The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-09
ever will be, sound Democratic doctrine:-

Argus.
Perhaps this has always been sound
Democratic doctrine, but certain it is
that a good many Democratic national
conventions have fought very shy of it.
1t is doctrine which the Democrats
have been very willing to conceal or
abandon when they thought there were
votes in so doing. In 1872 this ''sound
| doctrine was kept entirely out of sight
| by the Democratic national convention
and the subject of free trade and protec-
ton remanded to the congressional dis
tricts. Not word is there in that plat
| form which gives any clue to the posi-
ton of the Democracy on the tariff. In
| 1880 the Democracy again neglected to
pay any attention to this immutable
principle of the Democratic party, while
| in 1884 it to certain extent actually re-
| pudiated it, for it declared as follows:
We therefore denounce the abuses of this ex-
listing tariff and subject 10 the preceding tiDattG-
| ton we demand that Federal taxation shall be
| exclusively public purposes and shall not eX-
| coed the needs of the government economically
| administered.
Here is plain and positive modifica-
ton of the doctrine that the tariff shall
be laid for revenue only. Here is dis
tinct admission that this doctrine is sub
| ject to limitation; or was in 1884. What
were the limitations put upon it at that
time? The preceding paragraph OF the
| platform tells as follows:
But in making reduction in taxes, it is not
proposed to injure any domestic industries but
| rather to promote their healthy growth. From
the foundation of this government taxes col
| lected at the Custom House have been the
| chief source of Federal revenue. Such they
| must continue to be. Moreover. many indus
| tries have come to rely upon legislation Tor
successful continuance, SO that any change OF
| labor and capital thus involved. The
necessary reduction in. taxation can
and must be effected without deprvmg
cessfully with foreign labor. and Without i'm
posing lower rates Of duty than will be ample
to cover any increased cost Of prod9ctlon when n
| may exist in consequence OF the nlgnef rate OF
| wages prevailing in this country.
Here are the limitations and it will be
seen that they constitute distinct rec
ognition of the propriety and constltu-
tionality of a tariff which discriminates
in favor of American labor and American
| industries; which is the doctrine OF pro-
lection. This was the platform on which
Grover Cleveland was elected III
1884. This was the platform which
was submitted to the last Ma
tional Democratic convention ano
which was rejected by large ma
jority in favor Of the platform that de
clared that it was unconstitutional to dis
criminate by means of duties in favor Of
American labor. 1t is true that the doc
trine of the Democratic party this yeai
is tariff for revenue only, coupled witt
distinct reputation of the platform
of 1884 which declared in favor of suffi
Gent protection to the American laborins
man to save him from the competition OF
the lower paid labor of Europe, but it is
not true that the Democratic party has
always held to this doctrine. The
Democratic party has heretofore in sew
eral of it's national conventions admitted
not only the constitutionality OF protec
ton but also it's value to American in
dustries and American labor.