Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-11-02
THAT FREE-TRADE PLATFORM.


form on which Cleveland stands is
the work of Henry Watterson, a
noted Free Trader, who has boast
ed that the draft of the platform
was adopted by the st. Louis Con.
VentiOn just as be presented It,
The author of the st. Louls plat
form Is also editor of the Louisville
Courier. Journal, in which he has,
on more than one occasion, adv0-
Gated Free Trade pure ana simple.
Here are a few extracts from edl.
torials in the Louisville Courier
that will no doubt be read with a
great deal OF pleasure by Demo
cratic PrOtectiOnists:
ave demand Tariff Reform and
set our faces in the direction Of
Free Trade. The Democrat who is
not Free Trader should go else
where. The conflict between Free
Trade and Protection is lrrepressi-
BILE and must be fought out to the
bitter end. We spit upon com.
promise and propose neither to ask
nor give quarter. The Democratic
party, except in the person of i'm.
beetles hardly worth mentioning, is
not upon the fence. 1t is Free
Trade party or it IS nothing"
This IS plain language that no
one can mistake. 1t states what
every one knows, but what Cleve-
land and his fellow Free Traders
have neither the honesty nor the
courage to affirm. They torsooth,
are not Free Traders, but the policy
of Protection has become irksome
TO them and they, therefore, long
for the day when they can fight
openly for Free Trade. Just now,
while they sympathize with the
sentiments expressed by Waiter
son, they do not think it prudent
to give publicity to them. If, how
eyer, Cleveland be elected by the
votes of Protection Democrats we
shall not have to wait long for the
Mugwumps and the Anglo.maniacs
to range themselves openly under
the Free Trade banner.
In the meantime these prO.Brit-
lshers are satisfied that the plat
form constructed by Free Trader
Watterson is safe enough for them
to stand upon. But if this platform
meets with the approval of these
pro. Britlshers what are Democrat
&c Protectionists to think of it ?
The Clevelandites have been telling
them all along that in voting for
Cleveland and the st. Louis Plat
form they will not be voting for
Free Trade. Let them compare
this statement with the declarations
of Watterson and they will have
little difficulty in seeing through
the confidential game that The Free
Traders are trying to play upon
them in the interest of British man
ufacturers. No man with ordinary
intelligence will say that he is a
PrOtectiOnist and at the same time
vote for the candidate and the
platform supported by Cleveland
"Tariff Retormers," who do not
think it safe to 60 beyond the Mills
bill for the present. They believe
in approaching Free Trade by slow
degrees. The most radical Of them
are satisfied with this first advance,
knowing that the next move for
ward will be of a more decisive
character. They believe with
Watterson that the party that has
selected Grover Cleveland as Its
stsndard.bearer sis a Free Trade
party or it is nothing" and in that
belief they are Loyalty supporting
it. They recognize that if this
party should be defeated at the
coming election the cause of Free
Trade would get a set-back that
would make 1t impossible tor Eng
land to capture the American
market in this generation at least.
1t is this thought that acts as a
spur to the Anglo.maDiacs and
MugwOmDs, who are working with
might and main to secure Tor
Cleve land another four years lease
Of power. They have not the least
doubt that if the present Admins
tratiOn is endorsed at the polls on
the 9th of November they will be
able to throw aside all disguise and
come out openly IN favor OF Free
Trade.