The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-09-13

unprepared, hopeless and defenseless. Such
| o state OF affairs does not present case Of
labor rg man and his employer. but Il produces
an absolute and enforced stopage Of employ
| ment and wages.
| I'm reviewing the bad effects of this accumu-
lated surplus and the scale of tar:fr rates by
which 1t IS produced, we must not overlook the
tendency towards gross and scandalous public
duces. nor the fact that we are maintaining,
without excuse in time Of profound peace,
substantially the rate OF tariff duties rosed
in time OF war, when the necessities OF the Gov
eminent justified the imposit on of the
we ghtiest burdens upon the people.
Divers plans have been suggested for tho
| return OF Il Is accumulated surplus to the peo-
pie and the channels OF trade Some of tn Sc
devices are at var ance with oil rules Of good
and some betray by their reckless extrava-
| gance the femcral Eng influence Of great
surplus OF public money upon the judgments
made as are consistent with public duty and
| sanctioned by sound judgment, TO avoid danger
by the useful dlsposit on Of the surplus now re-
distribution were accomplished another ac-
cumulation would soon take its place if the
| constant flow OF redundant income was not
present tar # laws.
I'VE do not propose to deal with these con-
d1tions by merely attempting TO satisfy tho
| people OF the truth Of abstract theOr es nor by
| alone urging their assent to political doctrine.
we present to them the propositions that they
are unjustly treated in tie extent of present
Federal taxation, that as q result . condition
! or extreme danger exists, and that It is for
them to demand remedy and that defense
ana sn safety promised in the guarantees OF their
| means which are adopted to relieve the Treats
ury OF its present surplus and prevent its re-
| OF supplying their daily wants. Both Of these
| objects we seek in part to gain by reducing the
present tariff rate upon the necessar:es Of life.
I'VE fully appreciate the Importance to the
country domestic
| rectittcation OF existing wrongs their mainte.
nance and prosperity should be carefully and in
! lance uoon present revcnu. arrangements rs
| have been invited or encouraged should be
| fairly and justly regarded. Abrupt and radi-
| cal changes which might endanger such enter
nr ses and injuriously affect the interests OF
| labor dependent upon their success and
| continu nee are not coatemplatedor intended.
But we know the cost of our domestic manu-.
factured products is increased and their price
| to the consumer enhanced bv the duty imposed
facture we know that this increased cost
| prevents the sale OF our productions at foreign
markets in competition with those countries
which have the advantage Of free raw material.
We know that confined TO q home market our
manufacturing operations, are curtailed. their
demand for labor irregular and the rate CT
to stimulate our domestic industrial enter
rrises by free ng from duty the imported raw
materials which by the employment OF labor
are used in cur home manufactures, thus ex-
tending the markets for their sale and permit
ting an increased and steady product on with
the allowance OF abundant profits.
"True to the undertaking course Of the Dem
| ocrat c party, we will not neglect the interests
Of labor and our working-men. In all efforts
to remedy existing evils we will furnish no ex-
cnse for the loss of employment or the reduc-
ton Of the wages OF honest toll. On the con-
trary, we propose in any adjustment OF ouc
| revenue laws to concede such encouragement
and advantage to the employers OF domestic
labor as Will easily compensate for any differ
ence that may exist between the standard Of
men and the rate allowed in other countries.
We propose, too, by extending the markets for
employment Of labor, while, by cheap
Of life. wy we Increase the purchasing
power OF the working mans wages and add
to the comforts OF his home. And before pass
ing from this phase O. the question am con-
strained TO express Inc opinion that while the
interests Of labor should be Il ways sedulously
regarded in any mod fication OF our tariff laws,
an additional and more direct and efficient
protection to these interests would be afforded
by the restriction and prohibition of the immi-
grafton or Importation OF laborers from other
countries who swarm upon our shores, having
no purpose or intent OF becoming our fellow
in our country. but who crowd every field of
employment with unintelligent labor at wages
which ought not to satisfy those who make
c lain to American citizenship.
'The platform adopted by the late National
convention of our party contains the following
"'Judged by Democratic primo pies the in
1erests Of the people are betrayed when, by un-
nece 'sary taxations, trusts and combinations
are Eerm ttcd and fOStcred, WHich, while I'm
duly enriching the few that combine, lob the
body of our citizens by depriving them pur-
chasers OF the benefits of natural competition
"Such combinatiors have always be en- con-
demned by the Democratic party. The de lar
alton Of its National convention is sincerely
made and no member Of our party will be
pernic!ons results of these devices TO wrong
the people. Under various names they have
been punished by the common law for hun
dreds Of years; and they have lost none of their
hateful features because they have assumed the
name OF trusts instead OF consp,rators We be-
l!eve that these trusts are the natural offspring
OF q market artifcially restricted; that an in
ordinately high tariff, besides furnishing the
temptation for Their existence, enlarges the
the people, and thus increases the extent OF
their power tor wrong dong. With an unllter'
able hatred OF ali such schemes we count the
checking Of their baleful operations among the
good results produced by revenue reform.
:. "While we can not avoid partisan m :srepre.
sentaton, our 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
upon the utmost care for established ind Lstr es
and enterprises, jealous regard for the inter-
ests OF American labor, and II sincere desire to
relieve the country from the injustice and dan
TIE people Of the land. We are dealing with no
imaginary danger: Its existence has been re-
and pledges OF remedy have been made on
all sides. Yet. when in the legislative body,
where under the constitution all remedial
originate the Democratic majority were at
tempting with eXtre me moderation to redeem
the pledge common TO both parties, they were
met by determined opposition and obstruction;
and, the minority refusing to cooperate in the
House OF Representatives, or propose another
party pledge TO the doubtful power OF the Sen
ate.
The reople will hardly be deceived by their
abandonment of the field of legislative action
TO meet in political convention and flippantly
declare in their ra:ty platform that our con-
sentative ana careful effort to relieve the SIT
protection. Nor will the people be misled by
The app cal 10 prejudice contained in the absurd
allegation that we serve the interests of Eu.
rope, while they will support the interest OF
America They propose in their platform
to thus support the interests of our coun-
Try by removing. the internal revenue tax
from tobacco and from spirits used in the
arts and for mechanical purposes. They de-
clare also that there should be such re-
the Importation of such articles are pro-
duced here. Thus in proposing to increase the
duties upon such art Giles to nearly or quite
prohibitory pc mt, they confess themselves
willing to travel backward IN the road Of civil-
cation and to deprive our people OF the markets
for their goods which can only be gained and
kept by the semblance, Mt least, OF an inter-
change OF business, while they abandon our
consumers to the unrestrained oppression of
the domestic trusts ana COMMENTATORS winch
are in the same platform perfunctorily con-
demned.
"They propose further to release entirely
from import duties all articles of foreign pro-
duction except luxuries) the like Of which can
not be produced in this country. The plain
people OF the land and the poor, who scarcely
use articles of any description produced exclu:
sively abroad and not already free, will find 1t
difficult to discover where their interests are
regarded in this propos .tion. They need in
their homes cheaper domestic necessaries: and
this seems to be entirely unprovlded for in this
proposed scheme to serve the country
"Small compensation for this neglected
need is found IN the further purpose here an.
nounced and covered by the declaration, that
| if after the changes already mentioned, there
still remains a larger revenue than is requisite
for the wants OF the Govegnmentt, the ent re
! internal taxation should be repealed, rather
than surrender any part OF our protective
system
"Our people ask relief from the undue and
unnecessary burden Of tar # taxation row rest
| ing upon them. They are offered instead-free
and free WHISKY They ask for bread
tanned in this party declaration that desperate