The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-11-03

were more heavily taxed. Their national
platforms, however, still promised relief.
The party deliverance in 1884 declared for
reform, but Blaine fairly went wild in declar-
ing for protection, charging the Democrats
With being party of free trade, and soaring
the manufacturers into the belief that the
election of Cleveland meant ruin and business
stagnation. The people, knowing their inter-
ests, voted fur- change. This verdict did
not satisfy the leaders into whose hands the
Republican party had fallen, and when the
Democrats undertook to relieve the people
from unjust taxation, because unnecessary
taxation, the Republican party in Congress
stood against any change in the present policy,
and the national platform, upon which Harrl-
son and Morton stand endorsed their posi-
ton.
That platform declared that 1--WE favor the
entire repeal of the internal revenue laws
rather than surrender any part of our protee-
tive SYSTEM" and denounced trusts in I'M
measured terms. Blaine, the great Republi-
can leader, declared against free whisky and
became the defender of trusts. Here was the
leader declaring i'll direct opposition to the
party platform, and the party followed Blaine
rather than the declarations Of the national
convention. Then, seeing the drift of public
sentiment, the Republican Senate still further
ignored the national platform, and formulated
a revenue bill and laid it before the country
with this significant declaration, in the report
accompanying its presentation to the Senate:
"The demand for careful and thorough re-
rision of our rerenue Id,rS as Imperative
Five reasons were given to support this de-
claration, which may be summarized thus:
LIST, that there is no valid reason why the
government should collect S60,OOO,OOO an
nually in excess of necessary expenditures
I'd, to protect honest importers and domes-
ticproducers from the disastrous consequences
of undervaluations possible under existing
laws.
Sd, to remedy the defects, anomalies, and
neongruities, which have from time to time
been discovered in the tariff schedules.
4th, to secure proper readjustment and
equalization of tariff rates rendered necessary
by changed business conditions, improve
ments in methods Of production, changes IN
prices or new elements or sources of compe-
tition
9TH, to give relief and protection to many
industries which are now suffering from mad
equate rates.
These reasons embrace substantially those
advocated by the Democratic party,yet that
the bill and report were intended only as cam
II, bn
consideration given the bill, and the adjourn
snent of Congress proposed by the Republi-
cans. Even the speeches made in support OF
the bill from the Republican side, were really
not in support of it, but were turned into
criticisms of the South and the Democratic
Administration. The New York Tribune
declared, when the Senate proposed to for
4 mulate measure, that it would only be for
s'buncombe," ard the declaration has been
proven by the abandonment of the bill and
the proposition for adjournment.
Thus the Republican party has shifted posi-,
n tons and has evaded the issue. The Repub'
b National platform declarations, the de-
,tions of Blaine, which the stump orators
md the press have generally followed, and
the Senate tariff bill and report are all at va
rance.
SaRepublican can tell to-day what hi:
narty POSITION on the tariff is, nor has the
party, by its press or orators or campaign
committees, undertaken to educate and en-
tighten the people. The party efforts have
been solely for success for the sake of sue
cess. On the question of reducing taxation
has shouted for Protection in the pretended
interest of the Iaboring man, and declared thu
Democrats free traders. No arguments OF
reasons have been advanced to show the one
or prove the other, except such deceptive one
as comparisons Of rates of wages here ant
=, abroad, and garbled or wholly fraudulent ex
tracts from English papers. The whole eft
fort of those in charge of the campaign OF
the Republican side, has been directed t
fr;ohten laborers and mechanics, to assure
manufacturers that the fight is in their inter
est. in order to fry the fat out of them, ant
with this Stat to Ssaert 10 sSIGSId