Omaha daily bee., 1892-10-17
rlsnlyG roR GERMAN VOTES.

A little iunta of German mugwumps
in New York city has taken upon it,
self the responsibility of debating the
course that should be pursued by the
German-Americau element OF this coun-
try III the present political crisis. Some
OF the men who have united in an APP
peal to German Americans to support
Grover Cleveland are connected with
large corporations which have asked
favors of the Harrison dministration
and have been disappointed. The point
which they attempt to make is that
Cleveland is friend of the poor labor
ing man. They are not laboring men
themselves, because they are rich, but
they nevertheless assume to be very
solicitous for the welfare of the laboring
Germans of this country. But another
Germ m american, Louis Schade, owner
and publisher OF the Washington Sentt-
mel, who has always been a strong demo-
crat, did not take the same view OF the
cnse when he declared before the Chi
cago convention: The knights OF
Labor and kindred associations are in
tensely hostile to Mr.. Cleveland for rea-
sons which they consider justified by
his course as president He also said
that the soldiers were strongly opposed
to Cleveland on account OF his pension
vetoes; that they voted solidly against
him in 1888 and would surely do so again
1t happens that a very large portion
of the workingmen OF this country are
Germans, and it is also true that the
| German element in the union army was
| large Thousands OF men who now wear
| tie badge of the Grand Army of the
| Republic are numbered among the
| brave sous of Germany. They must
| share in the general resentment OF tho
veterans against the pension record OF
| the cx-pres:dent, whom they are now
asked to support for reelection. The
| point which chiefly deserves attention,
however, is the appeal to Germans to
support Cleveland on the ground that
| he is friend of the laboring man.
| BY what act of his administration
did he show any solicitude for the inter-
ests of the wage Garner? He was always
an enemy to the policy by which the in
terests of American industries have
been protected and promoted and the
wages of laboring men maintained. He
stands today upon a platform tnat de-
clares Enthusiastically for free trade. He
is the special favorite of the men who
have for years sought to destroy the
protective principle. He has plainly
proclaimed his enmity to the tariff laws
under which industries Of great magui-
tude have been built up in this country
and by which our worllingmen have
been protected from the competition OF
foreign pauper labor.
The idea that the democratic candi-
date is deserving OF German support
because he is friend of labor is alb
surd and it is an insult to the intelli-
gence OF this important element of our
population to appeal to them upon that
ground. Among those who have in
vested capital in the various industries
of the country, particularly in the
new west, u considerable proportion
are Germans Are they anxious for
free trade and the ruinous competition
with Europe that would certainly fol
low? Among the wageearners of the
| WcSU tilClC arc iioo many VI
Germans, and their number is con-
stantly increased by immigration. Dc
they favor Il policy by which wage:
would inevitably be reduced to the
European level? If they are Mindful
of the condition Of the working classes
in free trade England at present, they
need no argument upon this subject.
} 1t will hardly do for the democracy tt
|, appeal to the German-A merican citizens
of this country in behalf of Grove
Cleveland. The fact that the appeal i
signed by few German mugwump
and millionaires will not add to its per