The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-12-15

Il
wise, then in the social economy Of
states there is notfit place for the polit-
ical neuter who styles himself a tariff |
reformer.
Protection is wise or foolish. The
tariff reformer is not exactly LOT OF
against it. He is
''Nor this nor that,
Nor bird nor beast but jdst kind OF bat;
A twilight animal true to neither cause,
with free trade wings, and tariff teeth and claws"
Suppuration and sloughiug must go
on before wounds are clcatriZed. In
order that we may return to sound
economic measures the tariff retormers
must go.
1t is not merely a condition that con-
fronts us; 1t is both theory and con-
dition.
1t is the condition of monstrous opu-
lence and monstrous misery side by
side, the wild unrest of the overburd-
enei masses. In the presence of this
awful and melancholy condition, the
protective theorist, the gorged beneti-
ciary of the scheme of plunder under
legal forms, and the poor tariff REFORM
er side by side, Join in the refrain,
"DJn't, don't don't be afraid.
Tariff reform don't mean free tra-e'
The theory that oonfronts us is that
taxation and restriction which aggra-
vate the mischief will repair 1t.
Protection, like a midnight robber,
clad in the garb of friendship, ente,s
the cabin of the petied but pillaged
toler and carries thence a part OF every
necessary which enters there for wife
and child, and departing, swOolen with
his plunder, pOurs it into the lap of lux.
ury and greed. The tariff reformer
| sees the grief with which the poor sur.
veys the depleted store, and to sooth
his anguish and allay his fears, renews
the refrain,
| Cont don't, don't be afraid
Tariff reform don't mean free trade"
Protection is partial, unequal, selfish
| unjust, suicidal, So long as taritt
| reform means its toleration and not its
total overthrow, both deserve the same
unstinted and fearless denunclation,
CoWards aud neuters are alike
| despised by friend and foe. They are
| like the summer birds that slug about
| you IN the morning Of your prosperity,
but fly away when the darkness or
storm approaches.
in this battle for industrial freedom,
when the blows begin TO clatter on the
armour of the foe, you will hear the
tariff Teformer as he waves a white flag
from place of safety, giving aid and
comfort to the enemy in the plaintive
wall of
Don't, don't, don't be afraid,
Tariff reform don't mean free trade "
Gird on your armour, you real Demo-
Gratis, and prepare for the contest
against protection, for you must fight
the battle alone. Be prepared TO meet
and overcome as you must, the tariff
reformer as well. He will obstruct you
with offers to compromise. He viii
beg you to accept as victory a partial
surrender. He will try to seduce you
with office and portion of the spots
which he will call success. He will
urge you not to disturb vested rights to
rob. All these distractions you will
see swept away, and with them the
entire policy Of commercial restrictions.
Then you may prepare to see the
tariff reformer rushing to the front,
stalking amid the smoking ruins on
the field you have won, bearing proud
ly alott the banner of industrial free
dom, and then he will chant the new
refrain,
Now, now, now whose afraid,
Tariff reform always meant free trade"
What then he lacked in principle, he
will now abundantly make up in
impudent assurance AS he rem
dered no aid to win the
victory, he will make amend by shouts
| of"I told you So" AS he was coward
when there was danger, he will be brave
| when there is none. AS he than con-
nived at the plunder of the poor, he will
now pose as his most devoted friend.
He will appropriate your arguments
and speech, and with pOmpous decla-
nation show children how intellectual
battles were won. If you despise him
now, you will see the lustre of his brass
buttons then; and you will be fortunate
if you escape his wrath because you
were not forward enough in helpin G
him carry on the war in which he will
fancy he has been engaged.
But this will only be the estimate the
tariff reformer will place upon him
self
Tariff reformers will aid in this
struggle only when they cease to be
tariff reformers and join the ranks of
those on whose banner is inscribed the
Democratic shibboleth of 1S92-ProteC-
ton is fraud.
You may convert protectiOnists by
reason and argument; but tariff re-
formers having no principle have no.
thing to assall. AS an ally he is unre.
liable and unsafe, and he is more dan.
gerous as friend than as an enemy,
In the struggle in England for the
repeal of the corn laws, there were re-
formers whom no one now remembers
nor respects; but the world does homage
to the name and memory of Richard
Golden.
Great ideas create great peoples.
Let Democracy be the summary of
living principles.
Let faith be not only on your lips, but
in your hearts.
Letyour legislative acts correspond
with your platform declarations and
your campaign Orations.
| Let your behavior correspond to the
words in which you appealed to the
people.
Have done with that equivocal class
which by the introduction of duality
between word and action, creates doubt
and distrust of our party sincereity.
Put period to the influence of that
nameless tribe of the weak and timid
who blame our cry of action because
themselves deficient in courage.
Il Il.