Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-04-06

dates all must obey, and whose defini-
lions all partisans must accept.
In the light of this exposition of the
duty the government owes to the peO-
pie, the Democratic party claims that
when, through Federal taxation, bur.
dens are laid upon the daily life of the
people not necessary for the govern
ment's economical administration, and
intended, whatever be the pretext, to
enrich few at the expense of the
many, the governmental compact is
violated.
A distinguished Justice of the Su-
preme Court, with no Democratic afili
ations, but loved and respected, when
living, by every American, and since
his death universally lamented, has
characterized such proceeding as
''none the less a robbery because it is
done under the forms of law and is call
ed taxation"
Let us, then, appreciate the fact that
we not only stand upon sure and safe
ground when we appeal to honesty and
morality in our championship of the
interests of the masses of our people as
they are related to tariff taxation, but
that our mission is invested with the
highest patriotism when we attempt to
preserve from peryersiOn, distortion,
and decay the justice, equality, and
moral integrity which are the constitu-
ent elements of our scheme of popular
government.
TARIFF REFORM INDICATED.
Those who believe in tariff reform
for the substantial good it will bring to
the multitude who are neglected when
selfish greed is in the ascendancy; those
| who believe that the legitimate motive
of our government is to do equal and
exact justice to all our people, and
grant especial privileges to none; those
who believe that nation boasting
that it's foundation is in honesty and
conscience cannot afford to discard
moral sentiment, and those who would
save our institutions from the under
mining decay of sOrdidness and selfish
ness can hardly excuse themselves if
they fail to join us in the crusade we
have undertaken. Certainly our since
rity cannot be questioned. In the be-
ginning of the struggle we were not
only bitterly opposed by great party
of avowed enemies, but were embar-
raised by those in our own ranks who
had become infected with the unwhole-
some atmosphere our enemies had
created. We hesitated not moment
| boldly to encounter both. We unified
our party-not by any surrender to
the half-hearted among our members
| but by an honest appeal to Democratic
sentiment and conscience. We have
never lowered our standard. 1t surely
was not policy nor expediency that in
duced us defiantly to carry the banner
| of tariff reform as we went forth to
meet a well organized and desperately
| n nfo IN, o,fv al Il
of 1888. A time-serving or eXpediency-
found the day after such a crushing
defeat, undismayed, defiant, and deter
mined, still shouting the old war-cry,
and anxious to encounter again, in the
peoples cause, our eXultant enemy.
We had not long to wait. At the
Waterloo of 1890 tariff reform had it's
vindication, and principle and stead
fast devotion to American fairness and
good faith gloriously triumphed over
plausible stiffness and attempted
popular deception.
The Democratic party still champions
the cause which defeat could not in
duce it to surrender, which no success
short of complete accomplishment can
tempt it to neglect. Its position has
been from the first frankly and fairly
stated, and no one can honestly be mis-
led concerningit it. We invite the strict
est scrutiny of our conduct in dealing
with this subject, and we insist that
our cause has been open, fair, and con-
sistent. l believe this is not now sober
ly denied in any quarter.
THE TARIFF REFORMED BY ITS
FRIENDS.
l will not refer to all the means by
which our opponents succeeded in that
(the last presidentiaD contest Suffice
it to say they gained complete posses
sion of the government in every branch,
and the tariff was reformed by its al
legged friends. ALI must admit, how
ever, that either this was not done by
the peoples friends, or that the effort
in their behalf sadly miscarried OF was
ungratefully remembered; for a few
weeks thereafter RELOCATION to private
life among those occupying seats in
Congress who had been active in re-
forming the tariff occurred which
amounted to a political revolution
These victims claimed that our voters
failed to indorse their reform of the
tariff because they did not understand
it. 1t is quite probable, however, that
if they did not understand it they felt
it, and that, because it made them I'M
comfortable, they emphatically said
such reform was not what they want
ed. At any rate, the consumer has
found life harder since this reform than
before, and if there is workingman
anywhere who has had his wages in
creased by virtue of it's operation he
has not yet made himself known. Plen-
ty of mills and factories have been
closed, thousands of men have thus lost
employment, and we daily hear of re-
duced wages; but the benefits promis-
ed from this reform, and it's advantage
to the people who really need relief,
are not apparent. The provision it
contains permitting reciprocity of trade
in certain cases depending on the &C
ton of the President is an admission,
as far as it goes, against the theory up
on which this reform is predicated, and
it lamely linlps in the direction of freer
commercial exchanges. If hypocrisy
is the homage vice pays to virtue,n rec
iprocity may be called the homage
prohibitory protection pays to genuine
tariff reform
1t doubtless>would please our adver-
saries if we could be allured from our
watch and guard over the cause of tar
iff reform to certain other objects, thus
FORGETTING the peoples trust and conf |
dence. The national Democracy will
hardly crafty this wish and turn it's
back upon the peoples cause to wan
der after false and unsteady lights in |
the wilderness of doubt and danger.
The demand in your platform for
free raw material ought, it seems to me, |
to be warmly seconded by the citizens
of your State. \
If the Democratic party does not
give to the State of Rhode Island dur
ing the present session of Congress the