Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-08-30
Do You Want War!

the whole Democratic party with him,
should make every A merican cautious
how they continue such people in power
Cleveland and his party have been
working tooth and nail for free trade
to benefit Canada and England. The
President has written messages, was
practically father of the Mills bill, and
has whipped his party into line so
thoroughly that its platform contains
but one word and that is cleveland.
AS the campaign progresses the
party leaders see that the free trade
doctrine is not popular with the Amer
lean voters, and overwhelming defeat
stares them in the face. They have
but one thing to do-appeal to their
master for help. He is the tail that
wags the dog, bandanna and all, and
with shrewdness worthy of ward
politician tries to divert the issue aud
by forcing on the country trouble with
Canada thrown the free trade argu-
ment in the shade, and thus recover lost
ground. 1t is only such man and
such party that could go from hot to
cold without blush. From favoring
England Cleveland now wants to re-
taliate and in his message to Congress,
on the senate refusing to ratify his
treaty giving all our fishing rights to
Canada, says:
/" / therefore. turn to the
contemplation of plan of retaliation
as mode which still remains of treat
ing the situation. | am not unmindful
of the gravity of the responsibility as
sumed in adopting this line of conduct;
nor do fail in the least to appreciate
its serious consequences. 1t will be
impossible to injure our Canadian
| neighbors by retaliatory measures with
out inflicting some damage upon our
own citizens.
"Plainly stated, the policy of national
retaliation manifestly embraces the in
| Fiction of the greatest harm upon those
who have injured us, with the least
possible damage to ourselves. There
IS also an evident proprety, as we'll as
an invitation to moral support, found
in visiting upon the offending party the
same measure or kind of treatment of
which we complain and as far as pos
sible within the same lines. And, above
all things, the plan of retaliation, if en-
tered upon, should be thorough and
vigorous.
| "These considerations lead me at
| this time to invoke the aid and counsel
of the Congress and its support in such
further grant of power as seems to
me necessary and desirable to render
effective the policy have indicated. y
This policy followed out would mean
war, and there is no doubt Cleveland
would want to hire a substitute to fill
his office as chief of the armies. Thank
fortune there is no LIKELIHOOD of his
being reelected and the country being
plunged into diseaster 1t is a COM
pete turnover and the first spark OF
patriotism Cleveland or his party has
ever shown, but is too violent and comes
at time when its meaning is too obvious
to blind even the most careless. The
fact that Congress conferred on the
president more than year ago all nee
essary powers for retaliation against
Canada shows the insincerity of his
position, and that the message is only
a collection Of words to influence votes.
More power is not needed, nor would
Congress be foolish enough to enlarge
it, but the effect before the country OF
asking it was thought to be too great
to be resisted.
The Democratic house jumped at the
situation and introduced bill at once
as follows
"Be it enacted, ETC., that whenever
the President may deem it his duty to
exercise any Of the powers given to him
by an act entitled An act to protect
and defend the rights of American fish,
/ ing vessels it shall be lawful for the
President, in his discretion, by pro-
clamation TO that effect, to suspend in
whole or in part the transportation OF
| goods, wares, and merchandise impor-
ted or exported from any foreign coun-
try, except Canada, in bond and with
out the payment of duty, to or from the
British domnions in North America
across the territory of the United
States.
''SEC. 2. Whenever the President
| shall be satisfied that there is any dis
elimination whatever in the use of the
Welland canal, the St. Lawrence river
canal the Chambly canal, or either
of them. whether by tolls, drawbacks,
refund OF tolls, or otherwise, which is or
may. be detrimental to the interests of
the United States or any of its citizens,
it shall be lawful for the President, in
his discretion, to issue proclamation
to that effect, whereon there shall be
| collected q toll OF 20 cents a ton on
every foreign vessel and her cargo pas
| sing through either the Sault Ste. Marie
Canal or the St. Clair Flats Canal, and
the Secretary of the Treasury may
authorize and direct any of the customs
officers to collect the tolls levied under
this act The President. when satisfied
that such discrimination has ceased,
may issue his proclamation to that eff
] lCCts III his OloCICbicu, WHticHpOu lHO
tolls authorized by this act shall no
longer be collected
SEC. 3 1.-The Secretary of the Treas
ury is authorized to make any regula-
tons needed to carry this act into
effect
This only ratifes the presidents
present powers and is therefore as
meaningless as his request as far as
retaliation goes.
For president who does not want a
a second term Cleveland is doing very
well indeed. Not only does he force
his party to renominate him but he com
pells to adopt his sentiments as
its platforms then he subscribes to the
Bureau of Information and all the lesser
lights follow suit; when he sees defeat
| plainly written on the wall he changes
his coat and brings his message
privileges into play. The strangest
| part Of the whole business is that his
party and its papers eat crow with the
same relish they would pudding, and