Telegram-herald., 1890-08-21


i, nseyal character. ard pollt.cSl exTae-
~. IL platform promises are nov
La u Is past failures. inls was a
pretty SQUARE srrs gnment Of the Re
pftl. CA oartY. but i sac an ARA gn-
meat coupled sikh IA admission quite
pertinent, for h0w could there k
aeesaenee IN moral character
ard political capacity, # such
character and capacity had always been
wanting ia = party ~ such aEra.gu-
ment could tTatAfully be made against
the Democratic party, because Of lis
original lack Of character and capacity.
As the s.nuos.ties Of the Democratic
party have been 20 varied and many,
Ne can only SINGLE out few. Take TIE
question OF tariff. as that s one Of the
present leading questions, ana how
does the Democratic party stand upon
that measure?
Ia IL platform Of 1856, the party re-
solved. That there are questions con
nected with the foreign policy OF THIS
country. which are inferior 10 no do
nestle questions whatever. The time
has come for the people OF the United
states 10 declare themselves IN favor Of
free seas, and progressive free trade
throughout the world, and by solemn
manifestation to place Their moral IN
iiuence at the side Of their successful
example" IN the light of facts, We
can not understand what was meant by
| ''free seas, " Tor at that very time the
most successful commercial nations of
the world were paying large subsidies
to their merchant marines, but 1t Is
quite clear that the "moraliniluence' q?
OF the Democratic party was then I'M
pelhng 1t toward free trade. Well, the
party elected Buchanan upon the
platform adopted in 1856, and
duties upon importations were the
lowest at any time during
our National history; but financial and
commercial disasters were so great and
general that Buchanan had to ask of
Congress a higher rate of duties, which
resulted IN the passage of the Morrill,
tariff OF 1851. 50 much for the Demo
cratic moral influence" demanded in
the platform of the party.
/ In 1850 the Douglas wing of the
party resolved, at the Baltimore con
yention. chat we, the Democracy CT
the Union, in convention assembled,
| hereby declare our affirmance Of the
resolutions adopted and declared as
platform of principles by the Demo-
cratic convention at Cincinnati. in the
year 1886, believing that Democratic
| principles are Interchangeable in their
nature when applied to the same sub
ject matters" Yes; the principles of
the party are very fixed and permanent
| %. The Breckenridge wing of the
party also affirmed the resolutions Of
1856. These afiirmances must Of
course have included the resolution IL
regard TO free trade.
In 1864, the Democratic party was so
thoroughly impressed with the idea
that the war was a failure, and so en-
/ phatically declared the same, that it
forgot the tariff.
liz 1868, 1t again declared one of its
interchangeable principles in the mat
ter of the tariff IN the following Ian
guage: "a tariff for revenue upon for
/ elgn products, and such equal taxation
/ under the internal revenue as viii af-
ford incidental protection to domestic
manufacturers, and as Will, without i'm
| pairing the revenue, impose the least
burden upon, and best promote and en-
| courage the great industrial interests
of the country" A person might be
| inclined TO the belief that incidental
| protection" and "froe trade" were not
consistent, but in this he would be mis-
taken, for did not the party so delare
/ in its platforms Of 1856 and 1862 and
/ It's principles are Interchangeable"
In 1872, the party took Greeley and
the platform OF the Liberal Republicans
upon It's shoulders, and adopted the
| platform prepared by that party, which
/ declared as follows: Recognizing that
there are IN our midst honest but ire
concilabIe difference Of opinion with
regard to the respective systems OF pro-
/ lection and free trade, we remit the
discussion Of the subject to the people
in their Congressional districts, and the
decision Of Congress thereon, wholly
4 free from executive interference, or
dictation." In other words in 1872, the
party had forgotten that it had "un-
changeable principles" IN matters of
tariff.
In 1876 the party under tho inspiring
influence Of It's great and only samuel
J. Iilden, who made reform his
( political aegis, remembered enough
about tariff to demand that all Gus
+ fom house taxation shall be only for
revenue"
In 1850 the party declared for "a
tariff for revenue only"
In 1ssl the tariff plank Of the party
vas made g. perform service either m
/ free trade or protection portions Of the
country, and, although rather involved
and obscure, we give il nearly IN full.
( at the expense OF space. lt Is as fol-
I lows. From the foundation of this
/ Government taxes collected at The
+ Custom-house have been the chef
source of fedora. revenue. SUCH they