The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-20

trary to the spirit of our free institu-
tions. let us examine the point a mo-
ment.
PRIVATE INDUSTRIES.
Whence comes the power TO protect
private industries? What clause of the
Constitution can be invoked for such a
purposcy There is none IL must be
conceded by every intelligent citizen that
the Constitution does not grant any such
express power. There is not an elemen-
tary law writer anywhere whose treatise
on the Constitution is regarded as stand
ard authority who ventures 10 affirm the
constitutional right of Congress to levy
duties for and other direct purpose than
for the support of the Government.
Republican protection. therefore. does
not cOnsututiOnally exist but is imposed
upon the people by fraud, false protense,
evasion and gross abuse Of the taxing
power. All the so-called protection for
which our opponents have clamored and
which they have obtained in recent years
have been secured. not by constitutional
sanction, hut by the abuse of the con
ceded taxing power of the Government.
II is a dangerous exercise of authority.
1t is n pervcTsion of the powers of gov
ernment.
SAFE AND JUST POSITION.
The Democratic position is a safe, log
ical. conservative and just position. No
tariffs except for the purpose Of revenue
only and then limited to the necessities
Of the Government honestly and ecOnom-
ically administered, is a doctrine which
appeals to the good sense and sound
judgment Of every honest and thought
ful man. With the constantly increasing
expenses Of government and the enOr-
nous amount of money. annually aug
menting. required by the growing pension
list, these tariffs which must necessarily
be eXacted to meet these expenditures
will be for many years to come amply
/ sufficient TO afford incidentally all the
protection which the most ardent advo-
cate Of the system can reasonably ask.
More than this ought not TO be conceded
to anybody.
THE DEMOCRATIC POSITION.
Tn the imposition Of necessary tariffs
there should be exercised wise discrimi-
nation in the amounts cXacted and in the
articles taxed. What should be placed
upon the free list and what should be the
most heavily lLrdenrd are questions not
free from difficulty and require the most
careful consideration. The Mills bill Of
/ 1883 and the separate tariff bills passed
Joy the present Democratic House of Rep
rcSentatives indicate il a general way the
/ Democratic position. They show:
should be absolutely free.
Second. That luxuries should bear the
/ heaviest burdens
Third. That there should be free raw
/ materials for the benefit Of our manufac-
! turers
Fourth. That the tariff upon manufac'
| tured articles should, IS a general rule
! be larger where similar articles are manu-
/ tJctUrcd in this country than where they
/ ere rot.
Fifth That the tariff imposed upon all
manufactured articles (Cther than those
! which for good reasons are placed on the
! free list should equal the difference be
! tween the rate of wages paid in this AM
! foreign countries 50 far as labor enters
into the cost Of their production.
HARRIsoN's INGENIOUS LETTER.
President Harrison, in his Ingenious
! letter of acceptance, cndeavOrS TO place
/ cur party in false attitude. by calling
! attention 10 the fact that while our plat
! form I'm 1854, readOpted in 1855, contained
IN express plank upon tins question OF
equalization of wages, yet it was omitted
III 1892, and asse rts that we have
changed our position. ! beg 10 differ with
him. There have been no changes. There
was no necessity for the repetition of that
plank, 3s the party's position upon 1t had
| been evidenced by the Mills bill, which
| conventions of 1884 and 1883 were held.
/ Tsrtics are to be judged as much by their
| records as thGr Platforms. We stand
/ not only upon our platform Of lS!)2, but
upon the Mills bill, which was the latest
/ general Democratic legislation upon the
/ tariff subject. That bill was rs good an
exposition of our principles 0s any elabor-
0te platform could be.
PROVISIONS OF THE MILLS BILL.
Now what did the Mills bill disclose
upon the question Of tie equalization Of
/ wagesY / make the statement and ahal-
leIge a contradiction of its truth that
there was not Il single manufactured artl-
Gle mentioned in that bill upon which the
duty was reduced, upon which there was
not still left duty sufficient 10 repre-
sent the differences in wages paid IN this
and foreign countries for the labor invOl-
we'd in its production.
can safely 90 further, ard say that in
many instances the duty permitted to re-
main exceeded this difference in wages
three. four and FIVE times. Therefore, our
position upon this question is as clear as
the MONDAY sun and it requires no spe-
cial plank in the platform to emphasize it.
If | were asked to define as cOncisely
rs possible the whole Democratic policy /
should state it substantially as follows:
I'VE favor tariff for revenue only, hns-
tied TO the necessities OF the Govern
ment economically administered and so
adjusted in its application, as far as prac-
ticable. as 10 prevent unequal burdens,
encourage productive industries at home
and afford Just compensation to labor, but
not to create or foster mOnOpOlies.
These are the cardinal principles upon
which the details of all tariff legislation
should be based.
"REPUBLICAN PROTECTION" A FRAUD.
Our opponents profess to be much dis
turbed because we have in our platform
denounced 'RepubIcan protection" as a
fraud. What else is it? 1t is Il fraud
for these conclusive reasons:
1st 1t is secured by palpable abuse OF
the taxing power of the Government.
ID 1t enures to the beneht OF the few
at the expense of the many.
Sd. 1t is based upon fayoritism of the
worst species.
4th. 1t tends to create fictitious pros
perity, to be followed by subsequent busi-
ness depression.
9TH lt is deceptive in its promises and
unsatisfactory In its results.
9th. The principal benchciaries cOnsti-
tute privileged class, and their impOrtu-
mites for governmental aid lead to pub
lie scandal and Generalization.
President Harrison and all the other
great and small advocates of this vicious
system diligcltl tly seek to create the inl-
pressiOn that the Democratic party has
assumed a bolder attitude than formerly
and become an advocate of absolute free
trade. They will not succeed in their
off a n in oil