Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-09-14

ert 81 becoming cur !el-oT cln-ens OF ,
couirinz any permanent interest III
'ur country, but who crowd exc ! he!u
II emnlovmcnt with AN unlnteiliSent
,bor which ought not to satisfy those
Who make claim to American citizen
hip.
The platform OF our party contains
hn following declarations: Judged by
principles, the interests OF
he reople are betrayed when, 10y I'M
,occssary taxation, trusts and combln-
atoms are permitted and iostered' wniie
only enriching the few that combine
for the robbery OF our citizens by de-
driving them as purchasers OF the ben
efits OF natural competition. ouch
have always been con
demned bv the Democratic party. Inc
declaration of its National Go lvent'on
j. sincerely made, and no member OF
orr patty will he found eXcuslnS the
nxistcnce or belittling the pcrnicious
results OF these devices to wrong the
nconlc Under various names they
have been punished by the common
law for hundreds OF years, ana the!
have lost none OF their hateful features
because they have assumed the name
of trusts instead of conspliacles. we
hal;eve these trusts are the natural out
snrinc of a market artiticially restrict
ed. An Unfortunately high tariii, De-
sides furnishing temptations Tor their
existence, cnlarges the limit witnih
which they may operate against the
people. and thus inc eases the extent
of their power for wrong dong; -,
With an unalterable hatred OF all
such schemes, we count the checking
of their baleful operations among the
good results promised by revenue re-
form. While we cannot avoid partisan
MISREPRESENTATION our position upon
the question of revenue reform should
he so plainly stated as to admit OF no
misunderstanding. We have entered
upon no crusade Of free trade. The
reform we seek to inaugurate is predi-
Gated upon the utmost care Tor estab'
llished industries and enterprises, a
Jealous regard for the interest Of Amer
lean labor and sincere desire to re-
lievc the country from the injustice
and danger of Il condition which threat
ems evil to all the people OF the land.
We are dealing with no imaginary
danger. Its existence has been repeat
edlv confessed by all political parties
land pledges of remedy have been made
Ion all sides. Yet, in the Legislative
BODY where under the constitution all
remedial measures applicable to thls
subject must originate, when the Dem
ocratic majority were attempting with
extreme moderation to redeem these
pledges common to both parties, they
were met by the determined opposition
land obstruction of the minority refus
ing to cooperate in the House OF Keep
resentatives or to propose another
remedy; but they have RENTED the
redemption of their party pledge tt
the doubtful power of the Senate.
The people will hardly be deceived
bv their abandonment Of the field o
Legislative action to meet in politica
convention and ilippantly declare II
their party platform that our conser
! vative and careful effort to relieve thu
situation is destructive to the AMER
: can system of protection, nor will thu
, people be misled by the appeal to pre-
: liudice contained in the absurd allesa
: ton that we serve the interests o
Europe while they support the inter
ests of America.
; They propose in their platform t.
r thus support the interests OF our coun
/ try by removing the internal revenue
: tax from tobacco and upon spirits use,
} in the arts and for mechanical pur
: poses. They declare also that Their
} should be such a revision of our tarii
. laws as shall tend to check the import
, alton of such articles as are produces
, here. Thus, in proposing to increas
, the duties upon such articles to nearl.
D or quite prohibitory point, they con
| fess themselves willing to travel back
: ward in the road of civilization and dc
prive the people Of markets for thei
, goods which can only be gained by
! semblance at least of an interchang
! of business, while they abandon on
? consumers to the unrestrained repres
5 sion of trusts and combinations whicl
: are in the same platform perfunctoril
condemned.
' They propose further to release en-
t tirely from import duties all articles c
t foreign production Except luxuries.
| the like of which cannot be produce,
: in this country. The plain people c
9 the land and the poor who scarcely lis
e articles Of any description produce
: exclusively abroad and not alread
= free, will find it difficult to discove
l where their interests are regarded il
l this proposition. They need in thei
q homes cheaper domestic nccessarie
r and this seems to be entirely unprc
t vided for il this proposed scheme t
e serve the country.
Small compensation for this neglect
h ed need is fouii'i in the further purpos
# here announced and covered by tn
- declaration that if after the change
e already mentioned there still remain
). larger revenue than is requisite for tn
t wants OF the government the entire il
Q ternal taxation should be repcale
v rather than surrender any part of on
l. protective system" Our people as
:. relief from the undue and unnecessar
Is burden of taxation now resting o
y them. They are offered free Tobacco
y and free whisky. They ask for brea
e and they are given stone.
Is The implication in this party decl'
d ration that desperate measures are ju
titled or necessary to save from d
h struction or surrender what is terme
d our protective system should confu,
,r no one. The existence OF such sy
l. TEN is entirely consistent with the rel
4 ulatiOn of the extent to which
If should be applied and the correction
4 its abuse. Of course, in country i
70 great as this, with such wonderful v
lie riety of interests often leading in el
c. tirely different directions, it is imposs
ID bic to settle upon tariff plan, but
c. accomplishing the reform We have e.
n tered upon: the necessity Of which
le SD obvious, l believe We should not
Q content with the reduction OF revenu
t, involving the prohibition of import
T. ton and the removal Of the intern
r, tax on whisky. 1t can be better ar
Il. more safely done within the lines
te granting actual relief to the people
y their means Of living, and at the san
E. time giving an improvement to our d
Or mestic enterprises and furthering OF
s, national welfare.
ir If misrepresentation OF our pu
I'd poses and motives are to 6 sin creden,
Of and defeat our present effort in tn