The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-09-20

APOSA'AOh oA Jul plluClpleS DIS I'LL elaDO-
rate platform could be. Now, what did the
Mills bill disclose upon the question
OF the qualification of wages? l make
the statement, and challenge a contra
dlction of its truth, that there was not
single manufactured article mentioned
In that bill, upon which the duty was re-
duced, upon which there was not still
left duty sufficient to represent the diff
ference in wages paid in this and foreign
countries for the labor involved in its
production. l can safely go further, and
say, that In many instances the duty per
mltted to remain exceed this difference in
wages, three; four and five times, there
fore our position upon this question is as
clear as the noon day sun and it requires
no special plank in the platform to empha-
size 1t. If were asked to define as concise
ly aspossible the whole democratic party.
L should state it substantially as fol-
lows: "We favor tariff for revenue
only, limited to the .ersssities of the
and sndd'sD%dd5t So dd5jtnsted in its application. as
far as practicable, as to prevent nne-
quail burdens, encourage productive in
dustries at home, and afford just com
penation to labor, but not to create
nor foster monopoly These are the
cardinal principles upon which the details
of all tariff legislation should be based.
Our opponents profess to be much dis
turbed because we have in our platform
denounced republican protection" as
fraud. What else is it? 1t is fraud
for these conclusive reasons: First. 1t
is secured by palpable abuse of the tax
nj n
1t enures to the benefit of the few to the
expense of the many Third. 1t is
based upon favoritism of the worst spe.
ces. Fourth. 1t tends to create ficti-
tious prosperity to be followed by sub
sequent business depression. Fifth. 1t
is deceptive in its promises and unsat
isfactory in its results. Sixth. Its
principal beneficiaries constitute pri-
vileged class and their importuni
ties for governmental aid lead
to public scandal and decentralization
President Harrison and all the other
great and small advocates of this vicious
system diligently seek to create the i'm
preston that the democratic party has
assumed bolder attitude than formerly
and become an advocate of absolute free
trade. They will not succeed in their
strenuous efforts to place us in a false po
sition. 1t does not follow that because
we are opposed to an unreasonable tariff
, that we favor free trade and the aboli
tion of all custom houses We are op
posed to placing a virtual Chinese wal
around the country to hamper and
, restrict the natural laws of trade. W,
a favor larger commerce and wide
e markets than at present exist. We ar
t opposed to any governmental partner
1 ship with private interests such as tn,
: Mckinley bill establishes. We favo
S legislation for the masses and not for tn
: classes. We favor the protection 0
q labor and not the creation of monopolies
0 We would encourage and foster labor b,
e relieving it of all unnecessary burdens
i; Tariff reform does not mean free trade
s Our opponents misrepresent our positio
d now as they have ever done since tn
), famous tariff message of 1887. In tha
2 historic message our candidate e2
r pressly repudiated the suggcstio
d that he was entering upon an
), crusade of free trade. The disastrou
al defeat of 1888 brought republican Pres
If ident and republican Congress int
le power, and two years later, as rewar
,e to those beneticiaries who had SO largel
le contributed to their success, our oppt
ic nents passed what is known the worl
7e over as the Mckinley tariff bill. IL
pit Mckinley bill has not ruined the coul
ID try, nor has it benefited it. 1t has il
v creased the burdens of the tax payers ar
J. aided many of the monopolies of tt
is land. There is no satisfactory eviden'
Mt that it has increased our property in al
n. degree, or advanced the wages of sing
n. working man. Skilled staticians capab
US of juggling with figures, may assun
g, to have more information than we pc
It, sess, and may figure out different I
be suit, but can safely assert that it is t
ill general understanding of the peoI
fl that the Mckinley bill has not increas
o. wages either in New York or elsewhel
MT l know this much, that the democrat
Ia party will be entirely content to perm
to every workingman whose wages ha
M been increased since the passage of
I'D Mckinley bill to vote the republic
he ticket, if our opponents will consent tt
les all those whose wages have not been
he creased shall vote the democratic tick
ost and upon that basis we will carry
rec country by a million majority.
ost should not, however, permit our pc
of ton to be misunderstood. We are I
ed seeking power upon the 'calamit
ep- issue, but with all good citizens we
the joice in the prosperity of the coun
st, and trust that it may continue, but
ab- insist that the country has been prosp
les Gus, not because of the Mckinley la
I'd, but in spite of it. There is another iss
aw in this campaign of equal if not grea
ac- Importance than the tariff, which affe
Jon the rights and liberties of every citiz
ne The republican party seems to be ire
lies cably committed to the passage of
IAN Federal election bill, generally known
riff the force bill, and although it must
lies evident to the most patriotic and thoug
ons full member of that organization t
ual it is a piece of political fooli
ges ness, only equalled by its m
far dacity, there has appeared for tn
,ro- no escape from its advocacy. 1t is
impeachment of the good sense of the
Gus publican leaders that they should p1
ace the consideration of so offensive and
ing wise at this or any other time, especi
lat in view of the fact, now apparent
on every one, that it absolutely preve
les- their party receiving single elect'
It it vote in a third Of the States of the UNI
we and although as partisans we may rel
diff at their folly, yet as citizens we dep
,een their threatened attack upon the free
for stitutions of our country, never be
the so imperiled. The bill has been
eyi described as ''menace to liberty
not liberty of the North as well as the So