The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-11-04
The Republican Party the Safeguard
of Good Wages and Honest
Money.
The Election of Republican Congress-
men and Representatives of
Vast Importance.
An Interview Which Every Patriotic
Citizen Should Read and Digest.

Hon. Jno. A. Willard was seen to
day by a FREE PRESS reporter, in re-
gard to his reported intention to vote
the Republican ticket, and he su bmit
ted to the following inter
view, though not without reluctance.
Reporter-"I is reported in one OF
the papers that you intend to vote
for Harrison next Tuesday. l want
to ask whether this is correct, and if
so, the reasons that have led you to
this decision, as | understand that
you voted for Cleveland four years
ago."
Mr.. Willard-"Well, think that 1
did say to someone that l expected to
vote for Harrison, and it appears to
have gotten into the newspapers. l
don't like to get into the papers more
than 1 can help, but the statement
is correct. l voted for Cleveland four
years ago and should like to this time,
but l expect to vote for Harrison.
Reasons. you want. Well, 1 may as
well give them as I never act on such
important matters without having
reasons satisfactory to myself, lat least.
The reason, in short, is that | cannot
stand the National Democratic plat
form put forth at Chicago on the all
important tariff question, nor on the
/ Of 70 70 OF 70 a n ri
lation.
"As a Democrat I was never in fav
or of free trade or a tariff for revenue
only, and | have always cOntended
that such was not the attitude Of the
party; that it favored tariff reform;
and that the tariff should be so adjust
cd as to not only raise the revenue re-
qr red for the support of the govern
ment, but so adjusted as to furnish
the necessary protection to American
industries against the cheap capital
and cheaper labor of foreign countries
The Chicago platform for the first
time gives this all the lie and proves
|
what l have denied. When it states
that tariff for protection is a fraud
and unconstitutional, we part COM
pany on this issue. If the Democratic
party wants the wages in this country
reduced to level with those prevail
ing in Europe, permitting only bare
existence for the wage earners, l do
not, and 1 do not believe that the peo-
pie want it. Yet, without the pro-
lection principle such must, to my
mind, be the result. The United
States manufactures and consumes
about one-third of the products, in
value, of the whole world. Why give
up our market to ruinous competition
and become purely agriculturalcoun-
try? What country as such ever pros
pered? know of none.
If the ten per cent. tax on state
bank circulation were to be repealed,
as recommended at Chicago, should
expect that many of the forty-four
states would commence grinding out
money to circulate among the people.
Some might be good much would
doubtless be bad. The rascal and the
sharper is not an extinct species in
our country yet Even if the genuine
bills were all good, what field for the
counterfeiter forty-four different
kinds of circulation would afford!
We had this kind of circulation thirty
years ago, and l cannot conceive a
greater calamity than return to it,
and l believe that repeal of this tax
would lead to as bad a condition"
Reporter-"From the reasons you
give, it would seem that you would
hardly support Democratic Congress-
men or members of the legi ~