The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-10-28

the tariff and makes an exhaustive argu-
ment against the cOnstitutionalty of
republican protection. He then dis
cussed the views of Madison and Jack
son and says of the democratic position:
We have not advocated and do not ad-
vocate free trade, because the govern
ment needs revenues for its support. and
rather than resort to direct taxation to
secure them we favor duties upon i'm
ports as the best and easiest method of
obtaining those revenues. We denounce
republican protection as a fraud. as a
robbery OF the great majority of Ameri-
can people for the benefit of few. In
the vigorous but truthful language of
the democratic national platform.
it will be observed that it is
republican protection that is thus de
nounced. not the mild protection of
early history to infant industries. when
the excuse for it was more defensible.
The republican protection of today is
not even the protection of YESTERDAY.
1t becomes worse and worse and more
Unsuitable as years roll on: its progressive
evil demanding more to-day than yestcr-
day. more this year than last year, more
this decade than its previous one.
'l tlt lDlCt blll ne EHyE. Inc IlOSl
important issue involved 10 this election
is that presented 10y the republican fed
eral election bill otherwise known as the
Davenport force bill. If republican sue
cess should cnsue as the result of the
pending election. that measure would
become "A reality with all its dire and
unfortunate consequences. tnwise
financial industrial or tariff legislation
-,l. 1,l
unsatisfactory, but political legislation
once fastened upon the country its adj
vantagrs will not be readily surrendered
although its injustice may be fully dem
Onstratcd. The safest course is by every
means in our power to prevent its orig
inal enactment rather than trust to the
generosity of our opponents after it once
shall have been fastened upon the coun-
| try. Our opponents do not discuss this
issue very much. but seek to evade and
| ignore it. President Harrison in his let
ter of acceptance takes a more conserva-
tive view than had been expected. and
endeavored to draw public attention away
from it by mild suggestion and by
a non .nartisan commission to revise the
federal election laws. Mr. Blaine. the
shrewdest of all republican managers. in
a recently published letter substantially
advised the abandonment or the ignor-
ing of the force bill issue. but the vice
presidential candidate. Whitlaw Reid. in
his very able and suggestive letter OF
acceptance impetuously rushes in where
cautious men had feared to tread and
vigorously defends. in effect. the sub.
stance, spirit. and purpose of the Daven,
port bill. This course does credit to his
consistency. although it may he re-
Election upon his good judgment. This
issue alone necessarily makes the south
solid for the democratic party
Concluding he says: The cause
is worthy Of the support OF
every patriotwho loves his coun
try and desires to see its free institu
tons perpetuated anu maintained. Tn,
reforms which We demand are necessary
for the safety and prosperity Of the re
public. We rcadopt the expressly,
language Of the national democratic
platform of 1876. under which Samuel J
Tilden was elected. Reform can only
he had by a peaceful civic revolution
We demand change Of system, a chang,
of administration and change of partiet
that we may have change Of measure
and of men.
LieutenanttGOVer Shechan. Gen
cral Talliaifcrs. of Alabama. and Con
gressmau Amos j. Cummings also spoke
While the great indoor meeting was il
progress speeches were being made fron
twelve stands which had been crccte,
along Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets