Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-05-23
FREE-TRADERS JN TOP.
PRoTEcTloNlST DEMOCRATS MUST
TAKE A BACK SEAT.

RkE ONSN SEAN.
The Free-rrade Wing of the Democratic
Party Getting Bold-Governor Hill and
Others Trying in Vain to Check the Dis
ciples of Golden.
The election of last November was not
a victory for Free-trade, as such. 1t was
triumph of lying" The primal, funda-
mental lie was the idea instilled into the
popular mind that tariff reform" is not
Free-trade. The approximately lie to which
the result of the November election was
Immediately due was the Mckinley prices
humbug.
The victory was so Overwhelmingly on
the side of the foes of Protection that in
circumference of their great joy they for
go; that it was victory for Free-trade
only because the people did not know
that they were voting for that policy.
A triumph for Free-trade as such at the
polls is an event unheard of in American
politics, and the people are just as far
from it today as they ever were. Mug
wumps and other theorists may construe
the victory as an Endorsement of Golden
ism, but the shrewd, practical politicians,
who are in touch with the people and
have accurately gauged popular senti-
ment on the tariff, know better.
The Democratic party managers realize
how hopeless must be their fight, if made
on an openly ayowed Free-trade plat
form. They are therefore alarmed at the
boldness of the party organs since last
November in claiming the victory for
Free-trade and openly advocating its
principles. Already the note of warning
has been sounded by that shrewdest of
practical politicians, Governor D. B. Hill,
of New York. He was invited to attend
the Free-trade mass meeting recently
held in New York city, but declined the
invitation on the ground that he had no
sympathy with the proposed meeting.
II am no advocate of Free trade" he
said, land never have been" "They
greatly mistake public sentiment" he
continues, ''who assume to construe the
revolution last autumn at the polls as
popular manifestation in favor of radical
tariff legislation. The following para
graph closes the letter:
"As a Democrat | must respectfully
decline to support any movement, no
matter by whom instigated or cham
pioned having for Ms purpose the adop-
ton Of any such suicidal policy as is
sought to be promoted by the meeting
to which you invite me. In my opinion
such movements only embarrass and en-
danger the cause of tariff reform"
Governor Hill knows how fondly hun
dreds of thousands of Democrats cling
to the Protectionist sentiments of Jeffer-
son and Jackson. He simply voiced the
sentiment of the northern Democracy in
repudiating Free-trade. But, unfortu-
nately, the policy Of hisparty is dictated
by men who are bound by tradition to
the Free-trade doctrines of Calhoun.
The Millses, and the Carlisles, and the
Breckinridges were the real authors of
Mr.. Cleveland's Free-trade message. Its
issue was the price he paid the nominal
ing solid south for denomination. The
most they would concede to the north
ern Democracy was that the real aim of
the message should be concealed under
the lying label of tariff reform" Since
the Endorsement of that message and its
author by the Democracy the Free
trade wing Of the party has been in con-
troll, They have pushed forward their
radical tariff policy with so much ardor
that the Protectionists in the party could
find no hearing, but were forced to drift
with the Free-trade current, trying to
ease their consciences i'll the meantime
with the assurance that the policy for
which they strove was only a harmless
reform" of the tariff.
As time went on the Free trade lead
ers gradually lost the caution which had
formerly characterized their tariff utter
ances. Leading party organs assumed
an attitude of hostility to Protective
tariffs of any kind, and met Protection
ist arguments by the baldest Free-trade
theorizing Protectionist Democrats of
the Randall school have grown more and
more FESTIVE under the arrogant rule of
their Free trade leaders, and even in the
south there has set in, consequent on the
development of her great mineral re-
sources, a revulsion against the old fogy
Free-trade ideas whose enactment into
law must prove fatal to the south's new
born industries Moreover, the poll
ticians have observed the growing popu-
larity of the Mckinley bill They note
the new tin plate mills, the new wooden
mills, the linen mills, the plush mills
and the reviyication of many other
branches of industry, which is unmis-
takably due to the Mckinley bill In
the wake of the campaign cry about
Mckinley prices" they have seen nearly
all kinds of family supplies selling cheap
or under the new than under the old
tariff. They realize what the outcome
of the Revision against the campaign
lies must be unless the party hedges"
on the tariff. Hence Governor Hills
letter
But we fear that it is too late Free
traders are in command Of the Demo-
cratic hosts, who are almost fanatical in
their enthusiasm for Free-trade. From
present indications they will pass Gov
ernor Hills danger signal with aYerted
eyes, and bitter experience must come
to teach them how wise his wsr..ing was.
Whatever the outcome, Prp..rtionist
Democrats cannot be accused Of dis
loyalty to Democracy if they refuse to
support tariff policy opposed to the
teachings Of their most revered leaders
Of the past, When the battle is on we
will welcome them into the Protectionist
ranks, and as Protectionists, not as Re
publcans, we will teach politicians of
every stripe that no party can win by
fighting under the banner of the Golden
club. We will leave the lesson as sign
post for posterity, so that those who come
after US may know that the American
policy of Protection is sacred institu-
ton.
fndor EpnUo Naurc