The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-28
CLEvELAND CRAwFIsHING WITH
THE TARIFF.

Mr.. Cleveland's position upon the tariff,
as expressed in his letter of acceptance, is
that Of ultimate free trade in the sense
that England is ''free trade" nation.
England recognizes the protective princi-
pie only in the matter of subsidies to her
great steamship lines which absorb 30
large portion Of the carrying trade of the
world. While Mr.. Cleveland declares for
a tariff for revenue only and denies the
constitutionality of protective tariff, he
says:
We wage no discriminating war against any
American interest; We believe the readjust-
ment can be accomplished without disaster or
demolition; We believe the advantages of freer
raw material should be accorded our manufac-
turers, and contemplate q careful distribution
of the necessary tariff burdens, rather than the
precipitation of free trade.
This is about the position taken by
Speaker Crisp upon the tariff, and means.
is the ultimate object Of the Democratic
party, nevertheless that Mr.. Cleveland for
the present would be content with the
measure of tariff reform promised by the
Mills bill, which offered the manufacturer
free raw materials and protection for his
finished goods. This means taxed sugar,
free wool and taxed wooden goods;
means free trade in raw ma
terials produced by the West
and protection to the manufacturers of the
East. On this platform Mr.. Cleveland
cannot carry any of the Republican states
of the West, and in 1883 he failed to carry
New York, carried Connecticut by ma
jority of but 1856 and West Virginia by only
506 plurality. Mr.. Cleveland substantially
repeats the declaration of Watterson that
there is no declaration in the Chicago
platform, printed or implied. which sug-
gests a precipitate sweeping away of the
tariff"
part Of Mr.. Cleveland and his party; and
all these attempts to break the force of the
Chicago Platforms blunt denunciation of
protection as unconstitutional, fraud
and the robbery OF the many for the bene-
tit OF the few, and its declaration for a
tariff for revenue only, are born of coward
ice and the apprehension of defeat. Here
is the plank which the Democratic ma
tional convention deliberately adopted
by vote of 564 to 342:
We denouuce Republican protection a. A
fraud, taxing the labor of the great majority of
the people ior the benefit of the few. We Ge-
clare IL TO be fundamental principle of the
Democratic party that the federal governments
has no constitutional power to impose and col
lect tariff duties except for the purposs of
revenue only, and we demand that the eollec-
ton OF such taxes shall be limited to the neces.
stiles OF the government when hon ,sily and
economically administered.
This is as distinct aud unqualified an as
sertion that protection is unconstitutional
as it Is possible to put into English, and
this plank was substituted after debate for
seni-protective plank. The blunder
made by the Democracy in June is clearly
evident when the election is but six weeks
distant, and SO Mr.. Cleveland at the East
and Mr.. Watterson at the West are
wrenching themselves 20 undo the fatal
biunders perpetrsted at Chicago. 1t is too
late; the Democratic national convention
pronounced protection unconstitutional;
IL made the issue Democracy and
British free trade" tariff against
Republicanism and protection, and
10 death bed repentance will save
tie Democracy with the people
today. The Democracy are ready to re-
cant, like the hereto who sees the stake
and the fire, but their recanta.ion will do
Them no good; the people will treat the
Democracy as the Irishman did the drown.
ing Quaker when he asked if he believed
in the Church of Rome" The droyning
Quaker gasped out an Affirmative, to
which the freshman responded, Then d..
in the faith"
The people win trust no professions of
repentance from party turned craven a.
the prospect of defeat; they will vote for
the Republican party, whose declaration
in favor Of protection in June needs M
qualification, apology or explanation in
September. The drowning Democracy
are too late; the people will defeat them
bidding them ''die in the faith" befor.
they get chance for another recsnta,ion.
1as mood IN which Mr.. Cleveland v,o,s