Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-10-08
CURTIS TELLS WHY

George Ticknor Curtis, the great con-
stitntional authority and noted lawyer
ofNew York state, is out in another
open letter which gives his reasons for
bolting the democratic party. Though
a life long democrat Mr.. Curtis has al
ways been more or less independent in
his views, and his party in this decisive
campaign has found it useless TO attempt
TO whip him into line, and away from
u ne pssaci gslss sv~s.isiA- hs has astah hlisbed
through long years Of experiences and
earnest study Of the constitution and the
affairs Of his country, In a previous
letter he repudiated the democratic free
trade platform and endorsed the repub-
lican policy of protection. In this one
he explains why he has done so, and
the soundDess of his reasoning will be
apparent to any one who reads the
epistle carefully. Coming from such q
prominent and reliable source, this let
ter will influence many votes not only
in the state of New York. but wherever
its great author is known by reputation.
The letter reads as follows:
Richfe,d Springs. n. Y, Sept l2, 1892
Wilbur L. Nakeman, ESQ, General Sec
retary OF the American Protective Tariff
League-Desr Sir: in fulfilment of my
promise made in RESPONSE TO your letter
of the 7th inst, proceed TO give you
my views Of the protective issue as il
has been made by the two political par
ties IN the present campaign. First,
however, let me observe, by way of pre-
face TO what | am about to say, that
although have for very many years
acted and voted with the democratic
party, cannot do so in the coming
presidential election. A vote for the
nominee Of the late democratic national
convention will mean a vote for the
doctrine enunciated in the platform,
which denounces the republican tariff
as fraud on the great majority Of the
American people for the benefit of a
few, stigmatizes protective tariff as
unconditional, and proposes to lay du-
ties for obtaining revenue only, without
regard to the protection of our own in
dnstries cannot by my vote affirm
anything 80 false as this. A man must
pay some regard 10 truth in politics a.
we'll as in other things. To affirm what
believe to be untrue political doctrine
is something that / never did, and
shall not do it now. i consider the
anti-proteetion plank" in the democra
tic platform to be as false as anything
that have ever known TO be asserted
in similar instrument. fit had said
that the existing tariff needs revision, |
might have concurred But it has gone
the whole length of denying that any
protection Of our domestic industries il
within the constitutional power of con
= KnuS-ueIIer.
This is not the first time that l have
differed from my patty. was born and
bred in the state of Massachusetts, and
lived there until was so years old
was educated as a Nhig in politics, and
learned constitutional law from DAME
Webster and Joseph Story. In future
communications | shall show that in
laying duties on foreign products it il
perfectly constitutional for congress To-
lay them so as % encourage our Ameri-
can industries, and that tariff for re.
venue only would bring ruin upon the
government and upon the people.