The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-19
TARIFF REFORM AND FREE TRADE.

With the most deliberate intention Of mis-
representation. Republican speakers and
writers will persist in abiding to Mr. Cleye-
lands celebrated tariff reform communication
10 the Fiflieth Congress rs "A free trade
message" The latest notable instance Of the
attempt to mislead was that of Mr.. eros
vcnor. Of Ohio. who m his eulogy last Satur-
day upon Mr.. Cleveland for his honesty and
fearlcssness in the expression Of his views IN
opposition to the free and unlimited coinage
of silver. said that the Democrats would bow
the knee again before the ex-Prcsident lust
a. tthey did when Grover Cleveland sent his
free trade message 10 the House of Represen-
tativcs
Now Nh Grosvencr, being n Republican,
may. to a certain extent. be knaye, but he
is certainly no fool. and he knows as well rs
every other intelligent man in the country
knows that the idea Of free trade was one that
never, in the slightest degree, entered Mr.
Clevelands mind when be sent 10 Congress
the tariff reform message which has since
been So heartily and emphatically endorsed
by the whole country. Mr. Grosycner is
perfectly we'll aware of the fact that ex-Prc-i-
dent Cleveland realizes, ~ fully as II Is posi-
BILE to be- realized, that, under existing
conditions, free trade in the United
States is an impos,bility So long rs
the interest on our still large public
debt is 10 be paid, and so long as an
enormous revenue i, 10 be raised to meet the
requirements Of orr tremendous pension roii,
SO long will revenue from tariff be necessary
unless the people are directly taxed % the
extent Of such revenue a proposition which
would not. for q moment. he entertained.
All that Mr.. Cleveland advocated IA the
alleged free trade message Was
that as the protection policy Of
the Republican party was % robbery
of the people imposed ON them for the benefit
Of a few favored manufacturers and mouop-
olisi,. there should be- such reform of the tariff
u, would make it bear "a lightly rs possible
upon the toiling and tN-paying masses and
which. while creating no privileged Glasses,
would provide the revenue needed for the
requirements of the Government and mo- more.
By raising the false cry of free trade" and
by the liberal use Of corruption funds. the Re
crnment. and at once proceeded TO bind the
country still more firmly with the letters Of
monopoly and oppressive protection. Pre-
vious Republican Congresses had made the
peoples yoke heavy. but the Fifiy-frst Con
prcs- proposed to add to that yoke. They had
chastised the people with whips. but this Con-
gre-s proposed 10 chastise them with scor-
pions and McKinleys little finger was to be
made thicker than M0rrlps l0ius They car
lied ont their schemes. and the result was an
overwhelming rebuke last November such as
no party had ever before received in the his
tory of !this country. The campaign Of edT-
cation" which had apparently ended di,a,-
trously 10 the Democratic party, had soVn It's
seed. and at length the seed had brought forth
good fruit.
Since their November Waterloo the Repub-
Leans themselves have been forced to &C
knowledge, as far as they dare, the righteous
ness of Mr. Cleyehud's views. and the tal-ty
Of their own. and SO We see them now trying,
so far as they can hope TO do SO, TO offset the
effect of the ruinous protective system by ie-
sorting 10 reciprocity. II was fortunate in
Getfi lllil 1iI. Dldlilt : ibAEA'tilftllt'~' Ni@
the means of providing them with that straw
to cling 10 in the midst of the political deluse
by which they We're recently overwhelmed;
but it is only "a straw. 1heymay talkas much
as they please of the desimbity OF tariff
reform with Brazil or other specially deSigna-
ted countries or of the adyisability Of "unre-
siricted reciprocity ii. e., free trade) with
Canada" but neither Of these tubs viii suffice
for the great American whale. The people
now at last see clearly that their Interests lie
in the direction Of the general tariff reform
which the Democratic party has always adyo-
Gated audwhich Mr.. Cleveland merely empha-
sized in his message tothe House OF Represen-
tatiyes of the Fifty-first Congress. And such
system of tariff reform the people are deter
mined to have, nor will they be frightened
from their determination by any free trade
phantasmagoiia Republican ingenuity can
devise.