The Indianapolis journal., 1892-11-04


purpose OF revenue only.
''Since when has IL become Fundamental
prinoiple OF the democratic party that
Congress has TO power To levy q tariff with
view 10 protectioni The Democratic
party processes TO be as old as the govern
ment; to have been founded by Jefferson.
and 10 have continued in his faith Its
great apostles, to whom reference is always
made as the source of its inspiration are
Jefferson, Madison and Jackson. And YET,
not one OF them has ever taken any such
position. On the contrary. all OF them. in
company with Washington and Hamilton.
were strong advocates of a tariff for the
announcements and protection of American
(ndustrles. Not only so; bnt the national
democratic platform of 1858 distinctly de-
clared that, in the revision of tho tariff
due allowance should be made for the diff
ferences between the wages of American
and foreign labor
so. In the platform of 1854, still more
plainly. il was declared that The neces-
sary reduction of taxation can ana must
be effected without depriving American
labor of the ability to compete success
fully with foreign labor. and without i'm
posing lower rates of duty than will be am
PIE TO cover any increased cost of produc-
ton which may exist In consequence of
the higher rate Of wages prevailing in this
country
ONLY OF RECENT GROWTH.
"It would seem that the unconstitution-
ality of discriminating protective duties
has become fundamental with this great
constitutional party since Grover Cleve-
land was candidate for the presidency.
in 1884, In 1889 and 1876 the Democratic
platforms resolved In favor of a tariff for
rovenue only. but contained no
suggestion that a protective tariff was un-
constitutional. or that jefferson and jack
son IN advocating protective tariff were
violating either the Constitution or the
fundamental principles OF the Democratic
party. IN 1868 the Democratic
platform demanded:
"Atariif for revenue upon foreign imports. and
such equal taxation uhder the internal revenue
laws as will afford incidental protection tn do
IHrstic manufactures. and Viii, without Inn
p'irinr the revenue. impose the least burden
upon ana hest promote and encourage the great
industrial interests OF tie country.
I'm other words. in 1865 the party had
not discovered this great fundamep tai
principle, but actually resolved in favor of
the principle OF protection in domestic tax
alton. And from this resolution it has
never reccded. In 1892. the last
time that General Jackson was candidate
for the presidency of the United States
upon the democratic ticket. the platform
of that party contained the following reso-
luton:
'Resolved. That adequate protection 10 Aneri-
can industry Is Indispensable 10 the prosperity OF
the country. and that an abandonment OF the
policy would lie attended with consequences
ruinous to the best interests OF the Nation.
And in 1924, in a letter dated April &c,
over his own signature. General Jackson
expressed his views on the subject, as fol-
lows:
"The Almighty has filed our mountains and
Our plains with minerals, lead, iron and copper.
and given us a climate and soil for the growing
OF hemp and WOOL These being the grand ma
terials of our national defense, they ought to
have extended TO them adequate and fair protec-
ton. that our manufacturers and laborers may
be placed on fair competition with those OF
Europe. and that we may have within our own
articles SO essential 10 war.
POSITION NOW RIDICULOUS.
What. In view of such n record, is the
value of the fundamental principle OF the
Democratic party. that the federal govern
ment has no constitutional power to i'm
poso and collect protective tariff dutiesi
The Democratic platform also promises
the repeal of the Mckinley bill. and that
without any saving of the wages of work.
inemen or of vested interests. as provided
in the platforms OF 1884 and 1888. And this
was intentional. 1t was done of malice
aforethougnt. The platform as originally
introduced was substantially as in those
two years. But the free-traders
were ir control, and were de-
termined upon radical new depart
ure, and the result Is this platform.
And what says Mr.. Clevelands
Does he agree with the platform, or does
| he dissent from It'll SO far as his letter Is
concerned. he does neither; he trims. he
hedges. III short he mugwUmps.'
| 'As 10 the currency the Democratic posi-
| tion Is more definite. IN order TO maintain
a national currency and drive the bills
issued by the old State banks. before the
| war, out OF existence, Congress. in 1861, I'M
| posed tax of 10 per cent. on oil such
| State bank notes. The necessity for such
] legislation need not be explained to those
VEL nor ,harf 4 he In
| times u book known the Bank-note Re-
| porter, or DetectOr. with new editions
every week, containing pictures OF all
known bank bills. and giving their pedi-
| gree, value, etc., was as essential to every
store or corner grocery q timetable Is TO
| travelling man; but even this was but
very partial protection to them. and mono
at all To the farmer leboring man or others
who handled LITTLE money.
Ills oNS EXPERIENCE.
"a single experience OF my own. in the
early spring of 1861, was the every day ex-
perence of multitudes. After q night of
sea-sIckness on q steamer between Boston
and the mouth of tho Kennebec river, /
landed at Bath. Me-. ravenously anxious
for something TO eat; but. though fairly
supplied with bank notes of my native
State of New York l had 10 run about from
street 10 street. in constant fear that the
boat wonld go Oft and leave me. before /
eonld lind any one who would, even for n
substantial discount. change q email bill
| and give me n breakfast. Those were good
| old Democratic times and that was Demo
| cratic money. Having since found that
our national currency IS good. not only all
| over the United States but equally good ic
Europe, In Canada. and in Mexico. beg to
dissent from any proposition TO 20 back TO
! the old system.
But, turning from the promises and pro-
| fessions of the Democratic party to its per-
/ formances. what has it To showf In
| one branch of public business President
| Cleveland did not only surpass any of his
predecessors buL easily distanced all of
them combined. All the Presidents of a
hundred years had vetoed only l35 bills.
! whereas tho pension bills alone which Pres
| ldcnt Cleveland vetoed were near l10. aud
| Ia such vetoes he missed 10 opportunity TO
add TO the disappointment and injustice
suffered by the claimant by a slander upon
the soldier and an insult TO the man. Be-
| sides those actually vetoed, he re-
fused TO sign several hundred.
| permitting them to become laws
! all were passed by Democratic House
and Republican Senate. he was unwilling
TO meet the responsibility IMPOSED on him
by the Constitution. by either approval or
/ disapprovai, over his own signature. As
l 10 what has been done by the Democratic
| House of Representatives. of tho Fifty-sec-
/ ond Congress. In which the Democratic
/ party has majority of nearly one hun
dred and fifty. i am content TO let one of
their members. q man who was an elector
voting for Mr.. Cleveland in 1881 and who
was elected TO the Fifty-second Congress
as Democrat, be tho witness.
|