The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-19
rhe Platform of Ohio Republicans.

The Platform OF Ohio Republicans.
The leading plank of the platform adopted
by the Ohio republicans on Wednesday is
the Mckinley tariff act. The plank is as
follows: ave resffirm our devotion to the
patriotic doctrine of protection, and recog-
nize the Mckinley bill as the ablest express
sion of that principle. enacted in the fulfill
ment of republican promises, and we
pledge ourselves TO its support, always hav-
ing in view its Improvement, as the
changed conditions of experience may
require"
Another plank in the platform favors
reciprocity. The following is the text OF it.:
I'VE especially commend the policy Of
reciprocity, by which our trade may be
vastly increased by commercial treaties
with other nations"
The shrewd politicians who composed the
convention did the best they could to hide
from the farmers the fact that the Mckinley
tariff act and reciprocity are inconsistent
with each other. They had determined to
nominate Mckinley for governor. and
|. therefore they were compelled 70 approve
to the fullest extent the tariff which bears
his name. They favor Mr.. Blaine as their
candidate for President in 1892. and, there
fore, they had TO approve reciprocity, OF
which he is the author.
And not one Of them called attention to
the fact that when the Mckinley tariff bill
was pending in congress Mr.. Blaine said
that it would not provide market for an
additional bushel OF wheat or an additional
pound of pork. In effect he declared that
it was Of no benefit whatever to the farm
ers; that it would increase rather than
tighten their burdens.
Maj Mckinley objected to reciprocity
and opposed the effort to engraft it upon
his BILL because he understood very we'll
that it was antagonistic to the doctrine of
protection, and that if carried to its legiti-
mate conclusion 1t would put an end to pro-
lection altogether. He was overruled. how
ever, and reciprocity became part Of the
Mckinley tariff bill.
Reciprocity is virtually free trade, and
there is no more reason why it should not be
made operative with Canada and England
than with Central and South America and
the w est India islands. If the farmers get
any benefit at all from the Mckinley tariff
it will be because of the reciprocity provision
of it. All the other portions of it make
existence for them harder.
But, strange as it may seem, the Ohio
republicans commend the Mckinley tariff
act enthusiastically and say only as much
about reciprocity as they have to. The
| democrats, however, during the campaign
will make the Inconsistency of the republi-
cans so clear that thousands Of republicans
will have less inclination to vote the repub-
! lican ticket than they had at the last state
| election. And no one is likely to forget that
the Mckinley act influenced thousands of
republicans in that election either to vote
the republican ticket or not to vote at all.
And the people are as firmly convinced now
as they were Immediately after the passage
of the Mckinley act that the act robs the
| farmers while it helps the millionaire manu-
facturers to increase their fortunes.
Before the campaign in Ohio is over the
republicans will be ready to admit that
they made a mistake in forcing the Nc
Kinley tariff to the front as the leading
ISSUE Gov Campbell will be nominated
by the democrats in all probability and he
is well equipped for campaign on that
| issue