Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-15
Political Points.

Presidents Grant, Garfield and Arthur
all thought the war tariff needed to be
|judiciously scaled down in the interests
Of the people and of good govern
ment. For agreeing with them the
Republicans are exceedingly wrathful
with President Cleveland.-[ Boston
Globe, (Dem.)
Mr.. Harrison is follower of Mr.. Blaine
and both men know it. The spirit, the
purpose, the ideal and standard of con-
duct of the Republican party are repre-
sented by the latter. He can and will
shape the campaign to suit himself. If
Mr.. Harrison does not come to New York
to meet Mr.. Blaine it is because that
would be almost too plain and too pain
full an exhibition of the real relation of
the two men. 1t would be like chaining
the candidate to Mr.. Blaine's chariot
wheel. Appearances must to a certain
extent be preserved, and that can only
be done with Mr.. Harrison as far away
as possible. York Times, Qrd.)
No sane man doubts that our present
tariff rates are greatly higher than is
necessary for the protection of our indus
tries. They take vast sums of money
from consumers, in excess of all pre-.
tended protective necessities, and give
them as pure bounty to the men who
combine to form trusts and monopolies.
The Democratic party, under Mr.. Cleve-
lands guidance, proposes to cut off these
unjust bounties which the people are
now required to pay to their oppressors.
The Republican party, under the lead of
the politicians who have sold it out to the
monopolies, insist that the bounty pay
ments shall continue, and even that they
shall be made still larger.-[New York
Commercial Advertiser, (Ind.)
The question which the election of this
year submits to the country is not a
question of Protection and Free Trade,
but of degree of protection. One plat
form declares distinctly that, rather than
diminish the surplus by moderating the
tariff, the national tax on whisky should
be repealed. The other platform pro-
poses to cheaper the necessities of life,
to stimulate industry and to extend
trade by freeing the raw materials of
manufacture. 1t assumes that the pros
perity OF the country is not due to the
high taxes in the form of an immoderate
tariff but to the superior skill, enterprise,
thrift and energy of the people. By free
ing lumber it cheapens houses for the
farmers. By freeing salt it supplies
cheaply a universal necessity and dis
turbs grasping monopoly. By freeing
wool it cheapens clothes for everybody.
Six hundred million pounds of wool are
required to make our clothes in this
country, and we do not raise half that
quantity. More than $44 ,000, 900 worth
of woolen goods are imported annually
at an average duty Of SO per cent. Free
import of wool would permit the manu-
facturers of these goods in this country
80 cheaply that the import would cease.
The demand for labor would increase
enormously, with consequent increase of
wages and extension of trade with
cheaper clothing and carpets Harper's
Weekly.
Mr.. Levi P. Morton is not the only
prominent Republican accused of violat-
ing the law prohibiting the importation
of contract labor. Hon. Abner Taylor,
candidate of the Republican party for
Congress in Illinois is held to answer at
Austin in some sixty cases for importing
Scotch granite cutters to assist Texas
convicts in preparing stone for the State
capitol. Such employers of convicts and
imported workmen, to the exclusion OF
American labor, seeking the labor vote
as protectonists, depreciate the intelli-
gence of the workmen OF this country or
else rely upon soap altogether. The suits
at Austin have been pending several
terms and meanwhile the i'm.
ported Scotch workmen have
returned to their country and the
convicts have been sent to the peniten-
tiaries. For their labor Mr.. Taylor and
the English syndicate have received some
millions of acres of fertile Texas lands in
one body, larger than Delaware and
Rhode Island together. This principal
ity is wired in against the agricultural
laborer and farmer, and protected by
Winchesters from the intrusion of set
tiers. But at banquet in Austin, given
visiting English capitalists, one Of the
guests interested in the Texas capitol
syndicate gave notice that these lands
were to be colonized. Of course foreign
tenant farpoers are to be imported. La
borers imported and laborers under bond
age as convicts or tenants comprise the
classes which these leading protectionists
employ, to the exclusion of honest free
born Americans and naturalized citizens.
-[Galveston News, (Dem.).