Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-03-01
FREETRADEvs. ALERICANIDEAs

F FkEETRADEvS. AMERICAN IDEAS
New York Maj anI Express.
1 This is q great country, and the intel
ligent millions ofvoters vino are b-ough;
into close contact wi.a each other through
the maSic combination of the tanned
lightning and the types are Just now
making destiny for tie Republic witt
unusual raPidity. The great struggle i:
( between the intelligent believers in the
american ideas Of government that have
been defended b. Washington, Haml-
ton. Webster. Clay. Lincoln and Blaine
and the English doctrines of politica
economy as Interpreted by Mr. Cleve
land. OF a. al events, by the man or meI
who wrote his Free Trade Message.
The Republican party, chastened ant
purified by the defeat Of 1884, is enter
ing on its struggle with a degre,
of harmony and hopefulness that is
very encouraging. 1t has lost the specia
inspiration that the candidacy OF Mr.
Blaine would have given to it. but the
magnitude and Importance of the issues
that are daily becoming more thorough,
y appreciated by the intelligent rank
and file Will be growing inspirations &c
campaign that promises TO be com
PaTatively free from abusive personaii-
ties and to become a tremendous educa-
tor of the younger and less enlightened
voters as 20 the underlying conditions
Of American prosperity and progress.
Is it not Pr0vidantial that such a
campaign is beginning? Over half OF
our voters have come to legal manhood
since the governmental ideas and poll
cieS that are dis.iHctiveiy American
and that were deemed vital by Washing
toa AID Hamilton have been SO discuss
ed as t. awaken genera! interest. The
stolid audacity and misguided ambition
Of Mr.. Cleveland have compelled this
fight, which all Snrewd Democratic lead
ers have lodged for nearlya generation.
his English Free Trade Message which
was hailed with a chorus Of delight by
az the leading English journals has
subo-1inated all personal or local or old
issues. and has given to the Republican
leaders. of all sorts and sizes, the inspi-
ration and the materia! for a campaign
that viii educate every young voter who
has il him the possibility of becoming
even moderately good citizen and
sovereign"
That the Free Trade issue is regarded
as paramount by those who control the
Federal office holders, and the machine
ry of the Democratic party, has been
made clear b. the fierce fight in the
Democratic National Committee this
week, in which Presidential patronage
and influence controlled the selection of
a time and place for the meeting Of the
National Convention of the party, that
favored the schemes of Nj. Cleveland
for denomination. All pretence of re-
gard for the Reform" issue has been
contemptuously dismissed. Federal Of
e-hoiderS decided the action of the
Committee, and even the Washington
correspondence of the Post admits that
the speech of Senator Vest, in the Com
mittee, ridiculing Civil Service Reform,
was more enthusiastically applauded
than any other during the open session
of the Committee. = He be-
lieved that the offices belonged to the
Democrats and that the Democrats
should have them"
Such is the attitude Of Mr.. Cleveland
and of his iHcongrUous party.
On the other hand, the Republican
leaders, from Maine to California, are
united rs they have not been in fifteen
years, in enthusiastic support of the
American ideas that underlie and vital
ize the Tariff controversy. John Sher-
man has Lately made the greatest speech
Of his life, on the theme Of which he is
such a master Even in this State
once 50 faction-cursed- Half Breeds"
and "Sta!warts" forgot all old feuds in
their enthusiastic appreciation of this
tremendous argument. Senator Frye,
Senator Edmunds, Senator Hawley
and other New England leaders who
have been divided on other issues are
rivailing each other in Jealous defances
Of 1.-The American system" Senator
Evarts and Senator Spooner, Congress
man Kelley and Congressman Mckin-
ley, Senator Morrill, and Senator Plumb,
are Representatives of more or less vary
ing politics as to the other questions, but
on the Tariff question they are perfectly
united and ready for long, active, earn
est campaign.
And in the Northwest, whsre Repub-
lican farmers have been misled by the
Free Trade sophistries Of the Chicago
Tribune, Mr.. Depew has this week ad-
vocated all the Republican issues with a
courage, eloquence and effectiveness
that will yield the largest and best Re
publican results, but has been especially
feIicitous in SO stating the Republican
ideas in regard to Protection that his
glowing historical and argumentative
plea for the Tariff will be read by vast
armies of voters who have never before
begun to realize what the country owes
to Protection. The campaign in the
Northwest has been magniticently be-
pun