Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-07-07
IAN EXTRAORDINARY ESSAY -


After the Hon. "Msjah" Jones Of
the st. Louis Republic, chairman OF
the committee on resolutions at Chica.
go, had presented the democratic
platform Of principles, Mr.. Henry |
Watterson arose in the convention and |
said: "When listened to the extraor.
binary essay we have heard, / asked !
myself the question whether we are
indeed in democratic convention or
simply republican convention"
The question seemed to be very
pertinent one because 1t looked as
though the democrats were about to
abandon all opposition TO the republi-
can platform. The committee had
made its "silver plank" as near like
the Minneapolis silver plank as 1t could
without copying 1t verbatim. The
tariff plank NJ reported by the great
free trade bowler Of the Republic was
a frank acknowledgement of the repub-
lican doctrine that the difference
between the cost Of labor here and
abroad" is the measure Of the benefit
which the laboring man gets from
protection. Aud IL also acknowledged
that other republican doctrine
that ANY change of law must be at
every step regardful OF the labor aud
capital involved" in the industries to
be effected.
That part Of the extraordinary
essay" to which Mr.. Watterson
specially objected reads as follows:
Section 3. We reiterate the oft
repeated doctrine OF the democratic
party, that the necessity OF the govern
ment is the only justification for taxa
ton and whenever taxation IL uDneceB.
sary 1t Is unjustiliable; that when
custom house taxation IL levied upon
articles of any kind produced In this
, country, Tie difference behC6en tto cast Of
, lubOr here and labor abroad Ghen such a
difference crisis, tuily measures any poSsi-
Die benefits 10 tabor aud the enormous
additional impostiOns of the existing
; tariff fall with crushing effect upon
! our farmers and workingmen, and Tor
the mere advantage of the few whom
it enrches, exact from labor grossly
unjust share of the expenses of the
; government and we demand such
= revision of the tariff laws as will re.
, move their iniquitods inequalities,
, tighten their expressions and put II EN-
on a constitutional and equitable basis,
But in making reduction In taxes, IL IL
| not proposed to injure any domestic
| I.,N %. t.
/ healthier growth. From the founda-
tion of this government, taxes collected
at the custom house have been the
1 chief source Of federal revenue. Such
D they must continue TO be. Moreover,
many Industries have come to rely upon
. legislation for successful continuance,
so that any change of law must be nj
! every step rpgardful " the labor and
0 capital thus involved. The process of
t reform must he subjected In the execu.
= ton of this plain dictate of justice.
This is not free trade resolution
Z Bnt II ia not democratic resolution
i. Hence Mr.. Watterson's anxiety. Sc
. when the roll was called on the ques'
q tton Of substituting tariff fol
revenue only" plank, there were found
only $40 delegates who believed that
the process Of reform must be subject
!. in its execution TO the plain dictate Of
. Justice. The other 58i delegates be
lieve in the doctrine promulgated by
- Senator Vest of Missouri when he said
- that the contest is to be n "war to the
knife with American industriesn
>, Let the war come. American indus
:, tries and American labor will bC