Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-02
FOR REVENUE REFORM.

land - The President Representing a
Great Principle-Views of Lifelong
Republican.
Men do not make enduring political parties.
To earn and retain the confidence OF the voters
of this country o party must hold principle
higher than men," Lorenzo d. Whiting was
the speaker. He saw Chicago In 1888; he came
to Tiskilwa fifty years ago; he was the trusted
alrS of owen Lovejoy, the aboIition'st; Sg1in
and again through eighteen years he was re-
turned to the State Senate by Republican
votes. In 1869 in the Illinois Constitutional
convention Senator Whiting was the hrst to
Introduce measure looking to the control OF
corporations by legislative enactment. man
Of pronounced abilIty and rugged honesty. he
ID rounding his three-soore years and ten rich
In the respect of those who know him best
Sig months ago the Herald presented at some
length the views OF Tiskilwa's farmer states
H'en on the tariff quest on. He said then that
the issue OF tar fl reform would dwarf all other
issues in the campaign OF 1888, and expressed
a hope that the Republican party would array
itself on the side of the people in the surely
impending conflict. Senator Whiting has been
disappointed in the action of the CHICAGO con-
vention but he will not eat GROW. He says
shat the Republican masses of the country
were not IA rly represented by the body over
VIII CHI Thurston and Estee presided. and thinks
there are hundreds OF thousands of Ropubl c.
who will not surrender principles at the
.dictation of a class interest. II do not like to
take my Repubiicanism from B. f. JONES'" he
S'ic. for it is SO unlike the doctrine which
Abraham Lincoln advocated. William Walter
Phelps is not acceptable substitute for
Wendell Phillips. No protected lumber barons
can interpreted me the Republcanism which
g was taught by the lips Of Owen LovejOy. In
the old days the Republican party was not run
in the interest of factory and mine owners,
and a railroad man controlling $500, 1000 of
cap tai was. lot supreme Dictator"
The objecL of the correspondent in visiting
Tiskilwa wac to obtain Senator Writings
views on the platforms adopted at st. Louis
aud Chicago.
e
~ studied the two platforms chiefly in reference
TO the tariff planks. The tariff issue now be-
fore the country Is the most important ques-
ton we have been called upon to consider since
slavery was abolished. The Republican party.
thfoughjts last convention. transformed itself
Into high tarin and monopoly party. 1 can
not think of the convention that nominated
Harrison as Republican convention. It was
high tariff and monopoly assemb1age It
took an entirely new departure on the tarif,
= leaving all the grounds 1t has formerly occu-
pied When the present war tariff was levied,
as q compeng alton for the direct tax which was
Had on manufactured goods, it was conceded
by its authors and all supporters that the two
coming in together would go out together.
But when the direct taxes were removed from
manufactured goods the protectionists man
aged to retain the high tariff. The country
submitted, on the ground that the money,
far as 1t went to the Treasury, was applied to
pay OF the war debt; but all parties conceded
that the tine was near at hand when 1t
would be improper to continue this high war
6 tariff. Strong protectionists then said its
Continuance would be unjust to other
interests. But now what do we seer These
protected interests, having long enjoyed its
advantages have joined in u combination, Of
fensiva and defensive, to make q war tariff q
permanency. Their first oracles to breach
their scheme were Messrs. Randall and Kelley
who some thing more than q year ago. openly
advocated that the National revenue should
be reduced by the removal OF the tax on spirits
and tobacco. This proposition was then
an gre W N IA ton an
surd for serious consideration. Massachusetts
and the East generally (where the protected
interests dominate in pubic affairs), through
State conventions and the press. gave 1t their
Endorsement. The nearly unanimous public
sentiment OF the West for retaining the
tax on spirits and tobacco and removing it
from lumber. coal salt, and reducing it on the
other necessaries Of life. The former. through
their grangers' alliances and farmers insti-
tutes, were unanimous in demanding such
tariff reduction. but the politicians who Sc
cured the representative post ons in the State
and National conventions were passive and al
lowed the combined protected interests to
shape the revenue plank in the platform.
"Iregard the action Of the Chicago conven-
ton new departure, dictated by powerful
interests for perpetuating an unjust advantage
which the exigency OF the war had given them
Il consider it a robbery of the West to enrich
the East think it is drawing the life blood
from Western agriculture to give large bounties
ITO a class interest. The programme of the pro-
tectonists is to conf1ne their operations to the
home market, and, rs tho mills, their employees
and appendages are ample to manufacture for
q continent, they contemplate, through COM
binations and trusts, to stop production by run
ming on half time and other dew ces and yet OBJ
q. tain prices for their goods which will give them
their desired profits. This tariff. revenue
plank, aims to secure this state OF things, and
the election of the high tar q candidates is to
obtain the Endorsement OF the country OF this
programme. believe the tame has come when
the manufacturers OF the United States should
contemplate in the near future q competition
at home and abroad for the trade OF the world
This country affords SO many advantages for
such an enterprise that by running on full time
and with economies which are now in many
cases disregarded. their profits will not be
duced and the wages OF their employees will be
greater because OF the increased demand. In
tAe early days OF the Republic COM
merce was counted rs one OF the
greet elements OF prosperity. Com
merce is civitizer and enricher of
nations. It is contrary to the genius OF
our institutions and instincts OF our people
to adopt the Chinese plan proposed by the late
high tarin convention Though I would not
suddenly make radical changes in the tariff the
protected interests shoald prepare for the ap-
plication of taat sound principle that business
or interest which can NOS sustain itself is not
worth sustaining by others. The American
people are rapidly learning THAI to protect
one interest is to do IL at some other ones ex-
pense.
.Iwould retain the informal revenue taxes
on spirits and tobacco rs one OF the permanent
sources OF revenue. L fully tndorse Mr. Blaine
when he said, not long ago. that he would tax
whisky SO long there was any whisky to be
taxed fully indorse Presidents Grant Gar
eeld Arthur and Cleveland in their declared
purpose to keep the taxes on spirits and tobac-
:. co so as to give proper opportunity for re-
forming the war tariff. regard the revenue
Klank In the high tariff platform as no less an
endorsement Of Grant, Garfield and Arthur with
their distinguished Secretaries of the Treasury
than of Mr.. Cleveland. This new departure Of
the late high tariff convention at chicago -
rot only condemnation of Mr. Cleveland but
OF these distinguished Republican statesmen