Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-16
NEW YORK DEMOCRATS REVOLT.
Sensible Democrats Who Have Left Their
Party-Encouraging Reports.

L
extensive, and already includes enough
individuals whose names have been pub
Iished to more than reverse Cleveland's
majority in that State four years ago.
Particularly favorable reports have been
leceived by the National Republican Ex-
ecutiye Committee regarding Republi-
can organizations among the Germans.
Excellent reports are also daily being
received from the Irish-American As
sociations, the Hungarian. and in fact
from all the foreign-born citizens who
are at work for the Republican ticket.
Among the former New York Demo-
Gratis who will support Harrison and
Morton are Horace Z. Thurber, the
former head of the great grocery firm
of New York; Charles S. Higgins, the
soap manufacturer of BROOKLYN; Joseph
Martin, the shoe manufacturer of New
burg; Edwin Croat, proprietor of the
Hudson River Knitting Mill, Jonathan
Hitler, Charles f. North and Charles F.
Doyle manufacturers, of Cohoes, ex-
Mayor G. B. Warren, ex-Mayor w. L.
Van Alstyne, ex-Congressman J. NJ.
Warren and ex-Controller John d.
Spicer, of Troy; 1. L. Dean, senior
member of the firm of L. L. Dean & Co.,
of the Park Knitting Mills, of Amster-
dam; w. A. Lansing, a Union veteran
and prominent merchant of Gloversville;
Judge George w. Smith, who represent
ed Herkimer in the Assembly of 1888,
and who has long been recognized in po-
litical circles as Democracy's leading
manager for that county; Levi j. De-
land ex-State Committeeman and ex-
Assemblyman of Monroe; a battalion at
Rochester composed of Democratic
veterans, recently organized with 1877
men on its rolls; Jonathan ScoyilIe. ex-
Mayor and ex-Congressman Of Buffalo,
and Harris Greenwood, one of the wheel
horses of Schoharie Democracy. And
the number is daily increasing.
One of the most interesting commune
cations received by the committee was
a letter from George E. Wright, a well
known farmer of Putnam county. He
is a Democrat and always has been but
the present attitude of his party toward
the tariff constrains him to abandon his
party. In his letter Mr.. Wright says:
CAS- n Democratic farmer | wish to say
to you chat | am not in favor or in sympa-
thy with Free Trade. | have always been
Democrat, amt insist that / am now
Democrat. l voted for Cleveland four
years ago. but will not do so again, but
will vote for Harrison and Morton. Ny
party in convention has Endorsed the Mills
bill, which | have just examined, and it
is worse than childish to say that it is not
Free Trade bill. 1t permits Canada to
ship free of duty to our State the very
things it wants to ship, including salt,
lumber, milk, vegetables, etc, while Can
ada has high tariff which prevents US
shipping to them, except the things men
toned, which we do not and cannot ship
to them. In other words Canada, under
this bill, gets Free Trade with US, and we
get absolutely nothing in return.
1--WE farmers Of Putnam County have
raised thousands of dollars worth of to-
bacco in the past, but have stopped, be-
cause we cannot compete with cheap labor
countries, and while southern tobacco is
protected by tariff the kind we raise in
the North is not protected at all by the
Mills bill. Although do not raise sheep,
l feel natural sympathy with other
farmers who do, and am opposed to fres
wool. And | think any farmer who hurtt
any branch of farming to some extene
hurts himself. Farming property in many
cases can be bought to-day for the value
of the buildings upon it. We pay more
for our labor, and can't compete with
farmers of other countries. Some Of my
Democratic friends say labor is too high.
L don't agree to this. | know when labor
Is plenty and wages high get ready sales
and good market for the products of my
farm, which are principally sent to the
city.
1--WE have now the finest market in the
/, being "a taxpayer and bearing all the
burdens of citizenship, shall have any adj
vantage over non-reSidentS and foreigners
who are not taxpayers and have no bur-
denS of citizenship. / claim that |, as an
American farmer, should have some adj
ventage over foreign farmers in this mar
ket: and | cannot well ask this favor I'M
less am willing to give the same advant-
age to the American laborer, merchant
and manufacturer.
am and have been in favor of reform
ing the tariff, particularly on those things
not produced in this country, and wher-
ever the tariff protects any article made
by u trust" [ find on examination that
the great trust, that is the sugar trust,
which is at present protected by the tariff,
is fully and carefully protected by tho
Mills bill. While am 4 protectionist I
am not in favor of protecting what we
cannot produce in reasonably fair Quanti-
ties. While we cannot yet produce 10 per
cent. of the sugar we use, it might lee well
to encourage its production and manufac
ture, but certainly not when one mo-
nopoly controls the whole business and
limits the supply. if necessary, to suit
themselves.
''Many of my Democratic neighbors feel
as do about this case. They will speak
for themselves. Some Of them may not
be heard from until election day, then
they viii speak In no uncertain way"
Another Democratic manufacturer,
Charles E. Stevens of Syracuse. n. Y,
has come ont for Harrison and Morton
because he cannot support the ticket
representing his party platform. 1t is
notable III this connection that the SYRIA
cuse Herald, Democratic paper which
supported Cleveland in 1884, after print
ing Mr.. Stevens letter, says: These are
precisely the same reasons that induced
the Herald to withdraw its support from
the Democratic National ticket" As
the Herald is a paper of great deal of
local influence there is mourning among
the Democrats of that section.
Among the speakers at the Republican
ratification meeting at Utica, n. Y, last
week was Frederic G. Fincke, one of the
leaders Of the stalwarts III Oneida county.
The New York Sun says he was sd close,
ardent, and uncompromising friend and
follower of the late Roscoe Conking.
During the campaign of 1881 no one
among his (Conkling's) implacable sup
porJers worked harder or more effective
" to throw Oneida Countys majority
against Blame than Mr.. Fincke." The
SIN argues from Mr.. Finckes indorse-
ment of Gen. Harrison that the stall
warts not only in Oneida but through
out the Empire State will act Loyalty
with the Republicans during the present
campaign, and that Cleveland's plurality
OF 1,1O0 is in danger.
Shortly after ten. r1arrIson.s nom1na-
ton the New York gamblers offered two
to one on Cleveland's reelection Ow-
ing TO the stampede from the Democratic
ranks this has all been changed and
what little betting there is, Is on even