The Russellville Democrat., 1888-09-20

minority refusing to cooperate iu the House of Representa- yes, or propose another remedy, have reunited the redemption Of their party pledge to the doubtful power of the Senate The people will hardly be deceived by theif abandonment of the field Of legislative action to meet in political convention and hippantly declare in their party platform that our con. servative and careful effort to relieve the stu. aton Is destructive to the American system ot protection Nor will the people be misled by the appeal to prejudice contained In the absurd allegation that we serve the interests of Flu rope, while they will support the interests of America. They propose in their platform to thus support the interests of our country by re. moving the internal revenue tnx from tobaccs and from spirits used in the ayts md for me chantcai purposes. They declare, also, that there should be such a revls on of our tarin laws as shall tend 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 D prohibitory point, they confess themselves willing to travel back ward in the road of civilization and to deprive our people of the markets for their goods, which can only be gained and kept by the sem blance, at least, Of an interchange of business, while they abandon our consumers to tho un- restrained oppression or tho domestic trusts and combinations which arc in the same plat form perfuncforily condemned They propose further 10 release entirely from import duties all articles Of foreign production except lrrxu- r'es, the like of which can not be produced fin ths country. The plain people Of the land and the poor who scarcely nse articles of any description produced exclusively abroad and not already free. will find 1t difficult to discover where their interests are regarded in this prop os ton. They need in their homes cheaper domestic necessaries; and this seems 10 be en. tirely unprovidcd for in this proposed scheme 10 serve the country. Small compensation for this neglected need Is found in the further pur. pose here announced and covered by the dec laration that if after the changes already mentioned there still remains larger revenue than is required for the wants of the Govern ment tho entire internal taxation should be re- pcalcd "rather than surrender any part of our protective system"
 Our people ask relief from the undue and un- necessary burden Of tarin taxation now resting upon them. They are offered. instead, free to-
 bacco and free whisky. They ask for bread. and they arc given 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 D system is en- tirey consistent with the regulation Of the ex- tent to which it should be applied and the cor rection of its abuses.
 or course, in a country great as ours, with such wonderful variety Of interests, often itdulDE tuilTtl1 htHtTSnL It IS lll- ficult, if not impossible, to settle upon Q per feet tarir 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 n reduction of revenue involving the prohibition of Iaportations and the re- moval Of the internal tax upon whisky. 1t can be better and more safely done within the lines of granting actual relief to the people fin their means of wing and at Inc same me giving m impetus to our domestic enterprises and furtherng our National welfare
 II misrepre sentations of our purposes and motives are to gain credence and defeat our present efforts in this direction, there seems to bo no reason why every endeavor in the future to accomplish revenue reform should not be liSewlse attacked and with like result. And yet TO thoughtful man can fail to see in the continuance Of the present burdens of the peo- 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 difliculty of applying the remedy will never be less, and the blame should not be laid at the door Of the Demo cratic party If it is applied too late.
 With firm faith Tn the intelligence and patri- otism of our countrymen, and relying upon the conviction that misrepresentation will not m fuence them; that prejudice will not cloud their understanding, and that menace will not intimdate them, let us urge the peoples inter est and public duty for the vindication of ouy attempt to inaugurate q righteous and bened cent reform. GROVER CLEVELAND.