The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-31
UxHEAsos1so DEMocEAcr.

Tie Democratic party claims descent
from the political organization which had
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Jackson
Tor it, opponents and exemptars. The
pretension II absurd hagrantly alb
surd. Whether right or wrong. wise
or the reverse, these leaders rem
rsssnted Affirmative policies. and were
bold, positive and aggressive in their efforts
70 accomplish definite purposes They
concerned themselves less about names
and instrumentaIitiss than about the ends
to b attained.
But tbs lattsr-day party that invokss the
names Of these leaders representa- naught
but nsgations. It afirms nothing,
advocates nothing. aims at the advance
nsnt Of no principle, 10 actuated by no
purposes but to strive for the spoils Of
ofice. II opposes" and sdenounces,n
and "arraigns" whatever intelligent public
opinion advocates or approves It d
simply brake on the car of progress, .
clog to the xheels Of reform. II by any
chance its objections TO one mode OF prog
rsss can b construed into advocacy OF
another, and intelligent public opinion
accepts the apparently proffered alternative,
forthwith this pigheaded party forswears
and denounces its own bantling.
This obdurats disposition of the Demo
cratic party has been CONSEQUENTLY dis
played In reference to the tariff For years
the almost exclusive meat and drink of
the Democratic party has been opposition
to the tariff Of 1853. under which the
country has enjoyed degree of prosperity
and has made strides of progress that have
been the wonder OF the world. In opposing
that tariff this aggregation of chronic
grumblers has intimated wish that the
free list should be extended and the re-
tanned duties 80 adjusted as to favor the
necessaries at the expense Of the Injuries
Of life. On this point it really began to
appear that the Democratic party actually
entertained an Affirmative principle
But events have shown that this was
sheer hypocrisy, or. at least, that they
were only in favor Of these results on con-
dition that the Republicans should oppose
them. In the extension of the free list
more. far more, than was proposed in the
Mills bill. has been accomplished by the
Mckinley bill In the latter the additions
to the free list are embraced under forty.
four headings. and many of these include
an immense number of articles These are
quite generally the necessaries of life
chiefly consumed by the poorer classes.
and the exceptions to this rule are mainly
composed of articles in general use and not
produced extensively, if at all. In this
country. and not likely to be produced
here. even If encouraged by protection.
The reductions Of revenue thus provided
for, measured by the imports and duties
of 1850, amount to not less than seventy
millions Of dollars.
On much longer list the duties are ma
terially reduced. and these again are in the
line of necessaries or articles most eener.
ally used by the poorer classes. These
lists have not been hidden away. They
have been published and re -published, that
ell who ran might read. There 10 no need
to take the word of bloviating stump
speakers, or the statements of partisan or
gans in reference 10 this matter. Every
citizen has enjoyed opportunities for com.
pairing and studying on his own account.
To Offset in some degree the heavy reduc-
tons OF revenue thus effected, it became
necessary to increase the duties on some
lines OF imports. And in this the rule
Was strictly followed OF scaling up the du.
ties on luxuries or on articles that can
b as well or better produced in this coun-
try. Champagnss, velvets. cigars. fne
cutlery and the like are called upon to
make up for the reductions in sugar,
mo,asses, structural iron and the ike.
And now the Democracy. instead of %.
ing joyful and sounding the loud timbrel. "
are sunk in depths Of ablsct misery, and
the dolsful gswgag alone is . ct accom-.
panimsnt 70 their shrill uiulations4 Jeffer.
son. Madison and men Of that ilk would
have applauded the accomplishment Of an
end they had professsd to favor, even ct
~ hands q The oppeeite party. But the