The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-10-29

war duties should be raised rather than
reduced. With an enormous surplus in
the treasury over and above all legiti-
mate expenditure, it opposed any reduc-
tion of the burdens of the people, and
favored additional and more oppres-
sive restrictions on commerce. 1t de-
clared that the Republican party would
abolish the taxes on whisky and tobacco
before it would remove them from
victuals and clothes. 1t made these
pledges under the false and fraudulent
pretext of protecting American labor.
1t made them at the behest of tariff-be
gotten monopolies which care nothing at
all for labor except for the money they
can make out of it.
Once the Republican party was the
champion of the poor, but by this act it
became the champion of the rich and
powerful against the poor. Once, in the
language of it's greatest statesman, it
was for a government of the people, by
the people, and for the people, but by
this act it declared itself for govern
ment of monopoly, by monopoly, and for
monopoly. Once it was the enemy of
but by this act it became the friend of
despotism and the champion of indus
trial and commercial servitude. Once
the Republican party was a party
of high moral principle, but ever
since it espoused this sordid policy, greed
seems to have been it's guiding star.
Moses, descending from Sinai, found his
people worshiping golden calf, andthat
is what the Republican Moses, Abraham
Lincoln, would find the priesthood of his
party worshiping to-day could he descend
from the heights of his Immortality as
martyr to the cause of the poor and
lowly. Think, if you can, of the plain
and honest Lincoln taking part in such
a performance!
Since the Inauguration of President
Harrison this prohibitory tariff policy,
which so changed the character and des-
tiny of the Republican party, has been
the avowed policy of the government
To carry that policy into effect the
House Of Representatives has recently
passed a bill known as the Mckinley
bill, which the farmers of Minnesota,
in State Convention, have just de-
nounced as ''the crowning infamy of
protection" This language is none too
emphatic. It is not unjust. 1t fifty
characterizes measure which proposes
to greatly increase the power of
the monopolies known as trusts
and com mbines, to crush competition and
take absolute control of the American
market.
Ever since the election of Harrison
4lo II +o1, of
hibitory tariff policy, these monopolies
have been constantly multiplying by
scores and hundreds. They are still
multiplying so rapidly that we can
scarcely take up a newspaper without
seeing new ones announced, while scores
of others secretly organized and never
announced are known only to the deal
ers who pay them tribute.
The rapacity of these trusts is insa-
table and universally felt Every fam
lily which uses sugar uses it for the ben
eft of protected monopoly. Every
workingman who builds a dwelling
builds for the benefit of score of pro-
tected monopolies Every farmer who
uses the most ordinary articles
necessary to agriculture, uses
them for the profit of whole le-
gion of protected monopolies. Every
child which ciphers on a slate, clip hers
for the benefit of protected monopoly.
None of us can use lead pencil or an
envelope without using it for the bene-
fit of protected monopoly. None of us
can die and be put into decent coffin
without dying for the benefit of a pro-
tected monopoly. None of US
when dead can have the melan-
choly distinction of tombstone
without having contributed to the
profits of protected monopoly. Fortu-
nately this wolfish horde can not pur-
sue US beyond the grave, but there is no
escape from it on this side.
Many of these devouring infants which
we have so generously protected, yet
already paying from Is to 80 per
cent. dividend on a watered stock
capital amounting to four or five
times their actual invest
ment. Worse still, they are migrate
fully requlting our bounty by selling
their wares cheaper to foreigners than
they sell them to our own people. Such
is the great American system we hear so
much about-the system which fur
nishes cheap goods to foreigners and
dear and shoddy goods to Americans.
In a recent spasm of frankness Mr.. But
terworth gave US striking illustration
of the beautiful results of this system
when he told US that the protected cop
per ring had made in nineteen years a
profit of $50, 0OO, GOO ON an invested capt.
tai of 81, $50, 600.
Some time ago this same copper ring
contracted to deliver it's entire output to
a French syndicate at 10 cents pound.
while the price demanded and paid on
this side was 16 cents. As consular
officer have myself signed invoices for
large amounts of American ingot cop
per for return, at a high profit, to the
United States. What do you think,
citizens of America, of being compelled
to get your Michigan copper by paying a
profit.on it to foreign syndicate three
thousand miles away!
Within the last few days incontesta-
ble proofs were presented in the discus
si0ns OF the National Senate that agri-
cultural implements manufactured in