The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-04-07
The Northwest and Tariff PRODUCTION.

The political sensation in the House of
Representatives this session was the speech
on Thursday of last week by the Hon. knute
Nelson. of Minnesota. Mr.. Nelson is now
serving his third term in Congress, having
received over 40, 600 majority at his last cleo
ton. He is tariff reformer, and his views
were well known to all the people of his dis
trict when elected For years he has been
kent in public. position, and is regarded as
,,arbans the strongest man before the people
in his state.
His was the first speech ever delivered from
the Republican side of the House in favor oil
tariff reduction, and well might it attract at
tention. He is not the only tariff reformer
on that side, for nearly all the members from
the Northwest may be so regarded, and many
from the Western states are leaning strongly
in that direction because of the growing pub
lie sentiment that that section has paid tribute
to the East long enough. Mr.. Nelson, how
ever, was the first to raise his voice against
tariff solely for protection. and his utterances
created a sensation. The Democrats left their
seats and crowded about him, and literally
applauded his telling facts, figures and argu-
ments. He also received applause from
some on his own side of the House, whilst
others of his own party endeavored to en-
barrass him by plying him with questions.
Mr.. Nelson was equal to the occasion. He
was thoroughly familiar with his subject, and
the emphasis and warmth with which he
smoke showed earnestness and conscientious
conviction. During his speech he had read
many letters to himself from prominent Re-
publicans throughout his state, and extracts
from Republican journals, showing the drift
of sentiment in his own party on the tariff
question, and he declared the fact that IN
favoring the enlargement of the free list and
n reduction Of tariff on other articles he was
yoicing the sentiment Of nine-tenths Of the
people of his state, Republicans and Demo
Gratis alike.
oNot only is there a strong sentiment
among the people in favor of tariff tax reduc
tion.r he said, ''but our national and our
state platforms in the Northwest are pledged
and committed to tariff reform and tariff re-
duction." He then gave quotations from the
Republican national platform and from the
Republican state platforms in Minnesota,
Iowa and Nebraska, all demandinga revision
and reduction of the tariff.
Continuing he said-'In the face Of these
platform pledges; in the face of the large,
ever growing and threatening surplus, tqkea
from the people by taxation, and used by
certain banks without any consideration there
for: and in the face of the fact that so many
of the barest necessities of life are loaded
down with the highest kind of tariff taxes, it
makes me sick at heart to think that there
are leading men on this side the Cham Der
who can find at this juncture, and under these
circumstances, no other field for tax reduc-
ton than the internal-revenue taxes on spirits
and tobacco Surely these things are not the
diet on which the poor laboring man keeps
his family.
"Worthier, better, and juster, It seems to
my mind, would it be to give our people-the
toiling masses-cheaper food, cheaper fuel,
cheaper clothing, and cheaper shelter, cheaper
because released from the heavy and unnec-
essary bondage of high. tariff taxes. | will
put free sugar, free coal, free salt, and free
lumber against free whisky and free tobacco,
under all circumstances, and SO will the great
mass of the American people"
This speech was significant as coming from
a Republican so popular and so strong in
state that has been so steadiast to the Repub-
lican party 1t meant more than demand
for tariff revision and surplus reduction, and
may be regarded as serving notice upon the
Republican party that the states of Michigan,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska,
with their forty .essAA7,oral yetes, cannot
ne eeaated upon in the Presidential contest
with Protection as its chief plank.
The tariff will be the chief issue, and the
all absorbing one in the next campaign. No
other issue will be discussed, and if Mr.. Mel
son is approximately correct in stating the
sentiment of the Northwest, that section must
support Mr.. Cleveland. Mr. Blaine will be
the Republican nominee, and he blinded
and infatuated high protective tariff advocate.
His campaign will be fought on the Bloody
Shirt and Protection platform, no matter what
the platform the party may adopt. For
twenty years he has talked nothing else.