Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-15
THE DEMOCRACY AND THE TARIFF.

Happily for the success of the Demo-
cratic party in the coming elections,
State and National, there is a singular
unaninaity on the tariff issue. Demo-
Gratis of all shades of opinion are united
in the belief that the war tariff should
be radically revised and reduced. On
the other hand, the Republican majority
in both branches of Congress seem to be
equally united on the proposition that
the existing inequalities and injustices
of the war tariff should be perpetuated
and even increased. We think that this
is a clear statement OF the situation as it
exists today. The Democratic party
stands for free raw material and cheap
necessaries of life for the people. The
Republican party, on the other hand,
takes its stand behind the Carnegies,
the Armours, the Goulds and Wander
bilts whom it's policy has created and
fostered. With intelligent people the
issue of such a contest, considering the
present temper of the masses, cannot be
doubted.
This is the practical phase of our poll
tics The death OF Samuel j. Randall,
the other day, suggests theoretical as
poets of them which invite discussion in
the interest OF clearing our political his
tory, and giving definiteness of impress
sion where much has been vague.
1t is generally assumed that the DEM
ocratic party is free trade party. There
is absolutely nothing in the history OF
that organization to. support this flip
pant assumption. As matter of fact,
the Democratic party never was a free
trade party. Thomas Jefferson and An
drew Jackson are both distinctively ON
record to the effect that all
revenues of the Government raised by
tax on imports should be SO adjusted
as to give incidental protection to Amer
lean industries.
The confusion as to the real history OF
the party on this question has arisen
from coolly assuming that John c. Cal
houn and his followers represented the
Democratic organization. On the con-
trary, during his whole career, Mr.. Cal
houn was denounced and prescribed by
the representative Democrats, like Jack
son and Benton, both in his theories
of notification and of revenue
Both Jackson and Benton developed
peculiar fervor of denunciation
whenever the name of this able South
Carolinian was mentioned in their
presence. They even surrendered their
ordinarily courtly manners to employ
the language of coarse invectiye when
ever he was referred to. Mr.. Calhoun
was unhappy on every hand, as even
Henry Clay once permitted himself to
say that he would not permit his slave
to recognize the great apostle OF nullif
cation and free trade.
The late Samuel ]. Randall was a
Jackson Democrat in the fullest sense of
the words, and Jackson's attitude on the
tariff was that of his illustrious prede-
cessor, Jefferson Ii Randall had been
nominated for President in 1880 or 1883
he would have been elected. He was
not in favor of seeing the people OPP
pressed by excessive taxation. On the
contrary, he was the earnest champion
of the Democratic doctrine that only so
much revenue should be raised as was
necessary for the expenses OF the Gov
ernment economically administered,
but he believed that the duties
needed to raise that revenue should be
SO imposed as to give incidental protec-
ton to American industries. The great
majority OF the American people favor
that notion, and it is q power of tremen-
dous force in our politics. Mr.. Randall
wrote the platform upon which Mr..
Cleveland was elected. in 1884. Mr..
Henry j. Watterson and Mr.. John G..
Carlisle, of the Kentucky school OF
statesmen, wrote that upon which Mr..
Cleveland was defeated in 1888. This
was remarkable exemplitication OF the
adage that, ''the case being altered, that
alters the case.'
Fortunately, in the coming election,
the Democracy will contest the issue on
the blunders of their adversaries, and
these promise to be great and signal.
The iniquitous and oppressive war tariff
is to be continued and even aggravated.
Silver will fail of its rightful recognition.
The surplus will be ''blown in" These
are conditions OF phenomenal success
which, with wise management, could be
made TO last a Quarter of a century