Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-14
TUESDAY, JANUARY IA, 1890.
The Genuine Democratic Attitude.
Blaine versus Gladstone.


The Genuine Democratic Attitude.
Blaine versus Gladstone.
mo. 81
In the previous articles of the HERALD
on the tariff issue we have given very
fully, as to. salient points, and yet very
unsatisfactory as to the scope Of the
argument on both sides, the position
respectively of Mr.. Gladstone and Mr..
Blaine on the proposition of Free Trade
and Protection.
Outside Of the views Of both of these
distinguished gentlemen, the Democratic
party has record clear, scintillant and
wise. Without adopting either Mr..
Gladstone's distractions concerning free
trade, or Mr.. Blaine's vsgaries as to pro-
lection, there is splendid upland as to
which both of there distinguished doc
trinaires are left in the mire or the mud,
accordingly as they shall elect. The
Democratic party has singulsrly
clear and interesting history, as to reve.
nue. and theories of revenue, which is
reinforced by the precept, practice
and principles of both Jefferson and
jackson.
Mr.. Jefferson began his administration
of the government of the United States
with the explicit declaration that the
nascent manufactures of the country
ought to be encouraged and stimulated
He believed that in raising the revenues
needed to sustain the government regard
should be had to the infant industries
which would relieve the country from
depending on Great Britain and other
foreign powers. He had no hesitation,
in his messages, in enforcing this view.
This was the more peculiar and no.
ticeable because Mr.. Jefferson, in his
general writings, thought that the mere
fact of the existence of manufactures was
of itself a menace to the well-being of a
nation. He even went to the extent of
deprecating the breaking of the horse to
the uses of mankind, because to that ex-
tent, he thought, the energy of man
kind was diminished and luxury was en-
couraged.
After Jefferson, the next distinctive
Democrat was Jackson. In number of
his messages Andrew Jackson, in ex-
press terms, declared his belief that the
infant American manufactures should be
protected.
Perhaps the most peculiar and inter-
esting phase of American politics, from
the standpoint of Protection versus Free
Trade, is the prominence which Mr..
John G. Calhoun assumed in the con-
troversy. The great Democratic leaders,
Jefferson, Jackson and Benton, were the
mortal enemies of Mr.. Calhoun in
theory, ard the two latter in practice.
They knocked him out of public life,
and as to Jackson and Benton they were
even brutal and uncompromising in
their hatred of this gentleman, whom
the war thrust into an exceptional prom
inence as supposititious Democrat. As
to Col. Benton, at least, there was un-
compromising brutality in the insulting
extent to which Mr.. Calhoun was repudi-
ated. And yet Mr.. Calhoun has, with a
farcical inconsequence, been accepted as
the Democratic exponent of the theory
of the contract which binds the Ameri-
can States together. There has been no
Democratic history which binds the
party to such peculiar and perhaps in
defeneible record.
The element which has given vitality
to the American Union, which has given
to American politics all it's dignity, was
the old Barnburner tribe of the State OF
New York, and which meant, as to its
personal embodiment, Martin Van
Buren,, his son John and their followers.
This was the strong faction in
the Democratic party which made
the war for the Union possible. It was
this element which elected while it did
not seat Tilden, in 1876, which today
controls the politics of the United States,
and which will control the country for
many years to come. It may be bad
politics to invest the State of New York
with such special and dangerous dis.
tinction; but as q matter of fact the
friends of Jackson's friend, Martin Van
Buren,, coupled with the Irish-American
vote in the three lower wards of New
York City, have for years controlled the
Presidential election, and between them
they will do it more decisively in 1892
than ever before.
If the tariff is properly presented and
. genuine Democrat heads the Demo-
cratic tickets man like Governor Hill,
for instance-the Democratic party will
win like a house-a-fre in 1892.
If, on the other hand, some
mealy-mouthed. no-account Democrat is
nominated, the three lower wards of
New York City will throw the game into
the hands of the Republican party, as
they did in 1880, just as they escaped
doing in 1884 through the efforts of Gen.
Pat Collins, and as they did in 1883.
The secret of Democratic success in
1892 is in re-afirming the platform on
which Mr.. Cleveland was elected in
1884. That distinguished patriot thought
that he not only had mortgage on the
Presidential succession to himself, but
that he had . bill Of eale Of the Office.
Before his extraordinary message, in
s4 n. sf x. AZ (. q Is.