Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-09-28
WHY REMALN IN A PARTY ALL
ENATED FROM THE PEOPLE?

The defecJions of Republicans from
their party which we see in the Northern
papers are not surprising. 1t is not an
easy matter for political organization to
make signal departure from its pol
icy; from Its platform promises. and from
the teachings of its leading men without
losing those who have belonged to it
through principle rather than partizanry.
Perhaps no political organization of equal
magnitude ever so completely stulti6ed
itself, or so completely forfeited it's claim
on the allegiance of its followers as has
the Republican party. 1t seems to have
turned its back on the people and all that
concerns the people, in subservience TO the
demands of the Money Kings of the coun-
try. Not only does it maintain the high
tariff tax which they demand at its hands,
but hastens to increase that tax. It sto-
Idly resists any attempt to lower taxa
ton. and has come to such pass that the
money power Of the country dictates what
taxes the People shall pay. The progress
of these Great Corporations was not I'M
foreseen by that patriot, Abraham Lin
coin. In his last message to Congress he
thus foretold the danger Of the future:
GAS result of the war, corporations have
been enthroned, and an era of corruption in
high places will follow, and the money poaoe7.
Of the country aoiU end@aoor to prolong its reign
by aoor1si'ag upon the p''ejmdices # the re2p5e
until all aoea1th as aggregated in a Jea0 hands
and the Republic is Destroyed I feel at this
moment more anxiety for the safety of my
country than ever BEFORE even in the midst
of the war. God grant that my suspicious
may prove groundless.
Let us trace the steps of the Republican
party on its downward road to abject sur
render to this "Money Power" When
the Republican party started out on the
question of taxation taking the platform
of 1860, for in 1856 its platform said moth
ing of tarif-its policy was almost iden-
tical with Samuel J. Tilden's-Tariff for
Revenue only, with incidental protection.
Here is what it said:
''Sec. 10, That while providing revenue for
the support of the General Government by
duties upon imports, sound policy requires
such an adjustment of these imports as to en-
courage the development of the whole coun-
try; and we commend that policy of national
exchanges which secures to the workingmen
liberal wages. to agriculture remunerative
prices to mechanics and manufacturers an
adequate reward for their skill, labor and en-
terprise, and to the nation commercial pros
perity and independence"
That was tariff for revenue only, with
incidental protection. In 1854 the war
being progress. the Republican platform
was silent on the tariff. but in 1868, its
platform adopted at Chicago said:
SIT is due to the labor of the nation that
taxation should be equalized and reduced as
rapidly as the national faith will permit"
That was its first promise to reduce
taxation. In 1872. the Republican plat
form especially stipulated that part of
the necessary revenue should be derived
from the taxes on tobacco and liquor. It
said:
"That revenue, except so much as may be
derived from tax upon tobacco and liquors,
should be raised by duties upon importations,
the details of which should be SO adjusted as
to aid in securing remunerative wages to labor,
and promote the industries, prosperity, and
growth of the whole country"
That was another tariff for revenue
only, with incidental protection. In 1876,
the Republican platform said:
sThe revenue necessary for current expendi-
lures and the obligations of the public debt
must be largely derived from duties upon i'm
portations which, so far as possible, should be
adjusted to promote the interests of American
labor and advance the prosperity of the whole
country"
Still for revenue only, with incidental
protectlonl But in 1880, this idea was feebly
dominant and the Republican platform of
that year said:
1--WE reafirm the belief ayowed in 1876, that
the duties levied for the purpose of revenue
should so discriminate as to favor American
labor"
In 1884, the party made complete sur
render, discarded all promises of abating
taxation, and cast itself into the arms of
the money power thus:
"We therefore demand that the imposition of