The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-03-04
ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA WEDNESDAY. MARCH 4, 1891.

fered by citizens of this country are to
be received at the ports of Brazil free
of duty. He who has agricultural tools
for sale may trade with the people OF
the reciprocating Nation. But the citi-
zen who wishes to trade his sewing
machines for the hides or other products
of Brazil must pay u penalty OF
twenty-five per cent. for not engag-
ing in an industry which is looked
upon with favor by the man from
Maine has undertaken to regulate the
affairs of sixty-three million free peo-
pie. The list might be extended to
cover the varying schedules of the new
treaty which is to vindicate Blaine ana
save remnant of protection from the
onslaughts of apeople awakened to the
evils of the system. 1t may be in line
with the ethics of the 'demoralizing
system to divide the benefits of
Recommendation by metes and
bounds of twenty-five per cent;
it may be in accord with that
political conscience which feigns
insulation as shield from meritcd pun
ishlnent, but it falls short of satisfying
those who believe that equal and exact
Justice can be SO apportioned.
1T is claimed by the Chicago organ,
which no longer repeats its just charges
against the great letter-writer and
manipulation of railway bonds that the
proposed condition is preferable to that
now existing by favor of McKinleyism.
The people, says the organ, are to re-
ceive a moiety of free trade and should
raise paans to Blaine because he has
broken the chains of protection-run-
wild. 1t may be conceded that a half
leaf is better than no bread to a hungry
man, but it is also true that the taking
of the half-loaf by fraud under cover OF
law is still robbery. 1t will not satisfy
the western producer who is to be
mulcteQ in twenty-five per cent to be
free trade in fish and that the twenty
| five per cent fine against the rest of the
world is less of robbery than has been
sustained by the party OF morality.
/ Not even the fervid oratory which APP
pealed for the election of Quays copar-
cener Dclamater will serve to humbug
the people on this question when once
they determine to find the truth.
But there remains no consideration
which may lead to thanks for Mr..
Blaine. BY this proposition he has
added an unanswerable argument to
those by which men have sustained
their right to freely exchange their sur
! c+av IN hn
defense of this scheme of limited reci-
procity is over the corpse of protection.
If it be true that the people are to be
benefited by a removal of part OF the
restrictions which have been hitherto
placed upon their intercourse with their
fellows of every nation, then it is also
true that those restrictions have not
tended to their welfare. In this respect
does reciprocity for the benefit of the
few fail within the category of direct
instead of indirect bounties for the use
of the few at the expense Of the many
What the sugar bounties were limited
reciprocity is. Both stand as confessions
of Judgment before the bar OF public
opinion. The popular verdict of last
November indicates what will be the
, fate of the criminal when the power Of
: punishment finally rests in the hands Of
the peoples representatives. Blaine
will need better lightning-rod thar
; reciprocity to shield himself from this
attack. 1t will be in vain for HIM t.
look again for the adjournment Of ;
: Democratic Congress to make his re
coyery prudent. Chicago Times.