The examiner., 1888-03-03


hold the Offices Nominations by the Labor
party may hurt the Democratic machine
here and the Republican there, but they
| will everywhere force the discussion of
| vital questions. IF the Labor party is to
| accomplish anything it must go on its own
| way careless of which political machine is
| hurt.
This sounds like the voice of patriotic
common sense, the other like plea OF
| specious dissimulation employed to excuse
| an act weak and unworthy in itself.
We find In the Standard of Mar. 26, this
quotation from a speech by exCongress-
Frank Hurd, and the following comments
| ll1tCn:
"a tariff is tax on foreign articles i'm
| ported into this country, when levied for
| the purpose of raising revenue. When i'm
posed for the purpose of aiding individuals
it is called a protective tariff. To the first
have no objection; to the latter / am I'M
alterably opposed"
In truth the only distinction between
such so-called Free Traders as Frank
Hurd represents, and the most thorough
| going Protectionist, is only of degree. IL
| men like Hurd, and Morrison and Carlisle,
| would really accomplish anything, let them
strike at Protection, not in its comparatively
unimportant branches, but in its root. Let
them join that now rapidly growing party
| which aims at the abolition
of all taxes save that ON the value of land.
These are strange sentiments to have
been held by men who now would have
that rapidly growing party" disintegrate
in the interest of policy proclaimed to
be only lesser degree Of this robbery of
Protection which they are going into es-'
pecial training to demolish. And this is a
very strange sentiment too to compare
with Mr.. Georges especial aversion to
striving to unite with other schools of re-
form, which he designates as ga scheme to
twist sand into rope, when taken in con-
| nection with his most recent suggestion
| STANDARD of Feb. 25)-the union of the
present United Labor party with Tariff
Reformers and Free Traders, in case Mr..
Grover Cleveland is side-tracked by the
''cormorants." It would seem that while
Mr.. Georges vision is most acute to the
absurdity of others striving to tstwist sand
into rope" he is completely oblivious to
| that absurdity when striving to accomplish
| this feat himself.
But let us return to closer examination
of the question. Did, or did not Mr..
George and his friends look upon the SYRIA
! cuse platform at the time of its adoption as
| intended to apply only estate issues?-the
great sticking point on which they now
take issue with those of the party who IA
| vor national ticket placed in the field.
The evidence is undoubtedly against
them, absolutely so; moreover, it is all out
/ of their own mouths. Here are Mr..
| Georges words in the Standard of July o.
| The Importance of this convention is
| that it will make the first formal Stat e
organization on principle on which the
| political contests of the immediate future
| in the United States are certain to be
waged-a principle which will ultimately
sweep the country as sure as to-morrow's
| sun will rise.
And to show that Mr.. George was
cognizant in advance of the material and
scope of the platform to be adopted, we
quote from his article of July 3O:-
Over the platform there is not likely to
be any dispute, i = X = e Thew are (the
principles) that land values shall be appro-
priated for the benefit of the community,
and taxes on production or its result be
abolished; that business in their nature
monopolies, such as railroads, telegraphs.
ETC., and functions that can be performed
better by the people in their collective
capacity than by individuals, such as the
| issuing of money, shall be controlled or
| managed by the community. \ X
These principles may be tersely summed up
in the phrase 'santi- monopoly"
Again here are the words of Mr.. George
at the Syracuse convention
We here begin movement the highest
and noblest that man can engage in. Let
us do our best from now on to carry it for
ward to a success that will ring all through
this country in November next, and sound
the signal for the formation of grand
national party that shall carry into real
ization the principles of Thomas Jefferson.
And now that Louis f. Post, one of
Georges friends and writer's, is consider
able factor in the discussion, and who pro-
claims with him that the issues set forth at
Syracuse were only int nded for State APP
plication, we will turn to what he said at
the time. On being elected temporary
chairman of the convention he made a
speech and this paragraph is found in it,
1t would be mere formality for me to
express my appreciation for the honor you
have conferred upon me in making me
temporary presiding officer of the first
State convention of the new party, which
starting in New York city, one year ago
has spread all over the State, and is des.
| tined to sweep the country. 4 X We
are here to day to form the nucleus of a
new party into which we shall invite all
who work for a living as distinguished
from those who live by the labor of others
| by virtue of special privileges. = = y X We
also find that certain public functions, such
as the operation of railroads and the tele-
graph and the issue of money are delegated
to individuals and corporations and carried
on as private employments. It is for US to
demand equality of rights in natural
materials, and that all public functions be
exercised by the public