News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-09-22


world. This is not a question of
politics, but Of the preserva-
ton of the lives of the old
soldiers and their families. Every
veteran who votes for Cleveland
votes to place the men in power who
now denounce them and their sick
and wounded, helpless, aged and in
firm comrades as, "Looters, ;" coffee
coolers" "Camp-folIowers." ''Red-
nosed patriots, who loaf about
doggeries and brothels," "Loafers,' -
"Robbers," "Agrarians," "Thieves,"
"Perjurers.' VETERAN.
THE THREE GREAT ISSUES
UPON WHICH MIR. BLAINE WOULD FIGHT
THIS CAMPAIGN.
1. The issue of the greatest conse-
quence is the tariff on imports, and
it will continue to be until settle
ment is effected by a majority so
large that it will be tantamOunt to
general acquiescence. The Republi-
cans are aggressive on this subject
Two years ago they passed a general
enactment known as the Mckinley
tariff, which for time failed to meet
with proper approval, and was re-
garded with certain degree of dis
trust by those who had always up
held the protective system. But a
powerful reaction has come in cOnse-
quence of the vindication of the Nc
Kinley tariff by experience. 1t is
found to have worked admirably,
and within the last year has produc-
ed greater volume of business, in
ternal and external, export and i'm
port, than the United States ever
transacted before
Against this tariff the Democratic
party have taken a position almost
without parallel in the history of the
country. They reject entirely the
doctrine of protection, pronounce it
a fraud and anathematize it gener-
orally. A resolution to this effect
was adopted by the Democratic con-
vention, against the report of the
committee on resolutions, by a two
thirds vote, thus manifesting the in
telligent participation of every man
in the convention.
The Democrats are in the habit of
naming Jefferson as the founder of
their party, and yet, on the subject
of tariff, they are in radical opposi-
ton to the principles laid down by
Jefferson. Toward the close of his
administration, the revenue from the
tariff on imports produced a consid-
cradle surplus, and the question was,
What should be done? Should the
tariff be reduced, or should the sur
plus be maintained? Jefferson point
eddy asked: "Shall We suppress the
imposts and give that advantage to
foreign over domestic manufactu-
rers?" For himself, he recommended
that 1.-THE imposts be maintained, !"
and that the surplus created "should
be appropriated to the improvement
of roads, canals, rivers and educa-
ton" If the constitution did not
give sufficient power to warrant these
appropriations, Jefferson went so far
as to recommend that it be amend
ed.
This presents the strongest condi-
ton of affairs upon which a protec-
tive tariff can be justified, and Jeffer-
son did not hesitate to recommend it.
The Democrats of the present day, it
is needless to say, are the direct OPP
ponents of the policy which Jefferson
thus outlined and adhered to.
2. In spite Iof Democratic opposi-
ton, we have attained through reci-
procity new and valuable trade,
and the system has demonstrated it's
many advantages. We were about
to declare sugar, molasses, coffee and
hides free of all duties in the McKin-
ley bill, but, instead of that, we pass
ed law by which we asked the sew
eral nations interested what they
would give to have those articles
made free. We found that the privi-
leges which we were about to give,
without cost and without charge,
would secure a large trade in Brazil,
in Cuba and Porto Rico, in the Wind
ward and Leeward islands, in British
Guiana and Jamaica, San Domingo
and the five Central American states,
and to a minor degree in Austria,
France and Germany-allin exchange
for the articles which we had intend
ed to admit gratuitously.
This is the whole of the reciprocity
scheme. it is very plain and very
simple. 1t secures a valuable trade
in exchange for articles otherwise
destined to be put on the free list.
The Democratic party think they can
discredit it, and they make the eff
fort, apparently, for the unpatriotic
reason that they did not originateit.
B. With all its calamities, the war
brought us one great bIessing-na-
tional currency. Prior to the warwe
had the worst currency system of
any enlightened nation in the world.
The state banks, with some excep-
tions, were thoroughly irresponsible.
They existed by thousands through
out the United States. Whenever
one of them failed the result was a
large loss and great distress among
the people. No one was responsible
for their bills, and they were gener-
ally found scattered in the pockets of
the laboring man, to whom they were
a total loss, without any redemption
whatever. of the state banks it was
often and truly said that their debts
were the measure of their profits.
Ihey caused an aggregate loss of
hundreds OF millions of dollars among
the poor.
Since the close of the war all this is
different. Every paper dollar that
clrculates among the people has the
United States behind it as a guaran-
tee. All the banks that exist are
under the control of the national
government, and if they fail as finan-
cial institutions the government has
taken care that their bills shall be
paid by securities deposited in gov
stances, it is a matter for extraordi-
nary surprise that the Democratic
convention should deliberately pass
resolutions for the revival of state
banks. The palpable effect of this
policy, if carried out, would be to
cheat~the poor man out of his daily
bread. If state banks be adopted, |
and their circulation attain q large |
issue, no device could be more deadly |
for the deception and despoiIment of
all the commercial and laboring
classes.
The three issues which | have given
are the issues upon which | would |
arraign the Democratic party. | |
would not multiply issues nor be di-
verted by our opponents from a
adherence to, and constant |
a Of /