Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-04

/ and fairly distributed. Such review NAV
also be OF interest 10 those who believe
that our consumers are entitled 70 be treat
eo Justly and honestly by the government
anu tnaJ the wOrkingman should be allowed
/ 70 teel IN his humble home, as he supplies
MS Iamily'S daily needs, that his earnings
are not unlustly eXtOrted from him for the
benefit Of the favored beneiciaries Of un-
| fair tariff laws
| This, then. is the record. When we be-
gan the contest for tariff reform, il was
/ said by our Republican opponents, in the
/ lace OF our avOwals aud acts, that we were
determined on free trade A long advance
| was made In their inSincerity and impu-
/ dence when they accused US Of voting in
| the interest Of foreigners, and when they
more than limited that we had been bought
with British gold. Those who distrusted
/ the effectiveness of these SenselesS appeals
lnsulted the intelligence of our people by
/ claiming that an increase in the cost OF ar
/ uc4es 10 the consumer caused by the tariff
was not tax paid by him, but that it was
paid by the foreigners who sent theirgoods
/ 10 our markets. Sectional prejudice was
invoked in the most outrageous manner,
and the people of the North were asked to
condemn the measure Of tarifi reform pro-
| posed by us because members Of Congress
from the South had supported It,
These are fair samples of the arguments
submitted to the American people in the
Presidential campaign Of 1855.
PUBLIC WASTE.
1t will be observed that the purpose of
these amazing deliverances was TO defeat
entirely any reform in the tariff, though it
had been enacted az time when the ex-
penSe OF tremendous war justified the eX
action of tribute from the people which in
time OF peace became grievOus burden,
though it had cOngested the Federal treas
ury with worse than useless surplus, in
viting reckless public waste and extrava-
gance, and though in many of its features
the only purpose of its continuation was
the bargaining it permitted for party sup
port.
There were those, however, in the ranks
or our opponents who recognized the fact
that we had so aroused popular attention
TO the evils and injustice of such tarin
that 10 might not be safe 10 rely for success
upon bold opposition 10 its platform.
These were the grave and Sedate Republi-
can statesmen who declared that they
never. HcUeT could consent 10 suoServe the
interests Of England at the expense of their
own country. as the wicked democrats pro-
posed % do, and that they felt constrained
70 Insist upon tariff, protective 10 the
point Of prohibition, because they devoted
ly loved our workingmen and were deter
mined that their employment should
be constant and that their wages
should never sink to the disgusting
level OF the pauper labor of Europe,
but, that, in view of the fact that the war
in which the tariff then existing originated
had been closed for more than twenty
years, and in view of the further fact that
the public treasury was over burdened,
they were willing to readiuSt the tariff, II
il could only be done by its friends instead
of Rebel Brigadiers." Applause
l will not refer 10 all the means by which
our opponents succeeded in that contest
Suffice il TO say that they gained complete
possession Of the Government in every
branch and the tariff was reformed by it's
alleged friends. All must admit, however,
that either this was not done by the peo-
pies friends or that the efforts in their be-
half sadly miscarried, or was ungratefully
remembered; for few weeks thereafter
relegatiOn TO private life among those
occupying seats in Congress VINO had been
active on reforming the tariff occurred,
which amounted 10 political revolution.
These victims claimed that our voters
allied 10 indOrse their reform Of the tariff
because they did not understand 10. II is
quite probable, however, that IL they did
not understand IL they felt il, and that, be-
cause it made them uncomfortable, they
what they wanted. AT any rate, the con-
sumer has found life harder since this re-
form than before, and IN there is work
ingfuau anywhere who has had his wages
Increased Oy virtue OF its operation he has
not vet made himself known. Plenty OF
mills aud factories have been closed. thou
sands Of men have thus lost employ
meut and we daily hear OF reduced
wages: but the benefits promised
FROM this reform and its advantage 10
the people who really need relief are not
apparent The provision 10 contains per-
hitting reciprocity q trade In certain cases
depending ou the action OF the President
IS am admission. as far as 10 goes, against
the theory upOu which this reform Is pre-
Dictated and 10 lameiv limps in the direc-
zion of frcer commercial exchanges. II
Hypocrisy Is the homage vice PAYS 10
virtue reciprocity NAV be- called The hom-
age prohi5t0ry protection pays 20 genuine
tart reform.
rgEE RAW MATERIAL
The demand in your platform for free
raw materials ought. Do seems to me, 10 Dc
warmly seconded by the citizens OF your
state The advantages % The people OF
Rhode Island of such a policy DO not seem
to Do quesf. enable, and I am not here 90
discuss them in detail; bat all 1 have said
touching fhe conduct and record Of tue
Democratic party and is opponents In re
gard fo tariff legislation is in support Of
the proposition that an who desire the spe
cial relief referred 20 Ia your plat
1rrn. % any other Improvement In our tar
IN laws in the general interest Of the people
must look Co the Democratic party for H.
Inc manufacturer who sees ia. free raw
materials reduced cost Of his products re
sulting in an increased consumption and an
extension Of his markets, and constant
activity aud return for his invested capital,
can hardly trust the party which first re
sisted auv reform in the tariff, then luggled
with IL and al last fiatlv refused him the re-
lief he still needs. The wOrkingman who
has been deceived by the promise of higher
wages and better employment, and who
now constantly fears the closing Of manu-
factories and the loss OF work, ought GER
tainIv 10 be no longer caioled by party
whose performance has so clearly given the
lie 10 its profession. The consumer, who
has trusted to a reformation of the tariff by
its friends. now that he feels the Increased
borden of taxation in his home, ought 10
look in another direction for relief.
IL the Democratic party does not give TO
the State of Rhode Island during the pres
ent session of Congress the free raw ma
terial she needs, il will be because RepuO-
lican Senate or executive thwarts It's de
signs. AT any rate nothing shall divert US
from our purpose to reform the tariff IN
this REGARD. as well rs many others, be the
tin,e of its accomplishment near or remote.
II doubtless would please our adversarieS
If we could be allured from our watch and
e~,ar5 over the cause OF tariff reform 70
certain other objects, thus forfelting the
neople's trust and confidence. Tn Ma
tional Democracy will hardly gratif Y this
wish and turn its back upon the peoples