Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-02-03
The Practical Politics of Principle.

AS soon as the Democratic party
can possibly do so, it will certainly re-
wise the entire tariff and out duties
down to an average of under 30 per
cent. II openly asks the support of
all who believe in such tax levy "for
revenue only" and just as openly in
vites the opposition of those who favor
the levy Of taxes to prohibit imports.
But everybody knows that no gen.
eral bill can pass at this session of
Congress. To attempt to pass it in
good faith would be to invite COM
promises with the Senate, and since
the passage of the Mckinley bill, the
Democratic party can no longer af-
ford to make any compromise what
ever. 1t must stand for the naked
principle of tariff for revenue only.
Surprising that general bill could
now pass, its average reduction
throughout all schedules would hard
ly bring the tariff to the basis of the
viciously and ruinously high tariff of
1888. Yet nevertheless the radical
Republicans would attack such bill
in the Presidential campaign as "free
trade" and the conservative Demo-
Gratis" would defend it by pointing to
the very small average reduction.
Cold water would thus be thrown on
all genuine tariff-reformers, and all
believers on Hundred Per Cent. re-
form would be discouraged.
But this is merely theorizing. As
matter of practical politics no ON
nibus bill can be forced through the
Senate now. The Republic is for the
practical politics of reform now. And
it is practical politics to attack the
Mckinley bill at its weakest points,
and SO break through the lines of
monopoly. Here are bakers dozen
bills which 60 the whole length of re-
form to the Democratic basis:
Free binder twlne, cordage and
cotton ties.
2--Free barbed wire and wire rods.
3-Free lumber.
Free coal.
Free iron ore.
Free white lead and paints.
7--Agricultural implements and
edged tools Of the trades TO revenue
basis.
S-Free tin, with tin-plate to
revenue basis.
9-Tableware and kitchenware to
a revenue basis.
10 Window glass to a revenue
basis.
11-Free silver-bearing lead ore to
re-establish our trade with Mexico.
PA reduction to the revenue
basis on all machinery used in manu-
featuring.
l3-Steel rails to revenue basis.
BY the revenue basis" The Re.
public means tax not to exceed 30
per cont.
These bills speak for themselves.
Almost every one of them reaches for
a trust. Every one Of them repre-.
sents 100 per cent. reform. They
strike the Republican party on its
weakest point, and are a wedge to
divide it if driven home by the force
of United Democracy. They stand
first, last and all the time for the
principle at stake. They unmistak-
ably and aggressively represent it.
And they as unmlstakably and ag.
gressively represent the practical
politics of reform-the politics of
dividing the opposition to conquer it.
If Republican Senators from the West
refuse to support such bills the defeat
of the bill will mean the defeat of the
Western Senators voting against them.
If anyone else can prepare strong.
er dozen let it be done and The Re.
public will support them. We are
not attempting to dictate details.
We are urging the attack in detail by
multiplying separate bills, each one
of which will represent Hundred Per
Cent. reform.
1t was by the attack in detail that
the English Protectionist Squirearchy
was dislodged from its intrenchments.
Had the English reformers insisted
that nothing should be done except
by bill overhauling the entire sys-
tenn of taxation they could never have
broken the Tory lines. But they at
tackled the Tory tariff on its weakest
point-on the Corn Laws, and when
they made the break in the monopoly
lines at that point, they made in doing
so the opportunity for a complete and
radical revision of the entire system
Of taxation. We know of no case
where reform in taxation has been
effected by any other method against
ofreform intrenched behind
law and holding the Administration.
To be politics at all, reform must
be practical politics. It must do at
once what can be done at once, and