The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-02
AWKWARD FOR THEM.

III Tue w eSGt EIu themselves III u uOSl
awkward predIcamentint this campaign.
The convention at Chicago committed
the party to position and policy which
individuals can not occupy and uphold
without going back on their creditable
records. This explains why so many
leading Republicans are Hopping to
Cleveland. They cannot afford to re-
verse themselves and assume an atti-
tude directly opposite 10 that which
they have so long and so publicly occu-
pied. With the courageous man, party
cannot drive him against his judgment.
If his party goes wrong, for reasons of
policy or expediency, he will not follow
it, but will keep on the straight path.
"Protection" has never been popular
in the northwest, where the deep love
of the people for the Republican party
cannot induce the intelligent farmers
and laborers to say they are in favor
of system which taxes them heavily
but gives them no corresponding
benefit. They can understand
how it helps the manufacturers and
mine-owners to have their products in
creased in price so per cent. by protec-
tive tariff, but they cannot get it
through their heads how it helps the
farmer and the laborer to pay thai so
per cent. increased price for the articles
they purchase from the manufacturer
and mine-owner.
Just how the intelligent men in the
west and northwest feel in this matter
was told by State Senator P. NJ. Sutton,
of Marshalltown, Iowa, last spring, in a
letter to the Chicago Tribune. M. SUIT
ton has always been recognized as a
Republican leader in his section, and
few men have labored more earnestly
than he for the success of his party
Year after year he has stumped the
S ate in its behalf, and has spent his
time and money for the spread and ad-
vancement Of Republican principles.
But, like many other members of the
W
no longer occasion for extraordinary
expenditures by the Federal Govern
ment there should be lowering of the
taxes; that when the war ceased
and the legitimate public expenses fell
below the sum collected for public
purposes, the tax burden should be
lightened. He was a tariff reformer,
and EN- oloyed the forcible and I'm
ansWerable argument that the govern
ment should not Cypress one class of
its citizens for the benefit of another
class. Last spring there was published
in the Chicago Tribune letter owe r
the signature OF Mr.. Sutton. in which
he clearly showed how the tariff on
iron manufactures worked with the
manufacturers and their employees.
Among other things he said:
In 1870 our iron manufactures had a
capital of 1924, 100000. They manufactured
a net profit of $62,000000 They employed
1900 hands at an annual yearly wage of
1926 In 1880, after ten years of high pro-
lection and great prosperity" these same
iron industries had capital of $780, 600.
They manufactured net profit of 500, 600,
100. They employed 10000 hands at an
average yearly wage of only 1896. OR, if we
state 1t thus: Ted years of protection IT,
creases the capital over so per cent, it in
creases the net product over 20 per cent,
bus it reduces wages nearly % per cent
See United States census report.
The predicament in which Mr.. Sutton
now finds himself is apparent at a
glance. To stand by the facts, the
figures and his judgment he must con-
tinue to oppose the tariff, and the tax
ing of the people in order that iron
manufacturers may increase their pro-
fits and cut down the wages Of lsborers;
but to occupy this position he must
take issue with his party and denouncs
the platform which has been con-
structed for him to stand upon. There
are good many Republicans who are
as awkwardly situated as Mr.. Sutton is.
The courageous among them are COM
ing out for Cleveland and tariff reform;
Tie weakened are openly repudiatiug
their past records, and oonfessing that
party fealty is greater IL their minds
than personal principle and honesty.
.,1Eonoira Inn, hor-.o-. -. 2