Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-09-19

the markets 1Or ClelT sale anu pcEulltCluE
increased and steady production, with the
allowance of abundant profits.
True to the undertaking course OF tht
Democratic party, we will not neglect the
interests of labor and our Workingmen. lr
all efforts to oremedy existing evils we vii
furnish no excuse for loss of employment
or reduction of the wages on honest toll
On the contrary, we propose, in any ad
iustment of our revenue laws to concedt
such encouragement and advantage to EN-
ployers of domestic labor as will easily
compensate for any difference that may
exist between the standard of wages which
should be paid to our laboring men and the
rate allowed in other countries. We pro
pose, too, by extending the markets fol
our manufactures, to promote the steady
employment of labor, while by cheapenine
the cost of the necessaries OF life we IN
crease the purchasing power of the work
ingman's wages and add to the comforts o
his home.
And before passing from this phase o
the question 1 am constrained to expires:
the opinion that the interest of labor
should be always sedulously regarded II
any modification of our tariff laws. Ad
ditional and more direct and efficient pro
lection to these interests would be afforded
by the restriction and prohibition of immi
grafton, or the importation of laborer:
from other countries, who swarm upon oul
shores, having no purpose or intent OF be-
coming our felloW-citizens or acquiring
any permanent interest in our country, bu
crowd every field of employment with in
teligent labor at wages which ought no
to satisfy those who make claim to Amer
can citizenship.
The platform adopted by the late Ma
tional Convention of our party contains
the following declaration:
Judged by Democratic principles, the
interest of the people are betrayed when
by unnecessary taxation, trusts and com
binations are permitted and 1ostered
which, while unduly enriching the few
that combine, rob the body of our citizens
by depriving them as purchasers OF the
benefits of natural competition"
Such combinations have always been
condemned by the Democratic party, and
the declaration of its National ConVentlon
is sincerely made, and no member. OF our
party will be found excusing the existence
or belittling the pernicious results OF these
devices to wrong the people. Under Varl'
Gus names they have been punished oy
common law for hundreds Of years, and
lures because they have assumed the name
of trusts instead of conspiracies.
We believe that these trusts are the nat
ural offspring of a market artifcially re-
stricted that an inordinately high tariff,
beside furnishing temptation for their eX-
istence, enlarges the limit within which
thew NAV operate against the people, and
thus increase the extent of their power Tor
wrong doing. With unalterable hatred Of
all such schemes, we count the checking OF
their baleful operation among the good
result promised by revenue reform.
While we cannot avoid partisan mlsrep-
resentation, our position upon the ques-
ton of revenue reform should be SO plain
lvstated as to admit of no misunderstand-
ing.
We have entered upon no crusade OF
free trade. The reform we seek to inaugu-
rate is predicated upon the utmost care for
established industries and enterprises, a
Jealous regard for the interests of Amerl-
can labor and sincere desire to relieve
the country from injustice and danger
GUS condition which threatens evil to all
the people of the land. We are dealing
with no imaginary danger. Its existence
has been repeatedly confessed by all pollt-
ical parties and pledges of remedy have
been made on all sides. Yet when in the
legislative body, where, under the Consti-
tuition, all remedial measures applicable
to this subject must originate, the Demo
cratic majority were attempting with eX-
treme moderation to redeem a pledge COM
mon to both parties, they were met by
determined opposition and obstruction ;
and the minority refusing to cooperate in
the House of Representatives or propose
another remedy, have RENTED the re-
demption Of their party pledge to the
doubtful power of the Senate. The peo-
pie will hardly be deceived by their aban-
donment of the field of legislative action
to meet in political convention and flip
PANTY declare in their party platform that
our conservative and careful effort to re-
lieve the situation is destructive of the
American system of protection. Nor will
the people be misled by the appeal to pre-
iudice contained in the absurd allegation
that we serve the interests Of Europe,
while they will support the interests OF
America.
They propose in their platform to thus
support the interests of our country by re-
moving the internal revenue tax from to-
bacco and from spirits used in the arts and
for mechanical purposes. They declare,
also, that there should be such revision OF
our tariff laws as shall tend to check the
importation of such articles AS are pro-
duced here. Thus, in protesting to in
crease duties upon such articles to nearly
or quite the prohibitory point, they confess
themselves willing to travel backward in
the road of civilization and to deprive our
people of markets for their goods, which
can only be gained and kept by the sem
bance, at least, of interchange of business,
while they abandon our consumers to the
unrestrained oppression of domestic trusts
and combinations, which are, in the same
platform, perfunctorily condemned: They
propose further, to release entirely from
import duties all articles of foreign pro
duction, Except luxuries), the like OF
which cannot be produced in this country.
The plain people of the land and the poor,
who scarcely use articles of any descrlp-
ton produced exclusively abroad, and not
already free, will find it difficult to discov-
er where their interests are regarded in
this proposition. They need in their
homes cheaper domestic necessaries !; and
this seems to be entirely unprovided for in
this proposed scheme to serve the country.
Small compensation for this neglected need
is found in the further purpose here an
nounced and covered by the declaration,
that, if after changes already mentioned
there still remains larger revenue than is
requisite for the wants of the Government
the entire internal taxation should be re-
pealed ''rather than surrender any part OF
our protective SYSTEM"
Our people ask relief from the undue
and UNNECESSARY burden of tariff taxation
now resting upon them. They are offered
;rcto.d fron tOhanco and free whisky
They ask for bread and they are given
stone.
The implication contained in this party
declaration that desperate measures are
justified or necessary to save from destruc'
ton, or surrender what is termed our pro-
tective system, should confuse no one