Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-03
elements of our scheme of popular govern
Sincerity of His Free Trade Message.

elements Of our scheme of popular govern
ment
Sincerity of His Free Trade Message.
| Those who believe in tariff reform for the
substantial good it will bring to the multi
tudes who are neglected when selfish gree(
is in the ascendancy; those who believe tha
the legitimate motive of our Government is
to do equal and exact justice to ali our peo
pie and grant especial privileges to none
those who believe that a nation boasting 6
that its foundation is In honesty and con-
science cannot afford to discard moral senti
ment, and those who would save our institu.
tions from the undermining decay of sordid.
ness and selishness, can hardly excuse them
selves if they fail to join US in the crusade
We have undertaken.
Certainly our sincerity cannot be cues
toned. In the beginning of the struggle
we were not only bitterly opposed b. a
great party of avowed enemies but were
embarrassed BY those in our own ranks, who
had become infected with the unwhole-
some atmosphere our enemies had created.
We hesitated not a moment boldly to en-
counter both. We unified our party, lot
by anv surrender to the halfhearted among
our members, but by an honest appeal to
Democratic sentiment and conscience. We
have never lowered our standard.
Neither Policy Nor Expediency.
1t surely was not the policy nor the expe-
diency that induced us deiantly to CARY
the banner of tariff reform as we went forth
to meet weIl-organized and desperately
determined army in the disastrous field of
1888 A time-serving or expediency-hunt-
ing party would hardly have been found
the day after such crushing defeat, undis-
mayed, defiant and determined, still shout
ing the old warcry, and anxious to encoun-
ter again, in the peoples cause, our exult-
ant enemy. We had not long to wait At
the Waterloo of 1890 tariff reform had its
vindication, and principle and steadtsst de-
votion to American fairness and good faith
gloriously triumphed over plausible shift
ness and attempted popular deception.
The Democratic party still champions the
cause which defeat could not induce it to
surrender, which no success short of CON-
plete accomplishment can tempt it to neg
lect Its position has been from the first
frankly and fairly stated, aad no one can
honestly be misled concerning it We in
Yite the strictest scrutiny of our conduct in
dealing with this subject, and we insist that
our cause has been open, fair and consist
ent. believe this is not now soberly denied
in any quarter
The Record of the Opposition.
Our opponents, too, have a record on this
question. Those who still adhere to the
doctrine that an important function Of the
Government is especially to aid them in
their business those who only see in the
consumers of our land forced contributors to
artificial benefits permitted by Governmental
tavoritism, those who see in our working
men only the tools with which their shops
and manufactures are to be supplied at the
cheapest possible cost, and those who believe
there is no moral question involved in the
tariff taxation of the people, are probably
familiar with this record, and abundantly
satisfied with it.
It may, however, be proftably reviewed by
those who believe that integrity and good
faith have to do with Governmental opera
tons and who honestly confess that present
tariff burdens are not justly and fairly
distributed. Such review may also be
Of interest to those who believe that our
consumers are entitled to be treated Justly
and honestly by the Government and that
the workingman should be allowed to feel
in his humble home, as he supplies his
family's daily needs, that his earnings are
lot unjustly e1torted from him for the ben
fit of the favored benefciaries Of unfair
.ariff laws.
Methods of the Republican Party.
This, then, is the record: When We began
he contest for tariff reform it was said by |
ur Republican opponents, in the face of |
ur avowals and acts, that we were deter |
mined on tree trade. A long advance was
made in their insincerity and impudence |
vhen they accused US of acting in the in |
erests of foreigners, and when they more |
han limited that we had been bought with |
British gold. Those who trusted the effect |
veness of these senseless appeals insulted |
he intelligence of our people by claiming |
hat an increase in the cost of articles to the |
consumer caused by the tariff was not tax |
,aid by him, but that it was paid BY |
oreigners who sent their goods to our mar
tets. Sectional prejudice was invoked in
he most outrageous manner, and the people /
# the North were asked to condemn the |
Measure of tariff reform proposed by US be-
ause members of Congress from the South |
lad supported it.
These are fair samples of the arguments |
ubmitted to the American people in the
Presidential campaign of 1S8S
1t will be observed that the purpose of |
hese amazing deliverances was to defeat
ntirely any reform in the tariff-though it |
lad been enacted at time when the ex- /
,ense of tremendous war justified the e1-
ction Of tribute from the people which in
ime of peace became a grievous burden,
hough it had
Congested the Federal Treasury
With worse than useless surplus, inviting
eckless public waste and extravaganza, and
hough in many of its features the only pur-
rose OF its continuation was the bargaining
permitted for party support. There were
hose, however, in the ranks of our oppo-
ents who recognized the fact that we had
o aroused popular attention to the evils
nd injustice of such a tariff that it
hight not be safe to rely for
uccess upon bald opposition to its
etorm. There were the grave and
edate Republican statesmen who declared
nat they never, never, could consent to
observe the interests of England at the
xpense of their own country, as the
licked Democrats proposed to do, and that
ley felt constrained to insist upon tariff,
rotective to the point of prohibition, be-
,use they devotedly loved our working
ZEN and were determined that their en-
loyment should be constant and that their
ages should never sink to the disgusting |
vel of the pauper labor of Europe, but
lat, in view of the fact that the war in
hich the tariff then existing originated,
I'd been closed for more than 20 years. and
view of the further fact that the public
easury was over-burdened, they were will
g to readjust the tariff, if it could only
} done by its friends instead of 'tRebel
rigadiers."
Why the Country Went Democratic.
will not refer to all the means by which
If opponents succeeded in that contest,
lffice it to say they gained complete DOS
sslon OF the Government in every branch,