The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-31
.MR BABBR'S' SPEECH.
A Kentucky Democrat for a Pro-
tectivc Tariff.
He GIVES THE GOOD REASONS
Why he Cannot Follow his Party into
iuinOus Free Tradc..IGioqucnt
anu Convincing Speech on
! the Issues or tho Day.

The inclcmrnt weather last night, m
the busily circulated report that Ger
Grosvenor, Of Ohio, would address
Republican mass meeting at the oper
House, prevented the assemblage Of
larger crowd than appeared in the oil
court house upon short notice that MI
George Daber, OF Kentucky, woul,
speak from tho standpoint OF Protcc
ZIONIST Democrat upon tho issues OF th,
day. But Mr.. Babef's audience was NJ
attentive and sppreciative one, and hi
speech was a notably interesting aud in
Btructire presentation OF the tariff issut
rs viewed from Southern standpoint
Having been introduced by Mr.. Fl. L
Loos, Mr.. BGber preiaced his remark,
with tho statement that he had never
voted Il Republican ticket, and enter
tanned now the came views that he had
repeatedly avowed In Kentucky, as elae
where, with reference to the tariff. Ht
was not new convert. He had made
no change oil his party relationship, but
held his convictions upon tho tariff
question rs imposing upon him q duty
superior TO the behests OF party names
or party organization. The tariff prsb.
lem was not properly party issue. II
relates, rather, TO the principles OF poiit.
ical economy as affecting the country 8
material interests, and as such he DO.
Eirel 10 IiscRSs il.
Referring 10 TO the Democratic Nation.
al Platform Of 1854, Mr.. Baber quoted
from tie document tie following Ian
guagc:
"The necessary reduction in taxation
can and must be effected without dc.
privihg American labor OF the ability to
compete successfully with foreign labor,
and without imposing lover rates OF
duty than will be ample to cover any
increased cost OF production which may
exist in consequence Of the higher rate
OF wages prevailing in this country"
This declaration, said the speaker,
pledged the Democratic party and MIR.
Cleveland to the maintenance OF tariff,
not for revenue only, but for the prutcc.
tion OF American Industries; and upon
that declaration Mr.. Cleveland was cup.
ported by protectioRist Democrats, led
by Samuel J. Randall, throughout the
States 81 New York, lndiana, West Vir,
ginia, New Jersey and Connecticut, and
he Was elected by the essential
votes OF the proteclionist Democracy.
Upon platform antaeonistic to
the protective policy. lie would
have been defeated. After getting into
the White House, Mr.. Cleveland gave
ear to the seductive influence OF the Free
Trade Democrats OF the Southern States,
led by Carlisle, Mills, Reagan and Vance,
and Ignoring tue wiser counsels OF Mr..
Randall, be dedicated his annual mes.
sage OF 1887 to the policy OF Free Trade,
or TO lie equlvalent-a tariff for revenue
only" Under tho auspices OF that mes.
sage the Free Trade leaders took control
OF the Democratic organization and have
firmly and aggressiYely held 1t ever
since. The declaration OF 1854 was re.
pudiated, and all the subsequent dis
cussious oi the tariff have been conduct.
cd by the leaders OF the controlling ele-
ment in the Democratic patty in the
spirit OF imperious animosity toward
the protective system.
Mr.. Baber quoted from Mr.. Cleve.
lands tariff message the following Ian.
gaage:
"Inl our prcsent tariff laws, the vicious. inc
quitG6leA and illogical source OF unnecessary
lnHaiion, ought 10 DO at once revised End
6m'cTdta. Ia.te l8Ws, rs tBtiF Priina!y 9pL
plan eject, raise the price TO consumets Of al
articles imported and subject TO duty, byITe
ciAIp The sum Iloid for such duties. Thus. tht
amount OF the duty Inedsurts TIC tar paid by thost
who purchase thChc articles.
This statement by Mr.. Cleveland, tht
speaker urged, was in direct ,contlic
with the protective principle set forti
in the platform OF 1854, and was tht
reannouncemeIt Of the old theory o
The free trade Democrats who led th,
ccuse Qualification in 1882. 1t was th,
identical ground upon which Calhoun
MCDuilie, Uayne AMI Jefferson Dayi
based their warfare upon the protectiv,
which, in fact, was the pretext for tn
free trade CT nti.pfotective clause il
the Confederate States Constitution
Thus the old issue was revived, and i
hss been fought ont i'll our Presidents
canvass eliminating in the passage @
the Mckinley bill-the noBt complet
and effective protective measure eve
enacted by Congress.
Dir. Baber declared that, as protec
ZIONIST, loving the country in preferenc
TO mere party, be could not follow th
men who thus songht to oyerturn tn
beneiicent system under which the ms
lion hadacqnired unprecedented wealth
uneQualed prosperity, and unparalelle
power. Mr.. Cleveland had put the Dem
ccratic party in conflict with not onl
his own declaration in 1854, but wit
the doctrines OF the greatest Democrat
statesmen, including Jackson, Jefferson
Madison, Siouroe and Samuel j. Ran
dali, and he preferred tho election Of
Republican Congress pledged to proiet
ton 10 Democratic Congress pledge
TO free trade.
Mr.. Baber argued with great fore
that the Mckinley bill simply propose
to protect American industries by estat
fishing II echehule Of duties whereof
the difference between the costs OF prt
duction abroad and the costa OF simils
production at home should be coYer0t
aud thus two competing conditions
labor equalized in the american markt
with reference to wages and prices. A
American industries, whether OF tn
factory, OF the furnace, Of the mine, {
OF tho farm, were alike concerned IN th
preservation Of this systomi and th
Southern States were, he said, particula
" iutereetad in the maintanance of Il
system. The industries OF the Sout
were being developed under this systeI
and he would neither say nor do augl
to ohstruet the wayo Of progress. u
Dlr. Baber portrayed the lnconsistent
Of which Governor Hill had been gull,
in talking free trade over in Ohio ar
protection in Wheeling last week. L
talked like demagogue rather than
statesnlan. He had advocated the Nj!
bill in Ohio and the Mckinley bill
Wheeling. The speaker believed in IA
aud uneqniyocal talk on this subie
and no dodging. No middle grour
could be held between two copilictil
policies. MIR. Baber argued that the pr
tectiye system-a system appticab
10 Tree men and fair wages-wou
prove to be the most eiItctual sol
tior OF the so.called "raco problem
in the South. 1t would awaken ma
hood among the laborers OF both ract