Telegram-herald., 1890-08-18
DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION

The Lansing Journal, which, more
than any other Democratic paper III
the State, mistakes sound for sense and
assertions for combinations strong as
holy writ" has adopted the Mckinley
bill as the platform for the Republican
party this year, and then proceeds to
demolish it-as it fondly thinks-with
volley after volley, broadside after
broadside, of assertions as to its nature
and effect. OF the bill in general it
says:
.If the measure is justified at the bar
of public opinion by a majority of the
American people it may be well for a
time for the party which fathered it,
but woe TO the land over which its
malign influence IS spread. But If lt IS
not justified and approved it will be q
stain as ineffaceable as the blood spots
which would not out from the hands of
the bloody minded Macbeth. So TO
justify or not to justify the Mckinley
bill is the issue on which the political
forces of the country must join the
battle"
In spite of the Journals assertion, we
submit that the history of the Repub-
lican policy of American protection
does not furnish any occasion for fear
of "malign influence" 1t has, indeed,
exerted "malign influence" on the
Democratic condition of affairs which
existed when the Republican party first
adopted the protective system, but that
''mallgn influence" has been benign
influence TO the land over which 1t
spread. Just how it will be a stain ''as
inefaceable as the blood spots which
would not out from the hands OF the
bloody-minded consort of murderous
Macbeth" if 1t Is not approved, we
must leave to the fervid fancy of "the
brilliant young editor" to conceive.
How anything can stain which is not
applied, he alone can tell. Lady Mac
beth voluntarily stained her hands with
blood. The last sentence Of the para
graph quoted is the only sane one. The
battle this year viii be fought out on
the issue of protection.
Under the assumed purpose and
scope of the bill" the Journal arrays
is tion-srguments. Like all Demo-
cratic arguments, they are appeals to
prejudice. without q single attempt TO
give the chow" and "why." Let us
notice them in order
1. Under the specious guise Of pro-
/ lection to American homes and IN
dustries it taxes every man, woman
and child to heap up increased riches
TO favored and privileged few. -
History shows that the establishment
OF an American industry, hasin every
instance, chsapened the cost Of the
article manufactured.
.. "It takes from honest labor with
one hand the mesgsr substance Il pre-
| tends 10 give with the other" Honest
labor in this country IS better housed
better paid, better fed, better educated
and more respected than IN sny other
country on earth. and It has more
money, per capita, IN the savings banks
than the honest labor Of any other
/ country.
2. 1T imposes upon the homes OF
the people burdens Of debt which toll
and thrift can never "a sc while Il con-
tnues." n no ether country than 81 e
do the people have homes, wkiis the
burden of debt upon them, which $
not tie result Of purchase-prics mort
+ cages. .evtravagsuce or IN sf0rtuns, are
+ AL n tl1e Journals partisan magma
ton The people always have bought
and always wi buy homes on partial
+ payments; some Always vi make bad
ard extravsgant investments, sud ms
/ fortane can never be entirely bsulsl-
I - ey human agsncies.
+ e. "It destroys foreign commerce h7
rates Of duty prob iastnz imports oi
goods vhich cannot b fgrnisne8 ol
fully supplied a. nome Which IS :