to check the importation Of
such articles as are produced here. Thus in
proposing TO increase the duties upon such art
iCles to nearly or quite prohlbitory point
they confess themselves willing 10 travel back
fatd in the road OF civilization and TO dcprlv9
our people OF the markets for their goods,
which can only be gained and kept by the SEM
blance, at least, of on Interchange OF business,
while they abandon our consumers TO the
restrained oppression OF the domestic trusts
and combinations which are In The same plat
form periunctorily condemned They propose
further 70 release entirely from import duties
all articles of foreign production except luxu-
reS, the like Of which can not be produced in
this country. The plain people OF the land
and the poor, who scarcely use articles Of any
description produced exclusively abroad and
not already free will find II difficult TO discover
whore their interests are regarded in this prop
ostion. They need in their homes cheaper
domestic necessaries; and this seems 20 be en-
tirely unprovided for in this proposed scheme
to serve the country Small compensation for
this neglected need Is found in the further pur-
pose here announced and covered by the dec
larauOn that il after the changes already
mentioned there still remains larger revenue
than is required for the wants OF the Govern
ment the entire internal taxation should be re-
pealed "rather than surrender any part of our
protective system"
Our people ask relief from the undue and un-
necessary burden OF tariff taxation now resting
upon them. They are offered, instead, free to-
bacco and free whisky. They ask for bread.
and they are given a stone The implication
contained in this party declaration that des-
perate measures are just fed or necessary TO
save from destruction or surrender what is
termed our protective system, should confuse
no one. The existence OF such O system is en-
tirely consistent with the regulation OF the ex-
tent TO which it should be applied and the cor
recton of its abuses.
OF course, in a country as great as ours, with
wonderful n
leading in entirely different directions, it is dif-
hcult, II not impossible, TO settle upon a per-
feet tariff plan; but in accomplishing the re.
form we have entered upon, the necessity OF
which is so obvious, / believe We should not be
content with a reduction OF revenue involving
the prohibition OF importations, and the re-
moval OF the internal tax upon whisky. It
can be better and more safely done within
the lines of granting actual relief to the people
IN their means OF living, and at the same ttmo
giving an impetus to our domestic enterprises
and fhrthering our National welfare.
III misrepresentation of our purposes and
motives are to gain credence and defeat our
present efforts n this direction, there seems to
be no reason why every endeavor in the future
to accomplish revenue reform should not be
likewise attacked and with like result And
yet no thoughtful man can fail TO see in tho
continuance OF the present burdens of the REQ
pie, and the abstraction by the Government OF
the currency Of the country, inevitable distress
and disaster. All danger will be averted by
timely action. The difhculty tn applying the
remedy will never be less, and the blame
should not be laid at the door Of the Demo-
cratic party II 1t is applied too late.
With firm faith IN the intelligence and patri
otism OF our countrymen, and relying upon the
conviction that Misrepresentation will not IN
huence them; that prejudice will not cloud
their understanding, and that menace will not
ntimidate them let us urge the peoples iuter-
est and public duty for the vndication of our