The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-07

the invested capital"
But the convention Overwhelmingly re-
jected these propositions, which had be-
fore received the sanction of Democratic
national conventions. and substituted the
declaration that protective duties are I'M
constitutional; that high protection and
low protection are unconstitutional. OF
the consequences of this acceptance OF
tariff for revenue only, with its denuncia-
ton Of protection as unconstitutional, the
president says:
Democratic congress holding this view can
not enact, nor a Democratic president approve,
any tariff schedule, the purpose or effect OF
which Is 70 limit importations or give any ao-
vantage 10 American workmen or producers.
bounty might, Judge, be given TO the importer
under this view of the constitution in order to
increase inportationa Reciprocity, of course,
falls under denunciatIon, for its object and Ell
feet is not revenue, but the promotion oil com
mercisl exchanges, the profits of which go
wholly to our producers.
Concerning the benefcent results of the
Mckinley tariff, the president felicitously
says that ''the day of the prophets OK
calamity has been succeeded by that of
trade reports" BY the increase in wages,
by the reduction in the cost of articles Of
common necessity and marked advance in
the prices of agricultural products, it is
plain that the tariff law has not imposed
burdens, but has conferred benefits upon
the farmer and workingman.
Concerning the growth of the new tin
plate industry, established under the tariff
of 1890. Mr.. Aver, treasury agent in
charge, estimates as the result of careful
inquiry that the production of the current
year will be 100, O0O, 900 pounds, and that
year by year our production will increase
at the rate of 200, Coz. 900 pounds per an
mum.
Another industry that has been practic-
ally created by the Mckinley bill is the
making of pearl buttons.
The tariff act gives to miners protection
against foreign silver-bearing lead ores,
the free introduction of which threatened
the great mining industries Of the Rocky
mountain states; and to woolgrowers pro-
lection for their fleeces and fiocks, which
saved them q further and disastrous de-
cline. The house of representatives at its
last session passed bills placing these ores
upon the free list. The people of the West
we'll know how destructive to prosperity
these measures would be.
The president feels confident that tho
American workingman is too intelligent
to believe that labor troubles can be
ameiiorated by the tariff policy proposed
by the Democracy, the first necessary
effect of which is a severe wage cut, and
second, q large diminution of the aggre-
gate amount Of work to be done in this
country.
The language Of the president concern.
ing crimes against the suffrage is reiter-
alton Of the same resolute but conserve
tive opinions expressed in his last mes
sage. He urges no force bill, but believes
sit will be possible to constitute a COM
mission, non-partisan in membership and
composed of patriotic, wise and impartial
men, to whom consideration of the ques-
ton of the evils connected with our cleo
ton system and methods might be COM
United, with good prospect of securing
unanimity in some plan for removing or
mitigating those evils. The constitution
would permit tho selection of a commits
sion to be vested in the supreme court"
The demand that limitations OF suffrage
should be found in the ballot, and only there,
IL 4 Just demand, and no just man should pre-
vent or resist it 1t seems to me that an appeal
to our people to consider tho question OF re-
adjusting our legislation upon absolutely fair
and nom partisan lines might find some effective
response.
The power OF the states over the question Of
the qualification of electors is ample to protect
them against the dangers OF an ignorant or de-
PRAYED suffrage, and the demand that every
man found to be qualified under the law shall
be made secure In the right to cast free ballot,
and to have that ballot counted, cannot DO
abated.
Our Republican battle cry, "a free ballot and
q fair count" comes back to US not only from
Alabama, but from other states, and from men
who, differing with Us only In opinion, have
come to see that parties and political debates
arc but q mockery If, when the debate is ended.
tho judgment of an honest majority is to DO re-
versed by ballot box frauds and tally sheet
manipulation in the interest Of the party fac
ton in power.
No intelligent patriotic man can find in
these sober. temperate words any sort of
foundation for the cry that the Republican
party Is welded to the policy of "negro
domination"
The above is brief abstract of the pres
ident's letter, which is so mastery and
complete at all points, both OF offense
and defense. that its publication will sim
piify the speech-making of the campaign
The presidents argument. as he has cut
lined it with admirable clearness. will be
the argument of the campaign in closely
contested states, ana under this sign We
shall conquer.
CONSISTENCY THROWN TO THE