The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-09-15
HARRISON'S LETTER.
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may BE- reused by injustice. or what
seems to them to be such, or be led by
others 20 acts Of passion. but they VIII
settle the tariff contest in the calm light oi
their November firesides and " tn referena
70 the prosperity uf the country Of which
they are citizens and II the homes they
have founded for their wives and children.
No intelligent advocate Of "A protective
tariff claims that il is able Of itself u
maintain n uniform rate If wages without
regard to fluctuations in the supply of and
demand for the products Of labor. But II
Is confidently claimed that protective
duties strongly tend to hold up wages and
are the only barrier against a reduction
20 the European scale.
The southern states
have had liberal participation in the ben
efits of the tariff law, and. though then
Representatives have generally opposed the
protection policy. ] rejoice that their SUI
gar rice. coal. ores. iron, fruits. cotton
cloth and other products have not been
left to the fate which the vote Of their rep
resentatives would have brought upon
them In the construction of the Nicar-
aqua canal. in the new trade with South
and Central America. in the establishment
Oh American steamship lines. lnt-f
have also special interests and all these IN
terests will not always consent To be with
out representation at Washington.
Shrewdly but not quite fairly our adj
versaries speak ON finances. duties put on
buttons and other articles by the McKin-
ley bill and omit altogether any reference
TO the great and beneficial enlargement of
the free list. During the last fiscal year
t45s OO0, 7I2 worth Of merchandise, or g5.3i
per cent. Of our total imports, came in free
1.-THE largest percentage in our history
while in 1870 the percentage of importa-
ton was - ~ per cent. The placing Of
sugar upon the free list has saved to the
consumer in duties in fifteen months, after
8 SS the 'ou"'ie' provided for - 600,
This relief has been substantially felt in
very household upon every Saturday pur-
chase Of the wOrkingman. One Of the ia
vorite arguments against a protective tar
III is that il shuts Us out from participa-
ton in what i called, with swelling EN-
phasis,
THE Markets of the World"
II this view in not a false one. how does
IL happen that our commercial competi-
tors are not able tOhear with more serenity
our supposed surrender to them Of THE
market Of the world" and how does ID
happen that the partial loss Of our market
CLOSES foreign tin plale mills and silk
plush factories that still have all other
markets. Our advantages, our protective
tariff and the reciprocity policy make il
possible for us to have a large participation
in ''the markets of the world" without
opening our own competition that would
destroy the comfort and independence Of
our people.
BImeiaIlIsu.
The resolution Of the convention in IA
vor Of bi-metallism declares. | think, the
true and necessary conditions of n move
ment that has upon these lines my cOriisl
adherence and support. | am thoroughly
convinced that the free coinage Of silver at
such a ratio to gold as will maintain the
equality Of the commercial uses Of the two
coined dollars would cOnduce to the pros
perity Of all the great producing and com
mercial nations Of the world. The one es'-
sential condition is that these dollors shall
have and retain an equal acceptabilIty and
value in all commercial transactions.
They are not only a medium Of exchange
but a measure Of values. and when two
unequal measures are called in law by the
same name commerce Il unsettled and con-
fused and the unwary and ignorant are
cheated Dollars of unequal commercial
value will not circulate together. The bet
ter dollar is withdrawn and becomes mer-
chAndise The true interest Of all our peo-
pie and especially Of the farmers
and working people who cannot closely
observe the money market, is that
every dollar, paper or coin, issued or au-
thorizei by the government shall mt all
times and in all its uses be the exact
equivalent, not only in debt paying. but in
purchasing power. Of any other dollar. lam
quite sure that If we should now act upon
this subject, independently Of other ma
tons, we would greatly promote their in
tercsts and iniure our own. Monetary
conditions in Europe within the last two
years have, / think, tended very much to
develop q sentiment in favor Of a larger
use OF silver and | vas much pleased and
encouraged by the coriiality, promptness
and unanimity with which the Invitations
Of this government for an international
conference upon this subject were accepted
by all the powers. We may not only hope
for, but expect highly beneficial results
from this conference. which will now soon
assemble When the result of the confer
ence il known We then shall be able intelli-
gently 20 adjust our financial basis TO any
new conditions.
Free Ballot, Fair Count.
In my last message to congress I said:
81 must yet entertain the idea that IL is
possible 10 secure a calm, patriotic consi /
eration Of such constitutional or statutory
changes as NAV be necessary to secure the
choice Of the officers Of the government TO
the people by fair appointments and free
elections. believe Il would be possible to
COneIllutCa GpulflllNslnn. ubu-IldTllSftn III
its membership and composed of patriotic,
wise and impartial men. 20 whom n con-
sideration of the questions Of the evils con-
nected with our election system and meth
DDS might be committed with good pros
pect Of securing unanimity in some plan
Tor removing or mitigating thuse evils.
The legislation would permit the selection
Of q commission to be vested in the ST.
preme court il that method would give
the best guarantee OF impartiality. The
demand that the limitation of suffrage
shall be found in the law. and there only,
In Just demand and no just man should
resent or resist IT, IL seemed TO me that
an appeal TO our people to consider the
question Of readjusting our legislation ca
absolutely fair, non partisan lines, might
fad some effective response. Many tins
have had occasion to say that laws and
and election methods designated to give
unfair sdvantages TO the party making
them, would some time be used TO perpet-
uate in power faction Of a party against
the will Of the majority Of the people. OF
this we seem 10 have an illustration in tbs
recent state election in Alabama. There
wssn Republican ticket in the field. The
contest was between white Democrats
The Kolb party say they were refused the
repr>seutafion guaranteed by law upon
~ election boards and that when the
courts By mnndamus attempted to right
this wrong an appeal that could not be
heurd until after the election made the
write Intellectual Ballot boxes were
thrown out for alleged, Irregularities or
Al lessf half the white voters OF Alabama
that the Officers to whom certificates have
been given were not honestly elected
There Is no security for the personal or po-
Htical rights Of any community where q
man IL deprived Of his personal or political
hghts
Qualification of electors Il ample 20 pro
tect them against the dangers OF an ignor.
ant or depraved suffrage and the demand
that every man found to bequelified under
the law shall be made secure in the right
20 cast free ballot end 70 have that ballot