The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-10-21
THE COMING ISSUE.
1t Is SQuareiy Prot sction Against
Free Trade.

FREE irdOe.
A canvass of the delegates to the
national Democratic convention in
Chicago showed that everv one of
them favored revenue tariff. which
is merely another name for Golden
ism or English free trade. If fur
ther proof were necessary the free
trade platform adopted by the Chr
cago convention is ample. 1t
proves beyond the shadow of a
doubt that the Democratic party
will IN this campaign take holder
ground on the tariff question than
ever before. Hitherto there have
ALWAYS been some Democrats who
Indignantly denied the charge that
their party was committed to free
trade. But each succeeding wear
the number with the requisite cheek
to keep up this denial has dimin-
ished, till this wear il is not likely
that any self respecting Democrat
will be founa to disclalm for his
party ITS manifest radical Golden
lstic tendencies. Democrat ant
free trader have come to be almost
Synonymous terms.
We welcome this uncloaklng of
the free trade party. We have no
fears as to how the people will de.
eide when asked to choose between
a protective and free trade tariff.
The only danger in pas. contests
has been the reluctance of the Dem
ocratic leaders to take an uncquiv.
ocai position.
Though employing the argu
ments of Cohden and Bright, of
SGmmer and Perry. of Carlisle aud
Mills. all of whom are avowed free
traders. uncOmpromisinglv hostile
to protection in any form. Demo
cratic orators and editors have DIS
claimed that they we're teaching
free trade. To their success in
persuading the people that they
We're opposing only the abuses of
protection, not protection itself,
has been due whatever impression
they have been able 10 make on the
popular mind.
For tins is protectionists country.
Let no one forget that. 1t started
in as protectionist under Washing
ton and Hamilton and jefferson
and Madison, and it continued
such In latter years under the teach
ings of Jackson, Clay and Webster.
Nor has il forgotten that Lincoln
and Grant and Greeley taught the
same policy.
And today 1t sees the greatest
and noblest of its statesmen advo-
eating its continuance. Many
years will have passed before the
American people desert these states
men for the shallow school of
American free traders, represented
by Cleveland, Carlisle and Mills.
So the palmer the issue is made
the better it will suit us. And II
must of necessity be made plain in
this campaign, after the many |
rabid free trade speeches and edi-
torials which been put forth in de-
fence of so called tariff reform .
After the bold free trade declara
tons from the recognized leaders
of the Democratic party during the
past four years, the party managers
can hardly have the Impotence to
insult the Intelligence of the people
bv lnstructing their paraders. as
they did four years ago, to cry in
unison:
Don't, don't. don't be afraid;
Tariff reform /, MOI free rade.
As for TIE Republicans, they can
not hedge if they would. and would
mott they could. Their Mckinley |
tariff is there to define their posi-
ton more clearly and forcIbly than
1t could possible be defined in mere |
words. There is not line of it |
which Is not protective, and he who |
attacks it at any point is attacking
protection.
Let its enemies come on. The |
people of this country know what |
it has done for them, particularly |
the working people and the farmers, |
and they viii know enough to recog-
nize IN Its assallant the enemy of |
their own interests. There Will be |
no snap Judgment like that of 1890 |
in this election. Let the free
traders keep that IN mind. In the |
words of President Harrison, I'm |
1890 1t was conflict of predictions. |
now our Anniversaries must face trade |
statistics and prices current"
German.
c. +. Harsh has purchased prop
]