Morning journal and courier., 1888-11-06
Tha mHlam RRlI

To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER: The Mills bill. which forms the basis Of discussion, as one of the leading issues to be vot ed upon to-day, had its origin in the hot
 bed of ths southern confederacy and is de-
 ed to do, viz.: The crippling of the industrial
 energies of the North by throwing open our
 ports free of duty and inviting the foreign
 manufacturer to enter our markets for the
 sale of his merchandise in competition with
 goods made here. The idea was not original
 with Mr. Mills, but it runs back through the years to Calhoun's day and is the last sur- viving edict of his political creed. It has in- fuenced and dominated the southern wing of the Democratic party and has held threaten ing attitude over the North from his day to the present. Calhoun had three cardinal political dootrines-slavery, nullifcation and free trade. The first two were shot to death under Lincolns administration and the last we will strangle under Harrison's administra- ton and bury it so deep that the hand of resurrection can't find it. It is idle to talk about the Mills bill not being free trade measure when it places one hundred and ff- teen articles manufactured in the North upon l the free list, placing those articles upon our ] shelves made at good labor prices in direct competition with similar articles produced at
 
 goods manufactured at the cost of labor here cannot compete in sale with goods of the same kind and quality made in Europe at the 1 cost of labor there and imported free of duty. This Mills bill places one-sixth of all the dutiable goods manufactured in the North I upon the free list, and so far as that goes it ! is absolutely free trade; and much of the balance of dutiable goods are so cut down | under the Mills bill that it involves the stop page of work in our factories and work shops or reduction of the price of labor must fol- | low, and there is no alternative and no argu- ment can shake the conclusion.
 Our whole system of remunerative wages | has grown up under the tariff and the mate \ rial prosperity of the country has grown l more in twenty five years under the operation I of the tariff in it's diversified provisions than \ in any other country or period in the worlds | history.
 Why not let well enough alonei Why this mad haste for political notorietY at the ex- l pense of the nations The malarial breath of l this Mills bill already strikes the hearthstones | with blight all over this land. Its deadly in | huence is felt in the checking of maturing plans for new enterprises in the future; in | the stopping of the wheels of industry which | furnish employment for thousands of busy hands; felt in the comfort and prosperity of l the home where the weekly wages if not I stopped altogether are greatly reduced. 1 The question for our decision in the ! cOuluS ol6cb1On lh OL SupESuo u8LlOudI 1u1- | portance. overwhelming in It's sweep the l personality of any candidate; and candidates | should only be measured in an election
 like this by the importance of the issues they represent.
 l Cleveland represents the free trsde and low wages plan, backed by the South backed by all the free traders in the land and supported by all the influences John Bull can bring to bear in aid of Oleveland's | election.
 Harrison represents the converse of the in- | fuences operating for Cleveland's re-elec- tion. He represents the doctrine of protec- l tion 10 American industries struggling for 1 good wages to all, as against low wages, | which rule in European countries. One or the other of theae systems will be
 settled to-day by the ballot.
 One is the English system, in the interest of England, which reverses the whole gov- ernmenta1 policy of this country.
 The other is the American system, in the
 interest of Americans, under which we have grown and prospered beyond all precedent in the family of nations.
 Which system shall it be. The question makes personal appeal to every voter in
 the land, and his vote will help settle the
 question for the next generation.
 The stakes are large and the consequences will be great. They will not only be great, but lasting.
 Every voter should feel a personal respon. sibility to do his whole duty on election day ! That duty in most cases will not be ended
 when his ballot drops into the ballet box l important as this is. Let him stay at tho polls, see that his neighbor votes and ther see that fair count is made. This done an6
 Harrison will be crowned with victory-oul government will be redeemed from incono
 potent of6ceholders and our country safe fol
 the next four years.