The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-09-14

luton may be adopted in haste, or when
the convention is adjourning it may fail TO
receive the attention Of members, bat this
resolution was adopted pro and con, after a
contest, and wss perfectly understood by the
members of the convention. It is contain
ed in these words:
THE DEMOCRATIC DENUNcIATIoS.
We denounoe Republican protection as a
fraud upon the labor of the great majOrity
Of the American people for the benefit of a
few. We declare it a fundamental principle
Of the Democratic party that the Federal
government has 10 constitutional power TO
impose and collect tariff duties, except for
The purpose Of revenue only. We demand
that the collection Of such taxes be limited
10 the necessities Of the Government, when
honestly and economically administered.
II fanyone will take the trouble 70 read the
resolution by which Mr. Calhoun sought to
defend his notification scheme in 1888, he
will find the tariff platform of the Demo-
cratic party in general harmony Herewith,
and if be examines the subject further he
will discover that the duties in the compro-
mise tariff which reconciled Mr.. Calhoun
and appeased his angry followers in South
Carolina, were Of a more comprehensive
character than those contemplated in the
Democratic resolution in 1892.
The Democrats are in the habit of nam
ing Jefferson as the founder Of their party /;
and yet. on the subject Of tariff, they are in
radical opposition to the principles laid
down By Jefferson. Toward the close of his
administration the revenue from the tariff
on imports produced aconsiderable surplus,
and the question was what should be done /:
should the tariff be reduced or should this
surplus be maintained2 Jefferson pointed
ly asked Shall we suppress the imports
and give that advantage to foreign over do
mestic manufacturers? For himself he
recommended that "the imports be main
tanned" and that the surplus created
should be appropriated to the improvement
Of roads, canals, rivers and education
If the Constitution did not give sufficient
power to warrant these appropriations, jeff
erson went so far as TO recommend that it
be amended. This presents the strongest
condition Of aiIairs upon which a protective
tariff can be justified and Jefferson did not
hesitate to recommend ii. The Democrats
Of the present day, it is needless 70 say, are
the direct opponents Of the policy which
Jefferson thus out ned and advocated.
BENEFITS OF RECIPROCITY.
Second-When the principle of reciprocal
trade was first proposed to be introduced in
to the tariff system, the Democrats showed
much generous appreciation ofthe question
and gave it their support so long as Repub-
licaas refused to accept it, but when the Re-
publicans came 10 approve It, the Democrat
iesupport vanished, and, instead Of favor
ing, we find the Democratic National Con-
vention passing a resolution hostile to the
system. But in spite Of Democratic opposi-
ton, we have attained, through reciprocity,
new and valuable trade, and the system
has demonstrated its many advantages. We
were about TO declare sugar. molaSses, cof-
fee and hides free ofall duties, in the Nc
Kinley bill, bu: instead of that we passed
law, by which We asked the several nations
interested what they would give to have
their articles made free. We found that the
privileges which we were about TO give with
out cost and without charge would secure a
large trade in Brazil, in Cuba and Porto Ri
co, and Ia the Windward and Leeward Isl
ands, in British Guiana and Jamaica, San
Domingo and the five Central American
States and to q minor degree in Australia,
France and Germany. all in exchange for
the articles which we had intended to gratu-
itously admit The free LET Of the MeKin-
ley tariff is larger in the number of articles
and in the aggregate amount Of their import
value than the dudsble list What would
have been the result to the Uziied States If
every article, before It was put on the free
list, had been made the subject of inquiry to
see what we could get in exchange for it.
We omitted to do 50 for many years, and
that neglect has cost the Government ad-
vantsges in trade which would have amount
ed 10 tens Of millions Of dollars.
This is the whole of the reciprocity
scheme. 1t is very plain and very simple.
Il secures E valuable trade in exchange for
articles otherwise destined to be put on the
free list. The Democratic psrty think they
can discredit it, and they make the effort
apparently for the unpatriotic reason that
they did not originate il.
TIE BLESSING OF THE WAR.
Third-Yith ell its calamities, the war
brought Us one great blessing-National
currency There are many who still say
that il was worth the cost Of the war to
bring about 50 suspieious result 10 capital
and labor. Pdor to the war We had the
worst currency system of any enlightened
nation in the world. The State banks. with
some exceptions. were thoroughly irrespon-
sible. They existed by thousands through
out the United States. Wherever one Of
them failed, the result was large loss and
great distress to the people. No one was re-
spOnsible Tor their bills and they were gen.
orally found scattered in the pockets Of Ia
boring men to whom they were total loss,
without any redemption whatever. Ofthe
Stlie.banks il Was often and truly said that
their debts were the measure oftheir profits.
They have caused an aggregate loss OF hund-
reds Of millions ofdollsrs among the poor.
Since the close fthe war all this is differ
en-. Every paper dollar that circulates
among The people has the United States be-
hind il as guarantee. All the banks that
exist are under the control Of the National
Government. and If they fail as financial in
the government has taken care
that their bills shall be paid BY securities de-
posted in Government vaults Under these
IT IS matter Of extraorsina-
y surprise that the Democratic convention
should deliberately pass resolutions for the
revival Of State banks. The palpabie effect
Of ihis policy. If carried out, would be to !
cheat the poor msn out Of his daily bread.
II State banks Be adopted and their circula-
on atiain large Issue, no device could be
more deadly for the deception and despoiI-