The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-09
MR.. CLEVELAND'S ROUT.

Cleveland, in his letter to Tammany, is
scarcely receiving the attention it deserves.
It is q cry of distress, coupled with the cow
ardly defiance of man run into corner. and
In December last, in his message to Congress,
Mr.. Cleveland boldly and bumptiously
assailed the principle of the vicious, illogical
and inequitabls" tariff laws, and all the Dem
ocrats, in an outburst of enthusiasm, echoed
his wogds, and placed themselves on a dis
tinctIy free-trade basis protesting to welcome
the clear-cut issue made by the President.
Nothing else was dreamed of
but free-trade. Free-trade was the
ultimate; the Presidents message suggesting
only that the journey to that Mecca of Dem
ocracy should not be too precipitately taken.
The Mills bill was framed as a distinctively
free-trade measure; it put wool on the free
list as its keynote, taking wool as the basis
because that was an industry pursued al
most exclusively in the Republican States of
the North. While the Democratic canvass
for free trade was proceeding so Justify, and
the whole crew were shouting happy under
the lead of the boss buccaneer,
threatening to turn Mr.. Randall and
all protection" Democrats out of the party,
sudden gust from Rhode Island chilled the
ardor of the free-booters. The Mills bill
went into the dry dock of Democratic eau
Gus for repairs, and efforts were made to
hedge. After few weeks Oregon was heard
from. and its 1000 majority for protection. in
the face of Smith Weed and st. John, threw
the free-trade party into panic. The order
went out for radical change in the en-
tire plan of campaign. The free
trade organs, particularly the Courier
Journal, suddenly developed into the
most enthusiastic protection" advocates, and
declared that the only difference between the
Republican and Democratic parties was one of
per cent in the rate of tariff duties, the
Republicans being in favor of AZ per cent,
while the Mills bill cuts the schedule down to
AZ per cent. On the heels of this feeble apol-
ogy came the distressing shrek of Grover
Cleveland, in his letter to Tammany, in which
he tries to make it appear that nobody is for
free trade, endeavoring to shield himself and
party from the just indignation of the Amer
lean people, who so largely in favor of the
protection of home industry.
But it will not do. 1t is too late, and Mr..
Cleveland and his lieutenants do not know
how to talk protection, anyhow. They can
not pronounce shibboleth. Before he pro-
ceeds half way in his letter Mr.. Cleveland,
forgetting himself, denounces the System
under which the present tariff laws are passed
He arraigns the System" of the Republican
party. That System" is the system of pro-
lection. and if he is opposed to the System"
he is opposed to protection. If the Democ-
other '.syste N" it would be under the system
of free trade. If there are any other systems
than those Of free trade and protection,
we should like to have them pointed out.
In denouncing the System" of protection.
Mr.. Cleveland is convicted, out of his own
mouth. as being in favor of free trade He
cannotrun away from his shadow, try he never
so hard. Why should he care to do sol Why
is he so cowardlyf Why is the Democratic
party afraid of its history, its traditions, its
unquestioned, indisputable purposef Why
attempt to flee from the message of last De-
cember AID to retreat from the position of the
Mills billi 1t cannot be done. The retreat
sounded by President Cleveland will be a
rout. The people will not be fooled. They
know and understand the Democratic party,
and know that Democracy and free trade are
one and inseparable, to-day, yesterday and
| forever.