Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-08-01
THAT BOODLECIRCULAR

THAT DOODLE IRCULAR.
About the time it was first published
we made extracts from the now cele-
brated doodle" circular and now print
it in FULL
lConhdential1
HEADQUARTERS OF THE REPUBLI-
CAN LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES,
NEW YORK, May "a, 1SSS.-MY DEAR
SIR: The republican league of the
United States desire to bring you face
to face with the startling fact that the
coming presidential election is not to
be fought on the old party lines which
have heretofore divided democrats and
republicans, but upon the direct issue of
free trade versus projections.
1t may not be your personal knowl-
edge, but it is fact nevertheless, that
the manufacturers of the United States
who are most benefited by our tariff
laws have been the least willing to con-
tribute to the success of the party
which gave them protection and which
is about to engage in life and death
struggle with free trade.
A republican United States senator
from a state (Vermont) which never
had a democratic representative in
either house of congress or democrat
ic state officer in speaking of the walb
known disposition of the manufacture
ing interests to- lock up its money, fold
It's hands and look on while somebody
else fights tor its success, says:
1.-The campaign which we are about
to enter will concern more than any
body else the manufacturers of this
country. They have heretofore been
laggard in their contributions to the
republican cause. In fact, if l could
punish them without furnishing the
cause of protection itself 1 would con-
sign them to the hottest place could
think of on account of their cravenal
parsimony. If this class of people do
not care to contribute to the success of
the republican party they are welcome
to try their chances under democratic
administration; / can stand it as long
as they can. was solicited to contrib
ute to protective tariff league. and
replied that if the manufacturers of
the United States in their associated
capacity were an eleemosynary insti-
tuition, would vote to give them
pension, but that did not propose N.Y.
self to contribute money to advance the
interests of men WHO WERE GETTING
PRACTICALLY THE SOLE BENEFIT, or
at least the most directly important
benefits, of the tariff laws. am In ia
vor of protection; not precisely the
kind we are having, but 1 might be
willing to keep that rather than not
to have any, but am sure l can get
along without any of it fully as well as
the manufacturers can, and if they
they think the republican party is 60
ing to maintain high protective corps
for their benefit, and the men who do
the work in the party are going to keep
up the expenses or a campaign out of
their own pockets, leaving them TO
reap the fruits of the tariff policy with
out any deduction for political ex-
penses, they are greatly mistaken. i
understand that in a general way the
manufacturers of New England have
been more liberal in their contribution
than those of Pennsylvania.
In fact, have it from the best pos
sible source that the manufacturers of
Pennsylvania who are more highly pro-
tected than anybody else, and WHO
.IAKE LARGE FORTUNES EVERY YEAR
when times are prosperous, practically
give nothing towards the maintenance
Of the ascendency of the republican
party. OF course 1 shall not violate
what l consider to be a proper princi-
pie of action; but, if had my wav
about it, would put the manufacture
ers OF Fennsylyanis under the fire and
fry all the fat out of them. If the
Mills tariff bin comes to the senate
there Will be some votes cast there
which will open the eyes of some of
these people who have, while gather
ing their millions, treated the republic
can party as their humble servant"
These are strong words, and bitter.
but they are true; and it now remains
with you and your associates to deter
mine whether they are to be reiterated
after the campaign is over and protec-
tion has, through yOnr apathy, been
struck its death-bIow. If yon give us
the means to win the victory we Will do
it. Are you willing? Yours truly,
JAMES p. FOSTER, President.