The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-07-18
An Appeal to Reason.

In trial in any Of our courts of justice,
great care is always taken in selecting jury,
that a fair and impartial trial may be had.
Each man called is questioned closely as to
whether he has heard anything of the case or
has formed an opinion. Now to illustrate
Suppose two men come before the court, one
charges the other with stealing horse from
him. Suppose the court chooses six men for
jurymen who are the friends Of the prosecu-
ton and six who are friends to the defend
ent. What would be the verdict of such a
jury? Most likely the six who are friends to
the prosecution would decide for him, and
the other six for the defendent.
Now this is the case in politics. Everyone
is more or less prejudiced in favor of the
party to which it belongs. The theory of
protective tariff is now on trial. The Repub-
lican press advocates and majority OF the
party is persuaded that it is a benefit, while
the Democratic party claims it is an injury,
in that it robs the consumer to enrich the
capitalist. New in order to come to a fair
understanding of the truth we must endeavor
to divest ourselves as much as possible of all
party feeling and preferences and calmly
consider the facts in the case. We shall now
put some queries, which we earnestly pray
you may give your earnest and sincere
thought. We know that powerful combina-
tons or monopolies exist, called trusts, and
are increasing in number daily, so it is said
that 9-l0s of everything We use are controlled
by them. These men besieged congress for
a high tariff on their goods TO protect them
against foreign competition. And when they
have this protection, will they not take the
advantage to compel the consumer to pay
more for their products, that they may be-
come milionaires We have heard of the
danger of "A union of church and state, but is
not the great danger i'll u union OF capital and
70 u,1l-a II ,loIu if Tbsa
patronizes the capitalists by giving them the
| necessary protection against foreign compe-
ttion, will they not in their turn use all their
influence and wealth to keep that party in
power which gives them this same protec-
ton? Will they not use money to bride
votes And will they not compel the men
who are in their employ to vote for their in
terest, that is protection, or be discharged ?
Are they not doing so to great extent al
ready? AS a proof of how the tariff affects
everything, we know that quinine, while
there was duty on it, was high, but the tax
was repealed and it became cheaper. We got
only II pounds of sugar for 81, but since the
late Mckinley bill, which places raw sugar on
| the free list, went into effect, we now get 20
pounds of the same for 81. Now We estimate
that the necessaries of life are at least, on an
average, 20 per cent. higher than there is any
reason for. Then every wage worker who
| has family OF say or D, 1t costs hun at least
$500 or $500 yearly to live, and 20 per cent.
of that is $50 or $780, he pays in excess of
what he would without this tariff. Now, does
this look just or right? | appeal to your
| highest motive; / appeal to your sense of JUS
tice; to your patriotism; is not the freedom
which our lorefathers bequeathed to us in
imminent danger Of being taken away?
appeal to you as Christian, that you may rid
yourself of all party or selfish considerations,
that you may see clearly the situation of our
national affairs and when the time comes cast
your vote on the side of righteousness and
truth. A. E. W.