Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-05-02
WHO ARE THE DoDesRsq
Certainly Not the Dcmocrats-Somo Plain
Statements as to the Democratic Ideas
the Tariff.

Statements as to tho Democratic Ideas
the Tariff.
The Louisville Conrier-Journai having re-
marked that if the Republicans would nom
mate Messrs. Blaine and Kelley next sum-
mer on Blaine and Kelley tariff platform
the Democrats would be pleased to see that
they get all the satisfaction which an ap
peal to tho country can give them, the Chi
cago Inter OCEAN replies
This is getting down to business. If
Blaine and Kelley would consent to be can
didates they would stand mighty fine show
for the Republican nomination. But, as the
esteemed Cosrier-IoErnaI knows, they won't
consent
"However, though these distinguished
gentlemen may refuse their names to the
convention, they won't refuse the use of
their principles; and the convention will
the CoWrler-Jo'sraai must not allow Mr..
Joseph Medill to delude it into any other be-
hef-make real, live and rafting Blaine
and Kelley tariff platform The worst of it
is that the Democratic convention will not
make real, live and rafting anti Blaine
and Kelley tariff platform. When that
convention comes to say tariff it will put
handkerchief before its mouth and articu-
late so imperfectly that Randall Democrats
will VOW that it said high tariff Morri-
son Democrats that it said low tariff and
Henry George Democrats that it said mo
tariff II the Covrler-JonrRdl can Just per-
suade the Democratic convention to say
free trade half as plainly as the Inter
Ocean guarantees the Republican conven-
tion to say protective tariff there will be
much fun preceding the election, and illim-
liable Republican rejoicing after it.''
Our Chicago contemporary will please dis
abuse itself of the idea that the Courier
JoHr1ad' is going to attempt to persuade the
Democratic convention to say free trade"
1t would be mere waste of words for any
body to talk about free trade as long as the
Government must raise largo revenue for
its support. But we will guarantee the
Democratic convention to pronounce un-
equivocally in favor of a strictly revenue
tariff and all the free trade possible under
such tariff.
We promise our Chicago contemporary, in
so many words, that the Democratic con-
vention will make "real live and rattling
anti-Blaine and Kelley tariff platform"
But we must be permitted to express O
doubt that the Inter Ocean can guarantee, as
it proposes to do, that the Republicans will
make a r. cal live and rattling Blaine and
Kelley tariff platform. If there is to be any
quibbling and shutting this year on the
tariff 1t looks very much as if it is to be donc
by the Republicans, and not by the Demo
Gratis. So far every Democratic expression
which has been authoritatively made since
the delivery of the Presidents message on
tho tariff has been unequivocally in indorse-
ment of the very positive and plain views
set forth in that document.
This is certainly great deal more than
the Inter Ocsdn can say for its own party
which has been neither uniform nor clear IN
the enunciation of it's principles on this
matter. The Iowa Republicans, for in
stance, were too cowardly to say any thing
at all about 1t, and ignominiously shirked
the issue altogether. And now here is the
Republican State Committee of Wisconsin
which has issued call inviting all voters
to meet In the Republican convention of
that State who favor "wise revision of
our Tariff laws, reduction of taxation on
imports, placing on the free list as nearly
as possible the necessities, and making the
luxurics of life bear the expense of Govern
ment"
Surely there IS no Blaine and Kelley
tariff in that. No wonder the Inter OCEANS
ncighbor, the Journal, which was an apostle
of a Blaine and Kelley tariff long before the
Inter Ocean was born, is indignant and COM
PLAINS that this call of the Wisconsin Re-
puicans must have been written by q
cleveland mugwump."
So far all the lodging of the issue and all
the departures from party lines on this
question by the acknowledged representa-
tives of the two parties must be laid at the
door of the Republicans. If this counts for
any thing it would seem that our esteemed
contemporary had better devote less of its
time to deluding itself that the Democrats
intend to straddle the tariff question this
year and more to keeping the Republicans
in the high tariff traces. Unless it can do
something TO chance the nrasenf drift of
things among the Republicans, especially of
the Northwest, we really fear that it will
have some trouble in making good its guar
antee Of real live and rafting Blaine and
Kelley tariff platform for its party next
summer