Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-09-19
NUMBER II.

manufactures at home and abroad, and de-
! pleted the returns of American agriculture
! An industry followed by half our people.
1t costs the people five times more than it
| prduceS to the treasury, Obstructs the pro-
cesses of production, and wastes the fruits
| of labor.
1t promotes fraud, fosters smuggling, en-
riches dishonest officials and bankrupts
honest merchants.
We demand that the Custom House taxa
tion shall be only for revenue.
Here was declaration so plain that
there could be no mistake as to what it
meant. 1t was declaration of war on
the whole protective system, and from
that day to this the Democratic party
has sent no flag of truce to the enemies
of the people entrenched behind the
tariff monopoly.
To 1880, it declared for "a tariff for
revenue only,n and While the Chicago
platform was susceptible of "a double
construction on the tariff question,
President Cleveland settled all disputes
as to the meaning of the platform on
which he was elect d, by his timely
message of Dec, 1887, in which he
struck the shield OF the hitherto re-
doubtable Knight of Protection full in
the centre with his free trade lance and
the challenge rang out loud and clear
through all the land, giving hope and
courage to thousands who were impa-
tiently waiting for a leader in the strug
gle in which economic and social ques-
ton were to be put before and above
the issues of hate and strife which have
kept the voters of this country divided
for 90 years.
Under the leadership of the manifest,
bravest man who has been President
since Andrew Jackson. and upon plat
form declaring that "all unnecessary
taxation is njust taxation," pledging
itself to "abolish needless taxatiOn,"
and "upon this great issue of tariff re-
form SO closely concerning every phase
of our national life' submitting its for
mer declaration of "priuciples and pro-
fessions to the intelligent suffrages of
the American people," the Democratic
party entered the Presidential cam
paign of 1888. aud only lost the election
by the most brazen, shameful and
shameless corruption and purchase of
voters in the two pivotal Sta tes of Indi-
ana and New York.
With it's past glorious history upon
this great economic issue, no one can
doubt but that the party of Jefferson,
Madison and Jackson, will keep NOV
ing forward. 1t cannot take backward |
steps on this question, or lower the |
banner of tariff reform and tax reduc- |
ton, without disgrace and dishOnor, |
ending i'm it's humiliation and defeat.
Let it keep on advancing its lines as |
one after another of the strong
holds of monopoly which are buttress-
ed by the protective system, until the
last vestage of restrictive, repressive
legislation has been wiped out of the
Federal statute books, and the pure
W hite banner of true Dem ocracy shall J
be flung to the breeze, upon whose
ample folds shall be inscribed in letters |
of gold the motto penned by the inn
mortal hand which wrote the Declara-
ton Of Independence, Free commerce
with all nations" Thus, and thus |
only, can the Democratic party hope to
reta,n in its ranks that large and rapid
Iy growing body of men devoted to the |
principles of genuine tax reform, who
have come to care more for principles |
and ideas than they care for mere party |
names aud organizations.
But the "simple, common people"
are moving. They are beginning to
know what they want, and are learning
now to get it. The skies are brighten
ng and faith and hope grows stronger,
and the day is coming, aye, it is almost
,ere,
hen the heart of one-half the world doth
beat.
Akin to the brave and true,
And the tramp of Democracy's earthquake
feet
Goes thrilling the wide world through.
We should not be living in darkness and dust
And diving like slaves in the night;
But big with the might of the inward"MUsT,"
We should battle for Freedom and Right.
H. MARTIN WILLIAMS.