Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-09-29
FROM HHRRISON'o
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE !!
THE TARIFF QUESTION.

al a
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Judged by the executive message of
december last, by the Mills bill, by the
debates IN Congress, and by the st. Louis
platform, the Democratic party will, if
supported by the country, place the tariff
laws upon purely revenue basis.
THIS IS PRACTICAL FREE TRADE.
Free Trade in the English sense. The
legend upon the banner may not be
" Free Trade ~ it may be the more OBJ
scure motto, . Tariff Reform ~ but nei-
Their the banner nor the inscription is
conclusive, nor, indeed, very important.
This end may not be reached abruptly,
and its approach may be accomplished
with some expressions of sympathy for
our protected industries and our work
ing people, but it will certainly come, i'll
these early steps do not arouse the peo-
pie to effective resistance. The Repub-
lican party holds that protective tariff
is constitutional, wholesome and neces-
sary. We do not offer a fixed schedule,
but principle. We " i'll revise and modi-
fy rates, but always with an intelligent
provision as to the effect upon domestic
production, and the wages of our work
ing people. We believe it to be one of
the worthy objects of tariff legislation to
preserve the American market for Amer
lean producers and to maintain the
American scale of wages, by adequate.
discriminating duties upon foreign COM
pering products. The effect of lower
rates and larger importations upon the
public revenue is contingent and doubt
full, but not SO the effect upon American
wages. Less work and lower wages
must be accepted as the inevitable result
of increased offering of foreign goods in
our market.
By way of recompense for this reduc-
ton in his wages, and the loss of the
American market, it is suggested that
the diminished wages of the working
man will have an undiminished purchas-
ing power, and that he will be able to
make up for the loss of the home market
by an enlarged foreign market. Our
workingmen have the settlement of the
question in their hands. They now OBJ
tain higher wages and live more COM
fortably than those of any other country.
They will make choice between the sub
stantial advantages they have in hand,
and the deceptive promises and forecasts
of those theorizing reformers. m
PROPER IMMIGRATION. ,
We do not need to issue special INVITA-
tions to the inhabitants of other countries
to come to our shores to share our citi-
zenship, Indeed, the necessity of some
inspection and limitation is obvious. We
should resolutely refuse to permit for
eign governments to send their paupers
and criminals to our ports. We are also
clearly under duty to defend our civil
ization by excluding alien races whose
ultimate assimilation with our people is
neither possible nor desirable. The fami-
ly has been the nucleus of our best inn
migration and the home the most potent
assimilating force in our civilization.
Such enactments or further legislation
as may be neces sary and proper to pre-
vent evasions of the laws and to stop
further Chinese immigration would also
meet my approval. ..,....-..5 ..t
itUl.o A FREE BALLOT. ..t..
Our civil compact is government by
majorities, and the law loses its sanction
and the magistrate our respect, when
the compact is broken. The evil results
of election frauds do not expend them
selves upon the voters, who are robbed
of their rightful influence in public af-
fairs. The individual, or community, or
party that practices or connives at cleo
ton frauds has suffered irreparable in
jury and will sooner or later realize that
to exchange the American system of
majority rule for minority control is not
only unlawful and unpatriotic, but very
unsafe for those who promote it. The
Acknowledgement of single legal cleo
tor by frauds or intimidation is crime
too grave to be regarded lightly. The
right of every qualified elector to cast
one free ballot and to have it honestly
counted must not be questioned. Every
constitutional power should be used to
make this right secure and punish frauds
upon the ballot.
Our colored people do not ask special
legislation in their interest, but only to
be made secure in the common rights of
American citizenship.
FREE EDUCATION.
The Nation, not less than the States, is
dependent for prosperity and security
upon the intelligence and morality of
the people. This common interest very
early suggested national and in the estab-
lishment and endowment of schools and
colleges in the new States, There is, l
believe, present exigency that calls for
still more liberal and direct appropri-
alton in aid of common school education
in the States. 9 So uHgEgar8 taD |
The territorial form of government is
a temporary expedient, not permanent
civilization. 1t is adapted to the ext |
gency that suggested it, but becomes
inadequate. and even oppressive, when
applied to fixed populous communities.
Several territories are well able to bear
the burdens and discharge the duties OF
free commonwealth in the American
Union. To exclude them is to deny the
just rights of their people and may well
excite their indignant protest No ques-
ton of the political preference of the
people of a territory should close against
them the hospitable doors which have
opened to two-thirds of the existing
States. But admission should be reso-
lutely refused to any territory, MAORI
ty of whose people cherish institutions
that are repugnant to our civilization or
inconsistent with a Republican form of
government. . lrse
-. CONCERNING TRUSTS. ...
The declaration of the Convention
against An combinations of capital,
organized in trusts or otherwise, to con-
troll arbitrarily the condition of trade
NJ