The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-30
SENATOR HALE ON DEMOCRATIC
TARIFF DOCTRINE.

TARIFF DOCTRINE.
The tariff debate which took place in the
Senate Tuesday on Senator Hale's resolutions
whereby he hopes TO give one Of the Senate's
Republican committees an opportunity to
put large batch of Republican lies out to the
country with something like an official en-
dorsement, was an event Of very considerable
interest. furnishing good deal of material
worth thinking about Mr. Hale. in the
speech with which he introduced his resolu-
tions, stated. and laid much stress upon what
be claimed to be the fact. that
the Democratic platform as framed by
those who manipulated the Chicago
Convention. under Mr. Cleveland's direction,
was substantially straddle in the matter of
the tariff. with littls Of protection along
with few elements of free trade; but that the
convention, being really free trade body at
once promptly rejected this scheme and
adopted a free trade plank, pure and simple.
The charge that the convention was ma
nipulated by Mr.. Cleveland and his friends
one naturally expects TO hear from partisan,
and an INSCRIPTIONS partisan, like Mr. Hale,
and is. of course, not worth the ink necessary
for remarking on 1t.
His claim though that as the platform
came from the committee on resolutions it
was less of free trade platform than il stood
after amendment in convention may proba-
bly call for q remark. We do not think Mr..
Hale's view of IL correct AS it came from the
committee it certainly employed considerably
more verbiage than il now uses. but when
that yerbiage is analysed we think il will be
difficult to find that it contains any PROPOSE
ton but the single and naked one that the
Democratic party refuses TO sanction any i'm
position of duties on imports except what
are necessary to pay the expenses of the Gov
ernment and this is as near 10 free trade rs
the conditions of things will allow any party
TO 60
But We should have no objection if Mr.
Hale could make out his case and show that
the platform started with a little protection
and ended in the convention with none. for
that is just what the Democratic voters Of
this country have their eyes on. They intend
to continue raising the Governments revenues
by taxes on imports. and if any snrewd manu-
facturers are able to find shelter under such
taxes as these that will enable them to under
sell foreign competitors the Democratic
party has no objection 10 their resting
under the shelter. But it does not intend or
propose to lay one single duty on an imported
article in order that the citizen OF the United
States shall have to pay more for it. with the
excess to 90 with the pocket Of q protected
monopolist manufacturer. If, therefore, the
convention made the platform more explicit
in this direction than the committee on reso-
lutions had made it, it did just what those who
sent it to Chicago desired that it should do.
and Mr.. Hale and his protected monopolists
may make the most of it.
Mr. Hale worked himself up into q fine
frenzy and pathetically painted the honest
American laborer competing. under Demo-
cratic tariff doctrines. with the pauper labor
Of Europe. and in doing so, he did Just what
all the protected monopolists of America have
been doing for thirty years, while they
ground their laborers down in the dirt
and reyeiled. themselves. in the lux
uries created by the sweat of these la
borers' faces-crocodies shedding tears
over the victims which they devour. Wien
this cant is repeated what misfortune that
every man TO whom it is addressed is unable
10 see the miners of Pennsylvania where pro-
lection isrun mad as Henry George saw them
children. skin and bones. mothers shaving At
tne tub until they resemble deaths heads