Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-20

| thls difference IN wages three, four ana
flye tlmss. Therefore, our position
upon tnls question ls as clear as the
noon day sun. snd Il required no spec
ial plank Ia the platform 10 emphasize
/ it. III were asked 10 define as con-
clssly ~ possible the whole democratic
/ policy, | should state lt substantially as
/ follows:
Resume OF the Democratic Policy
1--WE favor q tariff for revenue only,
/ limited 20 the necessities OF the govern
ment economically administered and
50 adjusted Ia It's application rs Tar as
/ possible a. 10 represent and encourage
productive Industries al home and al
ford lust compensation 70 labor. but
not TO create or foster monopolies.
These are the cardinal principles
upon which the basis Of tariff legisla-
ton is founded. Our opponents pro-
fess TO be much disturbed because We
have IN our platform denounced RE
publican protection as 8 fraud" What
| else 10 ip Ii is q fraud for these con-
elusive reasons:
l. 1t Is secured by ps'pable abuse
OF the taxing power OF the govern
ment.
2. Ii lncurs to the benefit of the few
at the expense OF many.
3. Ii is based upon favorltlsm OF the
worst species.
4. IL tends to create fictitious pros
perity To be followed by subsequent
business depression.
3. IL is deceptive in it's promises and
unsatisfactory IN It's results.
8. Its principal benehciarles consti-
tute II privileged class and their lmpor-
I rfst. for
10 public welfare and source OF public
scandal.
President Harrison and all the other
great and small advisors of this vicious
| system diligently seek 10 create the
Impression tnat the democratic party
| has assumed boluer attitude than
formerly and become an advocate of
absolute free trade. They Will not
succeed IN their strenuous efforts to
| place US IN a false position. It does
not follow that because we are opposed
TO All unreasonable tariff that We favor
free trade and abolition of all custom
houses. We are opposed to a prohlbl-
tory tariff. We are opposed TO placing
4 virtual Chinese wall around the
country to hamper and restrict
the natural laws OF trade.
Tariff reform does not mean
free trade. Our opponents misrepre-
sent our position now as they have
done ever since the famous tariff mes
! sage OF 1887. In that historic message
our candidate expressly repudiates the
suggestion that ne was entering upon
a crusade of free trade. The disas-
trous defeat of 1888 brought repub-
lican president and a republican con-
gress into power aud two years later,
as a reward To those beneticlaries who
have 50 largely contributed TO their
success, our opponents passed what Is
known to the world as the Mckinley
tariff bill.
Reviews the Mckinley Bill.
"The Mckinley bill has not ruined
the country, nor has 1t benefited IT..
1t has increased the burdens of the
taxpayers and added many of the mo-
nopolles OF the land. There Is no sat
isfactory evidence that II has increased
our prosperity in any degree, or ad-
vsnced the wages of n single working
man. Skillful statistIcians, capable of
juggling with figures. may assume to
have more information than We pos
ses $, and may figure out different re-
suit, but | can safely assert that 1t Is
the general understanding of the peo-
pie that the Mckinley bill! has not In
creased wages. eithe. IN New York or
elsewhere. 1t is undoubtedly true that
In this state the aggregate amount of
all wages paid the year after It's passage
may have been greater than the aggre-
gate amount paid the year preceding.
but that does not prove any increase in
the rate of wages paid, and only shows
that some new Industries have been
- 4. "A
IN others. And 1t does not appear that
such increase has been any more than
the usual natural increase occasoned
by the steady growth of the state. IL
may possibly also be true tnat there
have been few less strikes during the
past two years than during the pre-
ceedlng ing two years, but this may be
attributed more to the moderation and
good judgment of our labor organiza-
tons than to the effect of the McKin-
ley bill. | know this much. that the
democratic party will be entirely con-
tent TO permit every working man
whose wages have been increased since
the passage of the Mckinley bill vote
the republican ticket. If our opponents
| Will consent that all those whose wages
have not been increased shall vote the
democratic, and upon that basis We
| will carry the country by million
| majority. We should not, however,
permit our position to be misunder-
| stood. We arc not seeking power up
on the calamity" lssue, but with all
good citizens We rejoice in the prosper
itv OF the country and trust that 1t
will continue. Bot we insist the coun-
try has bson prosperous, not because
OF the Mckinley bill, bat N spite of 1t.
l. the Tariff Tax
The people cannot be longer deceived
on tins question by the opposition. The
public sentiment has made rapid strides
during the past few years and greatly
cleared the political atmosphere as we'll
az brushed aside many plausible but
| untenabe cobweb- which have hereto
fore ohacured the DISCUSSION. No one
need now enteT INTO an argument 20
establish the fact that the tariff Is tax
ss the people have leaned the fact TO
their sorrow from the operations Of the
Mckinley bll Five years ago the CRY
that "tne tariff i tax" was received
WITH derlsion ana laughter bY onr re-
. puhIlCans, but nov they are cndeavOr.
ing 90 convince ne how much they have
/ rel oved us from taxation hy the aholi.
ton of the sugar duty. Prav tell us also
wntt has become 0f the republican
claim a. iudusfriOusiy persis stci ~
that "tha foreigner pave The tax
That has been cfiectlalty exploded aud
10 = therefore evident that the cam
paEu 90 education has horn rs ffuits.
Tire plain truth .athat ihis policy ofpro-
faef.fsn - s.t.rf fstftf /, f,l eafr,a