Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-24

hsir Opinions tho Best Answer 20 Den
ocratic Free Trade Fsllacies-
The platform adopted by the Demo
cratic national convention at Chicago
opens with the following paragraph:
"The representatives Of the Demo
cratic party of the United States, in ma
tional convention assembled, do reaffirm
their allegiance to the principles Of the
party as formulated by Jefferson and
sxemplified by the long and illustrious
line of nine Of his successors in Demo
cratic leadership, from Madison to Cleve-
land"
Our greatest historians do not for q
moment allow the right Of the Demo
cratic party Of the present day to claim
either jefferson, Madison or jackson as
its founders or a. the opponents Of its
doctrines. In the history Of the United
States there have been four Democratic
parties. The first, the party Of Jeffer-
son and Madison, was developed by the
issues arising after the Revolution, is
sues chiefly due to conflicting concep-
tons of governmental power. The Sec
ond and third existed in the days Of
jackson. They were the southern free
trade Democracy founded by Calhoun.
and the national Democratic party, Of
which jackson was the leader, Jefferson
the prototype, and which was more OPP
posed in principles and doctrines to the
Calhoun wing than it was to the Wing
party itself.
The last is tho Cleveland free trade
party Of today, the legitimate successor
Of the Calhoun Democracy. having as
little right to trace descent from the
party Of Jefferson and jackson a. it has
to call itself the successor Of the party
Of Washington and Hamilton. We have
spoken of this at such length merely to
call attention to the hypocrisy Of Demo-
cratic leaders in alluding to Jefferson
and Jackson a. their patron saints. when
they know themselves that on the issues
Of the present they are occupying po-
sition entirely opposed to that held by
the illustrous patriots whose names they
invoke. For the purpose Of showing
this more clearly we have gathered and
give below tie opinions and sentiments
Of these great leaders on the principal
question treated Of in the Democratic
platform and the position in regard to
that question which the Democratic
party takes:
We denounce protection - fraud
Democratic Platform.
The prohibitive duties We lay on all
articles of foreign manufacture which
prudence requires us to establish at
home. with the patriotic determination
Of every good citizen to use no foreign
article which can be made within our~
selves. without regard to difference in
price. secures rs sgainst q relapse into
foreign dependency. -Thomas Jeffersoo.
Although other subjects viii press
more Immediately on your attention. q
portion Of them cannot but be well b.
! slowed on the just and sound policy OF
securing TO our manufactures the sut-
cess they have attained and are still at.
tanning. and to our navigation. the fair
extent OF which Il At present abridged
by the unequal regulations Of foreign
governments. Besides the reasona bic
ness Of saving orr manufactures from
the sacrifices change Of circumstances
might bring on them. the national in
teress requires that, with respect to such
articles at least - belong to our defense
and cur primary wants. We should no.
be left in unnecessary dependence on e1-
ternsl supplies. Madison.
We declare II 10 be fundamental
principle Of the Democratic party tina,
the federal governments has no constitu-
uonas power IA impose and collect tariff
auties exceps for the purposes Of reve-