St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-07
COURAGEOUS WATTERsON.
He Says There Must Be No Waiver.
ing on the Tariff Plank.

ing on the Tariff Plank.
St. Louis Republican.
Henry Watterson, of the Louisville
Courier-Journal, was met at the head
quarters of the Kentucky delegation, at
the Lindell hotel, tonight. When
asked what he thought about the tariff
plank, he said: The old enemy Of
revenue reform. in new disguise, is on
the ground, as tireless and sleepless and
expert as ever in his purpose to con-
fuse Democratic counsels and to play
into the hands of prOtectionism. at
Chicago the party was taken by sur
prise because the work of packing the
platform committee had proceeded in
darkness. 1t was then only partially
successful. | hope that at st. Louis
the rule of ''forewarned is forearmed''
will hold good, and that the present
movement to betray the party in the
interest of protection will not succeed
at all.
How do you think the true and the
false on this question can be distin-
guiShed?'
when you hear a man talking about
the readOptiOn of the tariff plank of
1884, set him down at once as an enemy
of tariff reform. That plank was
adopted after two days and nights of
wrangling, to meet an emergency, which
the revenue refOrmeIS fully realized.
They knew that the nomination Of
Blaine had changed the issue of the
campaign from one of doctrine to one of
character, and they entered the platform
committee prepared to make every
needful sacrifice short of principle
itself. They met there body of
select men who had been artfully
picked for single purpose and fed on
profuse promises of one sort and an
other. That single purpose was the
construction of tariff plank which
they could claim as a victory for pro-
lection and defeat for revenue reform;
and, with the aid of Ben Butler, they
did compel the construction of a plank,
which the country accepted as strad-
die. They could ask nothing better al
this time than the readoption of this
Straddle. But its readOptiOn would not
only fly in the face of the presidents
message ard make the withdrawal of
the Mills bill necessity, abandoning
all the ground we have gained the last
four years, and particularly the last six
months, but it would send every true
revenue reformer home sick at heart,
delight the Republicans and disgust all
honest men. 1t is the tricky device of
mere corporaFS guard, composed of men
largely and personally interested in
high tariff taxes, who are making their
last struggle to obstruct REFORM
'What sort of tariff plank would you
suggest?"
Il have had no time to consider the
phrasing of a tariff plank, and have put
no word on paper. But am clear in
my mind that we should stand squareIy
by the president and our friends and
representatives in congress. 1t is too
late to disown the one and to apologize
for the other"
tWOuld you indorse the Mills bill?'
''The Mills bill is simple measure
not yet perfected and liable to amend
ment. OF course, document which is
to lay down fighting lines for cam
paign which is to last nearly six months
could not take it for basis. But we
should give the principles of the mes
sage, and the purpose of those in con-
gress who have supported it SO ably and
so braveIy ringing Endorsement. We
should leave nothing to conjecture. We
should tolerate no straddleS. Whether
we like it or not, we shall have to face
the music of the presidents making,
and we ought to face it like men OF sin
cerity and honor, who are not afraid of
their convictions and have the courage
to maintain them.