The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-09-08

lt'liiDlltdn 0idl' committee. Wiz lll'ttle
public Wednesday:
BAR IIARBuG. MI. SEPT. 3. 1s92
Hon. Joseph II. Manlry, Chairman, etc,
augusta. Maine;
Ny Dear Sir: Not being able, Tor
reasons which | haNr explained To YOU
To deliver public speeches in the present
campaign. | take tn liberty of submit
ting my Views upon he issues whrl I
regard a. being strongest for thu Re-
publicans Ia urge betorc the people
1.-The issue of lh' greatest con>c
qurnce i the tariff on imports, and il
will continue to be - until Il settlement
is affected by minority -o large that it
will be tantamouni 10 general aequics-
ccnce. he Republicans are aggressive ON
this subject. Two years ago they pass
ed IL general enactment known IL the
Mckinley tariff. which for Il time failed
to meet with popular approval and was
regarded with certain degree of dis
trust by those vino had always upheld
the protective system.
But IA powerful reaction has come in
consequence of The Nindication Of the
Mckinley tariff hx experience. It j.
found to have worked admirably and
within the last Near has produced a
greater volume ui business. Internal and
external, export and import. than the
| nlted States EYER transacted before.
Notwithstanding the character rX-
tent of the opposition TO it. agriculture
Is remuncratiNc. manufactures. are pros
perosn, and commerce is more flourish
ing than any other time. thus Vindicat-
ing the Mckinley tariff by AN impress
i've and undenahlc series OF facts.
Against this tarin' the Democratic
party has taken a position almost With
out parallel in the history of the coun-
try. They reject entirely the doctrine
of protection, pronounce il a fraud. aud
anathenatize il generally. \ resolution
to this effect was adopted by the Dem
ocratic convention against the report of
the committee on resolutions. by Il two
thirds vote. thus mantrSting the intel
ligcnt participation OF every man in the
convention.
Sometimes resolution may hr adopt
ed in haste. or just when the convention
i adiourning il may fail to receive the
attention of the members: but this rcSo-
luton was debated. pro and con adopted
after a contest. and NaS perfectly under
stood by the members of the convention.
II i contained in these words: I'VE
druouuce the Republican protection IL,
a fraud upon the labor of the great ma
Irity Of the American people for the
benefit of n few. W. declare it "A funda-
mental principle of the Democratic party
that the federal government has no con
stitutonal power 10 impose and collect
tariff duties. except for the purpose of
revenue only. We demand that the
collection OF such taNeS be limited to
the necessities of the government when
honestly and economically administers
ed "
If any one " II take the trouble To read
lie resolution by which MIR. Calloun
sought To defend his notification scheme
in 1873. he will find the tariff platform
of the Democratic party in general har-
nony Herewith. aud if he examines the
subject further, he will discover that the
duties in the compromise taritl which
rrconeilcd Mr.. Calhoun and appcaSrd
his angry followers in South Carolina
We're Of a more comprehensive character
than those contemplated in the Demo
cratic resolution of 1892.
The Democrats are in the habit of
naming jefferson tS the founder of their
party; and yet. on the subject OF tariff,
they are in radical opposition to the
principles laid down by jefferson. To-
ward the close of his administration the
revenue from the tariff on imports pro
luced a considerable surplus. aud the
question was what should he done:
should the tariff be reduced or should
his surplus be maintained?
Jefferson pointcdly asked: "Shal We
I,4 iupnns1s and rive hat Il
vantage to foreign over domestic manu-
facturers: For himself, he recommends
ed that 1.-THE imposts be maintained and
that the surplus created "should,bc
appropriated To the improvement nf road
canals. river, and education" If the
stuatution did not give sufficient power
to warrant these appropriations, jeff
erson went 20 far as to recommend that
ii be amended. This presents the
strongest condition OF affairs pou which
II protective tariff can he Justified. and
Jefferson did not hesitate 10 recommend
it. The Democrats of the present day,
it is needless to say are the direct
opponents OF the policy which Jefferson
thus out lined and adhered to.
;. When the principal of reciprocal
trade was fir,i proposed to br introduc-
ed into the tariff system, the Democrat :
showed Il most generous appreciation Of
the question. and gave il their support
So long a. the republicans refused to ac-
erpt il. But when the Republicans came
toapprovc il, the Democrats support van
ishcd, and instead of fayoring We find
the Democratic national convention pass
ing II resolution hostile to the system.
But i'll spite of Democratic opposition,
we have attained through reciprocity Il