Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-07-11
THE ISSUE JOINED.
The Republican Platform = Blaine Docu-
Inent Throughout.


The Republican Platform = Blaine Docu-
Inent Throughout.
Much more diffusely, but not more direct
~ to the point, the Republican National con-
vention has answered President Cleveland's
tarif-reform message 20 Congress of the 9th
Of last December, with James g. Blaine's
free-tobacco and war-tax message, hastily
cabled from Paris on the following day The
platform of June 21 is but an echo of the
cablegramo Of December z. aud, as is always
the case with echoes, is less definite, clear
cut and striking than the original utterance.
The central feature of Mr. Blaine's
Paris message was its advocacy Of the
abolition Of the tax on tobacco as a
necessity" and OF all internal-revenue
taxes before the customs duties should be
reduced on what old-fashioned economists
persist in calling the necessaries of life,
to-wit, clothing, salt and lumber. The plat
form starts out to reduce the surplus by
repeating the taxes on tobacco, which are
an annoyance and burden 10 agriculture"
and ends up with this glorious old free
whisky plank: " II there shall still remain
a larger revenue than is requisite for the
wants of the Government we favor the en-
tire repeal of internal taxes rather than
the surrender Of any part Of our protect
i've system at the joint behest Of the whisky
trusts and the agents of foreign manu-
facturers.
There is, says the Chicago NelCs, an un-
meaning jargOn Of words about the revision
Of the tariff laws, signifying absolutely
nothing, wedged in between this pair Of
precious propositions. Beyond this one
plank indorsing Blaine's Paris message,
there Is little in the platform worthy of the
names OF the Committee on Resolutions that
drew It. Trusts are denounced, bat the
very laws which foster and protect them are
sustained and approved. In President
Cleveland's message he properly charac-
terzed trusts as those selfish schemes
which strangle competition, and (which
have for their Object the regulation Of the
supply and price of commodities made and
sold by members Of the combination" He
suggested the only plan whereby the forma-
ton OF trusts" could be rendered almost
impracticable. The Republican platform
apparently upon the theory Of ''similia sim
ilibus curanturr - recommends the very
protection that Bred the trusts" to cure
them.
The effect Of the platform, however, is to
make a square issue upon the tariff Ques-
tion. The Democrats have declared for a
reduction Of the surplus by taking of the
duties on raw materials and the actual
necessities Of life. The Republicans de-
clare for reducing the surplus by repeating
the internal revenue on tobacco and
whisky.
Upon tins issue the NeiCs can not do better
than employ the words of its contemporary,
the Chicago Tribune, last December, when
the Republican journal said of Mr.. Blaine's
Paris message This position will not
commend itself to the American people;
for, unqGestionably, an immense majority
believe in remitting large share of these
oppressive tariff taxes which bear upon the
| producing and consuming classes with
crushing weight II is the weakest ground
Mr.. Blaine has ever occupied, and no Ma
tisnal party can expect TO go into a Presi-
dental campaign on that issue-no matter
| who may be its leader-and win. The sur
| plus question must be settled in some way,
but in different way from what has been
attempted. 1t can not be settled in accord.
ance with the Blaine idea"
And yet the Blaine idear is now the
center and circumference of the platform
| of the National Republican party