Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-24
Threatened Changes In Our Political
system.

Threatened Changes In Our Political
system.
Baltimore sun.
The address OF Hon. Thomas f. Bayard
last night in Brooklyn. of which full
synopsis Is given elsewhere, was re
stricted mainly to the consideration of
the tariff question. His treatment Of the
subject Is Enthusiastically broad and
statesmanlike. The issue he shows TO be
one that lies not SD much between the
Republican and the Democratic party as
between selfish combinations OF capital
and the American people the two par.
ties being merely the representatives and
agents OF policies which are irreconcil
ably opposed and are pregnant. respec
lively with gravely mischievous and
equally wholesome and shutary infu
ences upon the future of the country.
The tariff question, indeed, Is no longer
mere economic issue. but in
wolves far-reaching political and
social consequences. and may
prove the wedge which shall rive
asundcr the stately fabric Of the consti-
tuition and bring about a radical change
in our whole system Of government. AS
such IL merits the grave attention OF all
thoughtful and patriotic men without
regard to sectional or lotal interests or
their party predictions. III the Repub-
! lican party advocated merely the com
paratively mild and innocuous degree of
/ protection" which was contended for by
/ the advanced high tariff men of former
generation, it might still be debatable
! question as TO the incidental evils OF
such a system and whether the possible
benefits asserted for 10 might not out
weigh them But az Mr.. Bayard shows
in a mastery way the Repueh-
can party OF Harrison, Mckinley
aud Reed has reached that
stage In its career whore it has
ceased to represent general interests or
70 advocate a policy which maybe termed
in any sense national, and has become
tho more creature OF q band of monopolists
who are fast building up plutocracy
foreign 20 the whole spirit of American
ideas and institutions and fatally inimical
to the Individual hborty and welfare OF
the citizens. The speciOus plea that
protection" Is primarily designed TO
benefit American labor and TO secure
higher wages for the workingman was.
as Mr.. Bayard says, "blown into thin
air" by the recent occurrences at Home
stead which revealed in all their re-
pulsive nakcdness Of the sOrdid greed
and brutal disregard of Individual. rights
which lie at the roots Of the high-tarii
policy. The real object of the effect OF
"protection" has been shown TO be TO builo
M certain favored industries for the en-
richment of capitalists and without re
ference TO the interests of labor or the
general welfare of the country. In pur
suance of this design, protection laid
its hands upon the very throat Of con
press. the embodied authority of The
American people, and through the agency
of n hold unscrupulous speaker sough
10 throttle it into submission. IL ha
clothed the president, by its so-calle'
reciprocity" enactments, with legisla
tive powers. and by means of tho fore
bill. which. Mr. Bayard believes viii b.
revived at the FIRST opportunity, II seek
To porpetuaie It's control fl tine govern
ment by robbing the southern people
their right OF unrestricted suffrage an'
, handing them over once more to the hor
, rors of carpet-bagism. In othss
words there Is sought 10 be sun
stituted the rule Of the t'
for that rule OF the ma
which our forefathers so CAREFUL
established, and which, in former genera
tions was so jealously guarded ifom li
vasion. The inevitable result must pc
build up classes. TO intensity difference
between capital aud labor, 20 disturb an
'- pervert the relations of the people TO tA
4 Government. and 60 make of chagtere
a liberties a hollow mockery. That TN
g prediction is not at all exaggerated
y plainly shown by the departure alread
j made from settled, well-established prii
d ciplcs as 80 clearly outlined in Mr. ia.