Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-10

claim to American citizenship. The plat
form adopted BY tie late national convention
of our party contains the follow ing declara-
ton: Judging by democratic principles
the interests of the people are betrayed when
by unnecessary taxation trusts and combina-
tons are permitted and fostered which,
while unduly enriching a few that CON-
bine TO rob the body of our citizens BY de-
priyiug them as purchasers of the benefits of
natural competition" Such combinations
have always been condemned by the demo-
cratic party. The declaration of its conven-
ton ia sincerely made, and no member of
our party can be found excusing the exist
ence or the pernicioas results of these de-
vices to wrong the people. Under various
names they have been punished by the COM
mon Law for hundreds of years, and they
lose none OF their hateful features because
they have assumed the names of trusts ill.,
stead of conspiracies. We believe that
| these trusts are the natural offspring OF
market artifciaIly restricted that an inordi-
naiely high tariff besides furnishing tempta-
| ton for their existence, enlarges the limit
within which they may operate against the
people and thus increase the extent of their
power for wrong doing. With an undated
l
the good results promised by revenue reform.
While we cannot avoid partisan misrepre-
sentation, ouI position upon the question of
| revenue reform should be SO plainly stated
as to admit of no Misunderstanding. We
| have entered upon no crusade OF free trade.
| The reform we seek TO inaugurate IS pre-
dcted upon the utmost care for established
industries and enterprises, Jealous regard
for the interests of American labor and
sincere desire TO relieve the country from
the injustice and danger of
condition which threatens evil to
all the people of the land.
| We are dealing with no imaginary danger.
Its existence has been repeatedly confessed
by all political parties and pledges of remedy
have bee made on all sides. Yet whenfin
| legislative body, where under the constitu-
tional RENE iial measures applicable to this
subject it must originate, the democratic
majority was attempting with extreme mod
Grafton TO redeem the pledge common to both
parties. they were met by determined OPP
position and obstruction, and the minority
refusing to cooperate in the House of Rep
resentatiyes or propose another remedy,
have RENTED the redemption of their party
and pledged it to the doubtful power OF the
Senate The people will hardly be deceived
by their abandonment of the field of legs-
| latiye action to meet in political convention
and fppantly declare in their party platform
that our conservative and careful effort to
relieve the situation, is destructive to the
American system of protection. People will
not be misled by an appeal to prejudice con-
tanned in an absurd allegation that we serve
the interests of Europe, while they will sup
port the interests of America
they propose in their plat
form to thus support the interests of our
country by removing the internal revenue
tax from tobacco and from spirits used in the
arts and for mechanical purposes. They
declare also there should be such revision of
tariff laws as shall tend to check the impor-
tation of such articles as are produced here.
Thus in proposing to increase the duties upon
such articles to nearly or quite prohibitory
point they confess themselves willing to
travel backward on the road of civilization
and to deprive our people of markets for
their goods, which can only be gained by a
semblance, at least, of interchange of bust
ness, while they abandon our consumers to
the unrestrained oppression of domestic
trusts and combinations which are in the
same platform perfunctorily condemned.
They propose further to release from du
ties all articles of foreign production except
Injuries, the like of which cannot be pro-
duced in this country Plain people of
the land and the poor who scarcely use
articles of any description produced
exclusively abroad and not already
free, will find it difficult to discover where
their interests are regarded in this PROPOSE
ton. They need in their homes cheaper do
nestle necessaries, and this seems to be en-
, tirely unprovided for in this proposed scheme
to save the country. Small compensation
for this neglected need is found in the fur
ther purpose here announced and covered by
the declaration that if, after the changes al
ready mentioned, there still remains larger
revenue than requisite for the wants of the
government, the entire internal taxation
should be repealed rather than surrender
any part of our protective system. Our peo-
pie ask relief from the undue and unneces-
sary burden of tariff taxation now resting
upon them They are offered free tobacco
and free whiskey. They ask for bread and
are given stone. The implication con-
tanned in this party declaration that desper-
ate measures are justified or necessary to
save from destruction or surrender,
what is termed our protective sys-
tenn, should confuse no one. The
existence of such system is entirely consist
ent with regulation of the extent to which it
should be supplied and the correction of its
abuses, of course, in a country as great as
ours with such a wonderful variety of inter-
ests. After leading in an entirely different d-
recton it is difficult if not impossible to settle
upon perfect tariff plan, but in accomplishing
reform we have entered upon necessity of
which tits so OBVIOUS that believe we should
not be content with reduction of revenue
involving prohibition of importation and the
removal of internal tax on whiskey. 1t can
| better and more safely be done within the
| lines of granting actual relief to people in
their means of living, and at the same time
giving an impetus to our domestic enterprises
and fatherng of our national welfare. If
misrepresentation of our purposes and mo-
tives are to gain, condense and defeat our
| present effort in this direction, there seems to
be no reason why every endeavor in the fu-
ture to accomplish revenue reforms should
| not be likewise attacked and with like results
and yet no thoughtful man can fail to see, in
| the continuance of the present burdens of the
| people 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 difficulty of
| applying the remedy will never be less, and
blame shouldn't be laid at the door of the
| Democratic party if it 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 influence them, prejudice will not cloud
their understanding, and that menace will not
intimidate them; let us urge the peoples in
terest and public duty for the vindication of
our attempt to inaugurate a righteous and
beneficient reform.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
| The game between the Augustus and Gard
liners, tomorrow, will be the last game at