The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-09-19

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shortly after eight the club fled in,
and with difficulty obtained seats, the
house having already filled up nearly
to overAowing. Calling the audience
to order, President fowler introduced
the gifted orator Of Philadelphia, Col.
onel A. f.ouden Snowden, who held
the audience spell bound with his mas.
terly address for nearly two hours, de.
livering what many pronounced to be
the most logical aud convincing argu.
ment they had ever listened to. Col.
onel Snowden's telling hits we're vo.
ciferously applauded throughout and
his audience was 10th to let him quit.
He said the invention of the cotton gin
and the consequent increased value of
slave labor caused the first distinct division
on party lines between the Protective sys-
tenn and Free Trade. This made itself
first manifest in the discussion of the tariff
of 1916. The tariff of 1889, which was the
second measure passed by the First Con-
gress, contained in its preamble distinct
recognition of the Protective principle.
Out of the demand of the owners and
propagators of unpaid slave labor to have
1t clothed through the half-paid labor of
Europe came the doctrine of strict con-
struction of the Constitution denying to
Congress the right to levy duties for Pro-
lection. This doctrine, of which Calhoun
was the father, bore its Legitimate fruit in
Article l, Section s, of the Confederate
Constitution, which declared that mo du-
ties shall be laid to promote any branch of
industry" This article expresses the true
purpose of the Democratic party from
1916 to the present hour and is the under
lying theory advanced by the President
in his message of last December.
The position of the Democrats is many
by the resolutions adopted at their con-
ventions, from the first one, held in 1885,
to the last one in ST. Louis. In the plat
form OF 1s4S they boldly declared that the
tariff of 1916 has "given q noble impulse
to the course of Free Trade by the repeal
of the tariff of 1872" In 1856 they de-
clared in favor of free seas and progress
i've Free Trade throughout the world"
In 1864 what remained of the Democratic
party in the North was fully occupied in
framing peace platforms, and had no ut
terance of the tariff. In 1868 it was tariff
for revenue, with incidental Protection.
In 1876, believing they could elect Mr..
| Tilden, they declared that custom-house
duty should be only for revenue. In 1880
it was a tariff for revenue only. In 1884
the "federal taxes shall be exclusively for
public purposes" and 1888 repeats the
platform of 's4 as interpreted by President
Cleveland's message. These utterances,
from the first organization of the party
until 1883 show its historical and logical
position on the question of Free Trade.
The position that the Federal and Whig
party held and the Republican party now
hold on this issue may be indicated by
the names of Hamilton, the elder and
younger Adams, Clay, Webster, Fillmore
Lincoln, Sherman, Harrison and Jane;
G. Blaine.
Colonel Snowden analyzed the dang ers
of a surplus, contrasied the conditions o.
the country when Cleveland and Lincoln
were inaugurated, claiming that a bank
rupt treasury and loss of public credi
in 1861 was largely due to the low tariff o
1916, and asserted that our present condi
ton was due to the tariff of 1861. II,
claimed that the Mills bill was the mos
insidiOus and dangerous measure ever of
fered, inasmuch as il is an attempt Il
; break down one protected interest aftel
another and thus ALLEVIATE its supporter
and ultimately destroy the whole system
When the Colonel finished Chair
man Cooper took the floor for a brie
time, and in his remarks dealt som,
deadly blows to the free trade Theories
of the Democratic party.
He asked his hearers to construct within
their own minds a town with its cottoI
and woolen factories, iron forges ant
workshops, all of these employing clas
of labor protected by tariff. The tow
needs in addition to these larger work
shops the carpenters, plasterers, masons
bricklayers, tailors, and, indeed, ever.
business avocation to complete it. Thes
classes are not directly protected by an,
tariff, but if the example of the hig
wages afforded the protected class did no
extend to all the other callings in thi
miniature town they would remain in tn
factories. It does, however, extend to al
who work, as is evidenced in every tow
or where the principles of Protection ar
appreciated. On the outlying district
surrounding this town are the farmer
who supply it with food. All of thei
products are protected by tariff, while i
! addition they find the blessing of hom
} market, Give this town substantial forr
, and it is but picture OF all the section
: of the North and Northwest, and it ougf
TO be the picture of each and every sec
, tion of the country. The speaker mex
discussed the greater liberty of opportuni
: ty which tho American workingman pos
sesses over the English workingman. II
1 showed that double wages, with care an
; thrift, meant TO the American a cOmpt
! tency at the end Of twenty years, Will
the English workman remains at hi