The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-25
THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

Secretary Elkins, the ablest and most
practical politician among the members of
the cabinet. is not only confident that
Harrison will be reelected, but says that
there is every indication of even a greater
Republican victory than we had in 1888.
He will win on the record of his party and
of his administration. In the one great
essential, the tariff issue, Cleveland is the
weakest candidate the Democrats could
have chosen.
The Democratic platform is the nearest
approach to free trade that this country
has ever seen, except the out-andout
declaration of the Confederate constitu-
ton. By a vote of 56i the Democratic
convention deliberately rejected the 'in-
cidental" protection to American industry
and labor plank and fatty refused to pro-
tect American labor by levying tariff on
imported goods even to the extent of the
difference between the price Of labor in
this country and the price of labor in Eu-
rope. By the same vote the Democracy
also refused any protection whatever to
American labor and to the manufacturing
promising declaration in favor of tariff
for revenue only and denunciation of pro-
tecticn as fraud and in violation of the
federal constitution cannot be nulliied
by 1.-The cloudy commonplace" of Cleve-
lands recent address. There is no escap-
ing the record of the Democratic tariff
platform, as it was deliberately adopted
after contest.
The free wool bill passed by the House
| would deprive the farmers of the country
of any protection for their wool. putting
them in direct competition with the cheap
| labor of South America and Australia.
Under the Mckinley tariff the country
has greatly prospered. During the last
three years our exports of merchandise
aggregated s.. 72l, 251, l95. an annual aver
age of over $907, 900, coo During the corre-
| spending years of Cleveland's adminlstra-
ton our exports aggregated s., l49 543, $50,
| an annual average of over 100000 900.
| The export during the Republican three
| years shows an annual average excess of
| SlS7 600 coo over the Democratic record.
| In the total foreign trade, imports and ex-
| ports, there was an excess in favor of the
| Republican years of $50, Coz, S2i. During
| the last year of Cieveland's administra-
ton the free imports amounted to $751;
| 29i,2 3S, or 34.65 per cent. of the total i'm
| ports of the period. During the CORE
| spending twelve months ending in March
| last the value of free imports amounted to
| s46i. 47S. 523, or 1913 per cent. of the total
| imports.
These figures justify the Republican
| policy of protecting articles that can be
| produced at home while admitting free
/ those that do not compete with our own
| production, in accordance with the theory
| of a protective tariff.
| In reply TO the question whether the
! strikes at Homestead, Pa, and at Cpur
d'Alene, Idaho. would work any harm TO
the Republicans. Secretary E.kins replied
that they could not have any other effect,
so far as the tariff is concerned. than to
help the Republican party. On this point
We quote Secretary Elkins in full, as fol-
| lows:
They have served as an object lesson in bring
/ ing prominently before the people the differ
| peting countries. The congressional commit
tee which the Democrats sent 10 Homestead
! have conspleuous.y brought 10 the attention of
| the whole country the fact that wor.ulen at
| Homestead were earning as high a. s2-S mont
| and that even the cheapest kind of unskille!
| labor was getting $40 per month. Where else in
| the civilized world could anything approac hing
that be found in the way OF wages9 And take
! the case of the Idaho miners, whore uuskilled
men, VINO shovel dirt, are striking against
| The pay OF s. per day. Lead ore is
! one OF The chief products OF the Idaho
/ mines, and a Democratic House has passed
s blu % admit free OF duty such ores coming
from Mexico. where they paw a. cents a iay for
| doing precisely similar work as thst OF tie
| Idaho miners who are striking against the nav
OF s. = day Now IL must not be forgotten tina,
the Mckinley tariff bill reduced the dutie. on
nearly al the products OF The Carnegie mills a,
HoIn, stead. and Democratic House has done
what Z could toward taking OF protection on
the lead ores produced in Idaho. Hence il
.'e ;SFIa 5 70 Dc brought into the discussion OF
/ these strikes, the result must necessarily HEN
instead II hurting The Republican party in
| bringing prominently before TIE people the
enormous difference in wages paid IL these
erap,oyDents IN this country snd in cornpetIrs
| countries
The purpose of Cleveland and his marty
Is 10 break down protection; the business
interests Of all sections would lie ruinousiy
affected by this change, and the busines.
and commercial classes are, therefore. by 3
vast majority. for Harrison, who ha:
shown himself entirely trustworthy on al
subjects of finance and commerce. Tie