New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-04
cEy,TOR HdLE'S SPEECH.

cor,tor Uale's strong speech on the new
| nosition of the Democratic party Whlch i
nrinted in full on the fourth page, deserves gen
| arol attention. The Senator congratulateS inc
country that the Democratic party has at laSo
mot the tariff issue boldly and squarely, ana mas
,ono as near free trade as is possible under
nre,,.nt conditions 1t has definitely demanded
= tariff for revenue only, which the Senator says
is separated from free trade by the bare amount
Of revenue which may be necessary FOR the uo'-
eminent. Every idea of incidental protec'io''
every recognition of great industries or their
needs. was summaliy kicked out OF the PLATFORM
Inv the Democrats in convention. In brlei' 'hcE
adoptcd platform which exactly fits the past
record of the candidate they selected The ell ecu
Of this position on the votes of American WORK
incmcn nav he readily inferred from the results
in the State of Rhode Island where Mr. Clevc-
land recently made great speech setting form
the same doctrines, and where the Republican
party triumphed by majoritieS surprising even
to its most hopeful workers.
Senator Hale then calls attention &c the fact
that while the shrcwdeSt leaders of the Demo
cratic marty. who had no personal interest in Mr.
Clcvelands fortunes. were against his renoml-
III.
prevent il. an army of his former oficc-holder
controlled the convention, anu was malShalled
bv men who we're his Cabinet officers. His own
attitude on the tariff question. or rather the at
titude into which these managers tried TO forcc
him, Is set forth with great clearnesS and erect
by Mr.. Hale and it is shown that either MI
Cleveland himself or his chief supporters tired
to dodge the very issue on which the convention
was ready TO nominate him as its brayest cham
pion The platform first reported to the con-
yention made distinct reference to The wages oi
laior as a reason for discriminating duties on
products imported from other countries, ana
took care to state plainly that the party did not
propose to niure any industry, nor 10 break
down any that had been established IN THIS
country under the operation of protective duties
In Mace of this declaration which Mr. Cleve-
lands generals favored. the convention sub
stituted bald declaration that protective duties
are unconstitutional, that protection OF every
kind and degree is robbery and that dutleS
should be levied for revenue only.
The Southern Confederacy was in the saddle
again. as Mr. Hale shows, for he calls attention
10 the fact that the Southern states voted al
most solidly for the platform finally adopted
and their votes turned the scale. But the great
producing States of the North were almost solld
in support of the more dishonest and evaSlve
platform originally reported. 1t is therefore no
longer possible to set up the prctence that
difference in wages between this and other
countries Is regarded by the Democratic party
or that II means to maintain the industries
created by protection, or that it means to AVOID
the destruction of American industries. The
party openly proposes to put all the labor OF this
country on the basis Of the unpaid or underpaid
labor of foreign lands.
Senator Hale also reviews forcibly the re-
suits Of the new tariff, showing the splendid in
crease in foreign trade which has already APP
reared He calls attention to the contrast be-
tween the imports and exports for three years
under Mr. Cleveland's Administration and for
three years under President llarrison's Admin
istration. The magnificent returns for the last
wear also received the attention which they
deserve.
The closing portion of this able speech places
in strong light the contraSted position OF the
two great parties, one defending American in
dustries and an American policy, while the other
utterly refuses to give those industries any con-
sideraton whatever in shaping its revenue laws
Hence it is that the Democratic party Is dis
tinctively and truly the British party, and meets
with the enthusiastic approval of British jour
nails which the Senator quotes at some length.
II will be instructive TO Americans before they
vote this wear to consider what reasons are
given by British papers for the strong desire
that Mr. Cleveland may be elected, and the in
tense sympathy with his party, which they so
freely express.