San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-11
THE PROTECTIVE DEMOCRACY.

THE PROTECTIVE DEMOCRACY
The platform adopted at Chicago
by the democracy leaves no ground
for any dispute as to where that
party stands on the tariff question
Thanks to those who either did not
see the adroitness with which the
platform committee had worded that
plank, or did not choose to see 1t, the
party is now on record and compelled
to face the music. The Chicago plat.
form is in set terms opposed to the
teaching OF Jefferson, jackson and
Madison, those great lights of the
democratic party under whose rep
utations the democracy OF to-day
shelter themselves. In thus cutting
loose from their old teachers and ex-
emplars the democratic party has
challenged the support of such demo-
Gratis as still adhere to the principles
laid down by the old party leaders in
the earlier days of the republic. 1t
is for the democracy Of this present
to show cause for their departure
from the faith that was once deliv-
cred to them, and also to show why
those democrats that still adhere to
the earlier and wiser teachings are
not absolved from any farther allegi-
ence to the democratic party in it's
degeneracy. 1t is true that there is
in words q declaration of adherence
to the principles laid down by Jeffer.
son, but there is the free trade
declarations of the platform denial
of the democratic faith as announced
by that Father of mocracy. Jeffer-
son says:
1.-THE prohibitive duties we lay on
all articles of foreign manufacture
which prudence requires us to estab-
lish at home, with the patriotic de-
termination of every good citizen to
use no foreign article which can be
be made within ourselves, without
regard to difference in price, secures
us against q relapse into foreign de-
tendency"
The democratic platform adopted
at Chicago says:
ave denounce Protection as a
fraud"
Not much Jeffersonian democracy
in that declaration. That same demo-
cratic platform in it's opposition to the
declarations of Jacks Jefferson and
Madison says:
ave declare it to be fundamental
principle of the democratic party that
the federal government has no con-
stltutional power to impose aud col
lect tariff duties, except for the pur-
pose of revenue only, and we demand
that the collection of such taxes shall
he limited to the necessities OF the gov
eminent, when honestly and econom-
ically administered"
In direct opposition to this is the
of that staunch old demo.
crat, Andrew Jackson, who says:
"The power to impose duties on Inn
ports originally belonged to the sew
eral States. The right to adjust those
duties with view to the encourage.
ment of domestic branches ofindustry
is 80 completely identical with tina
power that it is difficult to suppose
the existence of the one without
the other. The States have delegated
their whole authority over imports t'
the general Government, without
or restriction, saving the
very uncomfortable reservation re-
latiug to their inspection laws. This
having entirely passed from
the States, the right to exercise 1t for
the purpose of Protection does not eX.
ist in them, and therefore, II it be not
possessed by the general Government,
it must be extinct. Our political sys-
tenn would thus present the anomaly
of people stripped of the right to
foster their own industry, and TO
the most selfish and de-
policy which might be
adopted by foreign nations. This
surely cannot be the case; this indis-
pensable power, thus surrendered by
the states, must be within the scope
of the authority on the subject ex-
pressly delegated to Congress. In
we'll by the opinions of Presidents
Washington, Jefferson, Madison and
Monroe, who have each repeatedly
the exercise of this
right under the constitution, as by
the uniform practice of Congress, the
continued acquIesence of the States,
and the general understanding of the
people,"
tits plain to the most ordinary I'M
not only that the de-
mocrscy of today have departed from
the protection faith of their fathers,
but that the republican party in its
teaching and declarations concerning
tariff occupies the same ground that