The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1890-08-22
A Great Change.

The sudden change of front on
the part of the Atchison Kan. }
Champion on the tariff question
has naturally hurt the cause of the
protectionists, for the reason that
the Champion was one of the most
powerful adherants they had in the
West. The Champion has had the
remarkable nerve to come out with
a bold and fearless stand against
the protective tariff policy Of the
Republican party, and in red-hot
editorial says:
"When such recognized Repub-
lican leaders as James G. Blaine
and Preston B. Plumb essay to de-
partvery widely from their lifelong
convictions on the tariff question,
it certainly will not be seriously
commended that other Republicans
who have never faltered in their
adherence to the protective tariff
idea forfeit their party standing or
furnish grounds for impeaching
their Republicanism if they, too,
upon mature deliberation, make
bold to express views on that sub
ject at variance with the accepted
party dogmas.
"For over thirty years the Cham
pion has advocated and defended
the protective tariff theory. ItAas
argued this question with allsthe
logic at its command 1t has fur
nished columns of facts and figures
in support of protection versus free
trade. Sincere in it's belief that
the only true economic policy fol
this country was protection tc
American industries it has neg.
lected no opportunity to set forth
it's advantages, and to combat what
it has invariably designated the
free trade heresy. Being a Re
publican journal, it has specially
emphasized this Republican doc
trine.
Recently, however, the Cham
pion has discovered certain reasons
for very materially changing it,
mind on this subject, and at THU
writing, it has no hesitancy in de
claring that, all sentiment and part
isan bias aside, while a protective
tariff is decided and almost indis
pensable benefit to the East, tn,
= great manufacturing and fnancia
stronghold of our country, for thu
West, the great agricultural are,
of our land, it is positive injury
} a barrier to its progress, an insur
mountable hindrance to its devel
! opment, and an etfectual estoppe
: to its true material prosperity.
5 "What has led the Champion t.
this conclusion, this radical chang
7 in its economic opinion? Briefly
:, this: 1t has found that under tn
! dominance of the protective ide
g the East has steadily grown t
wealth at the expense and to tn
: detriment of the West. In othe
j, words, the eastern manufacturer
3 and capitalists have increased thei
= accumulations enormously, Will
i the farmers of the West have, dul
n ing the same period, made no pre-
h portionate gain, but on the contri
i ry, have been reduced to a cond
g ton of vassalage of tribute-payin
g serfs.
|. "To put it still in another form
g The capitalists and manufacture
), of the East, aided and abetted by
l. protective tariff, have made none
II in fabulous sums, while the farme
( of the West have been hardly alb
s. to maintain themselves respectful
d Not only so, but eastern manufa
i turers and capitalists have, by re
son of this protective tariff, BET
,e placed in a position where their
y nancial power gives them practic
n control of our Government in ;
,e its departments, despite the vot
or and wishes of the people of t
e. Western States, who, by reason
lie being large creditors, Of necessi
" borrowers of and dependents up
b. the East, are virtually political