Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-28
SOUNDS THE TOCSIS OF ALARM,
And SFsnuOusly Protests Against ar. Blaln's
Theory Of High Protection, and
Says It VIII Defeat
the Party.
A MOST NOTEWORTHY EDITORIAL,
Reviewing the History Of the Several Parties
for Half a Century, and Stating the Only
Way the Republican Party Can
Win Is to UPhald It's Pro-
posed Tariff Reform
Plank Of 1884

Chicago Tribune. one Of the ncsk rsiiaA Ai--
md widely read Republican newspapers Of
he Northwest, is reproduced in the news
columns of the REGISTER this morning be
cause of its most intensely interesting and
character, and to indicate to our
readers the trend of public opinion in the
reat Northwest. 1t will be eagerly read
alike by Republicans aud Democrats, each
drawing their conclusions to suit them
selves. The article is headed thus: rs
Ultra Protection q Safe Presidential Is
ue2" and then continues as follows:
In his published letter declining a re-
for President for, rs he alleges,
purely personal reasons" MIR. Blaine
makes cheering forecast OF great Repno-
lcsn victory that can be won next No
yember if an aggressive campaign IS waSed
against the Democrats on the issue Of PEI,
petuatiag o high-prOteehon pohcy ana
opposing all attempts at TINS
session of Congress to reduce the
war duties to the level Of the revenue
neeessitates of the Government MI.
Blaine appears to assume that the proper
role TO be played by the Republicans of
the present Congress is to prevent any re-
E,rm or reduction Of the war tariff before
entering upon the next Presidential struS-
gle. Upon that policy he would nave the
Rspublican members ask reelection 10
Congress as o reward for pursuing oo-
struCsiye tactics and defeating with the
aid. of course, Of Sam RandalPs iaction)
apy reduction of tariff taxes which are
abstracting more than ten million month
rom the people in excess OF the necessl-
ties Of the Government. There are many
yEPUBIIcANs WHO DO NOT FEEL MR.
BLAISE's
confidence in the popularity and strength
of the auti-tariff reform issue with the
masses ut the polls next fall, and 1t will be
dificult TO inspire them with his idea OF the
wisdom of making the campaign upon such
a policy. BY adopting his recommendation
in dealing with the tariff the Republican
Natiora! Convention that meets IN chicago
next Juue would be O0liged 70 rspudlaie
,bs nlank iu the last National platform
pledging the party 70 tar.f reform ana the
removal of the Irregularities IN the present
schedule Of duties, aid 20 reduction OF the
same TO the amount OF the unnecessary
surplus revenue in the T!cosury oct OF tce
earnings of labor. Ip this eyeGt, 2lso, me
,s,t C,l,,pEtlon would no o"i'Seu "
Jon me policy of denounclng tSe Dem, penn,
~--.tic pA,y tor not passing tariH X I u
bill wnsO loatronrag the House ot Repre-
sentatiyes
WESTERN REPUBLICANS WOULD FEEL
| SUAEY
IN the kn-ss il the mex. Convention made
such plalOru a. this aud committed the
party to policy Of obstructive tarit re-
form in orGsr 20 psrPetuatc war duties IN
time Of peasa for tue especial bench: OF
none but the trust robbers" that take
shelter bsh,si such tant. which ena-
bles them 70 limit production, reduce
employmen, cut down wsges, and
charge eo,sume.5 the full amount
OF the boupt=s that such excessive protee-
ton affords t,m. Few Western polite
ianS in the: sober senses would regard
ssc-iS. sd RSs!fefOrm platform as pointing
the road to Anything except overwhelming
defeat. II ,hs Republican party really
desire to win tie next National race II
must take gyounGs IN favor OF protecting
the masses frOu the c5sed OF the organized
monopOlies that are now taking advantage
Of excessive tariff taxation no longer re-
| ouired By the Government, bat which
furnishes rapscous synGicaies an oppOr-
tunity for committing robbery upen the
farmers and other ind lStrial classes. Any
/ bridge with less sound or strcng timbeIs
| viii not safely carry the Republican ticket
across the stream and bring lis chief tothe
/ White House ffOn: door.
The Republican party
CANNOT WIZ THE NEXT ELECTION
7 by going back on ITS tariA-rsiorm pledges
| Of 1854. Reforms, like revolutions, DO not
70 backwards. The outcome Of former Ne
,ionAl contests Tor high-tarid taxation 70:
he sake of the protection Of special inter
SIS has always heen adverse to it. and does
lot hold forth the promise Of winning a
7ictory next year.
The precedents are against it. For eN-
ample, the Wings under Henry Clay fought
the great political battle of 1914 aud Lost il
on the high-tarit issues. The Democrats
cIntended for q revenue tarf, and the
country sustained them in that position.
The protection question was never contest
cd before or since so keenly "a 10 that polit-
ieal campaign. Ii involved the reduction
Of the Clay protective tariff Of 1Si2I
which the Whig3 were determined to u:
hold. New York State, which had gone for
the whigs in lS40 on the National bank
aod hard-times issue by large majority,
turned over to the d mOcrats in favor of
tariff reduction and against Clay on the
protection question, as also did Maine, In
diana, Georgia, Louisiana, and even Penn
sylyania, which voted for Harrison in 1910
THE wHIGs OF THOSE DAYS WE'RE
much more united in behalf OF and devoted
70 . maintenance Of the protective duties
Of the tariff of 1912 than the Republicans
at this time are devoted to the perpetuity |
Of the excessive war duties Of the present |
tariff. As q consequence The Democratic |
victory ol 1874, won on the anti-Protec-
ton issue, that party pISsd the moderate
revenue tariff billof 1916, which continued
in force without any serious effort being
made 5y the Wings TO disturb 1t until
1857, when il was reduced to \ 'tariff-ior-
revenue oaly" basis by the first Congress
which the Republican parry ever elected,
Z 10 1873 the Whigs completely ignored
she hish-protecsi0n issue, and made tnenr
-. - ana slaeteAl sA,Fz ts,sFse esndrdSts Gen.
Taylor, on other grounds
= IN 1852 the protection question was not
heard of in the campaign on either side,
the contest turning on certain phases OF
the slavery question. In 1886 the young
Republican psrty ignored tbs tariff quss-
tion and almost elected their candidate,
Cen. Fremont, low-tarif man, on the
tTse.soil issue. and did elect msjority oil
the House of Representatives, who prompt
~ passed the low-revenue tariff bill OF
1851 in order to get rid Of ths unnecessary
surplus revenue Of twenty or twenty tTe
millions year.
N 1860 The REPUBLICANS TESDEkED
no issus to the Democrats on the protsc-
ton question and made no pledges 10 IN
crease the then loS-taIif du:ieS bos
iaughs the campaign against slavery ex-
tsnsiOn, electing lincoln on that issus.
They carried the three Presidential cam
usigns, those in 1854. 1868, and 1872, on
in which the protection question
cut no figure, and the Republicans, in its
absence, we're overwhelmingly successful
in all these.
In 1876 many Republicans had arrived
At the eouelusion that the time bad come
for revision ard reduction Of the high
var duties, and the Democrats boldly
threw down the glove for tariff reform
under the leadership Of Samuel ]. Tlden,
Who fought that campaign against the Re
: 49,, o,, Al. fos,a nf n radi.al redue-