Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-21
Republican party the tariff was not
even deemed an issue at all.

Foreseeing that we must raise more
money for war purposes, all parties con-
sented to increased taxation, and the
tariff of the war thus adopted remained
unquestioned till it was found to be
yielding needless and corrupting sur
plus. The Democrats then. true to their
policy, and. for that matter, true to the
policy of all parties up to that time,
asked for a correction of the inequalities
OF the war tariff, and the lowering of
taxation. Strange to say, the Repub-
licans opposed this, and for the first
time in it's own history began to argue
and stand for protection for protection's
sake-a system of class legislation pure
and simple-and it was that party that
made the new issue and who have been
squarely beaten upon it.
To show how false and impudent is
the charge that the Democracy have
taken new ground in declaring that the
revenue must be based upon the coun-
try's need and not upon the manufac-
turer's greed, let US refer to that party's
platforms. In its first mention of the
tariff, in 1867, it declared that the indus
tries of the whole country should be
considered Sin providing revenue for
the support of government" Until
1876 no further mention of any differ
ences on the tariff is found anywhere.
Then the Republican convention merely
declared for a tax "to provide the
revenue necessary for the support of the
government" In 1880 it referred to
"duties levied for the purpose of reve-
nue." In 1884 Mr.. Mckinley, as. chair
man of the committee on resolutions,
reported that "we declare that in raising
the requisite revenues Of the government,
etc., duties ehall be 80 levied as to afford
security for our diversified industries" 1"
etc.
There is not in the whole literature of
the Republican party's doctrine up to
1888 any failure to assume and declare
that all taxation is based upon the
necessities OF the government, to provide
revenue for it's support, and that the
only help it can give to any classes of
producers must, therefore, be purely in
cidental. But in the campaign of 1885
that party was forced by the logic OF
events and its hard necessities to adopt
the doctrine of the extreme protection
lists. 1t became the party of revolution.
1t raised the black flag of political piracy
and it has been swept from power by the
Democrats, who stood for the people and
the common sense of the economic con-
dition.
This is the simple truth of the politi-
cal situation, and it presents no difficult
ties that have not always pertained to
the responsibility which always attaches
to the majority party. That the Re-
publicans are neither in prayerful nor
q receptive mood is painfully apparent /;
but that they will be able either to mis-.
lead the country any further or very
much impair the Democracy's power for
good by false and fraudulent accusations
ia not to be seriously feared. If the
Republicans are wise they will cheer
fully take the place of an opposition
party, and in good faith, and with good
temper, enact the part of good citizens
and, fippant and ill-tempered as are
some of their leaders today, let us hope
that they are not incapable of rising to
this level of dlty and opportunity.