The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-17

be satisfactory to the most ardent free
trader, but it is not
CLEVELAND DEMOCRATS FOR FREE TRADE
IN THE UNITED STATES.
As the time when most of the civil
lied countries OF the world are adopt
ing protection, and when Bismarck,
speaking for Germany, says: because
it is my deliberate judgment that the
prosperity OF America is mainly due to
its system Of protective laws, ! urge
that Germany has now reached that
point when II is necessary TO initiate
the tariff system OF the United States,
and when Lord Salisbury, in speaking
in May last OF the condition Of Eng
land, declared under FREQ trade that
Industry is paralyzed and misery
stalks abroad" and said while free
trade may be noble, it is not business"
and in substance favored protection Tor
England. Grover Cleveland and the
Democratic party come forward in this
campaign, in the face OF these facts and
this testimony, and make war on pro-
lection, advocate free trade. and de-
mand that raw materials should be free.
The Democratic party has made the
Issue broadly and definitely. The Re-
publican party meets 1t eagerly and Is
ready for the contest.
OPPOSITION oFRgPuBLIcASsT TO PREFERABLE
The Republican party declares that it
will never consent to free trade through
the reduction of wages to the level OF
the wages paid for labor in Europe, or
through the destruction OF our indus
trial plants, or by atresting the develop
ment Of our vast material resources. 1t
will continue in the future, as in the
past, TO reduce the tax on foreign goods
and products brought into this country
to be sold in competition with those
produced By our people, or continue to
admit foreign products free, whenever
and just as fast as it may appear TO be
TO the interest OF all the people OF the
United States to do so, and not before.
1t proposes to meet emergencies as they
arise, TO decide and do what is for the
best at the time; never to anticipate
nor delay action unless it be in the
interest OF the progress and prosperity
OF the country and the people, The
only way it will ever consent to further
reduce the tariff on foreign goods, made
by cheap foreign labor, or admit goods
and products free, will be through the
operations OF protection and home COM
petition, and not by lowering American
wages.
The Republican party claims that the
history OF industrial progress in this
country shows the only safe way to re-
duce the price OF manufactured pro-
ducts is by protecting our home indus
tries and manufactures, trusting to
home competition to regulate prices and
prevent monopolies. 1t also shows for
the last thirty years that under the
operation OF the protective system the
price of manufactured goods in the
United States has constantly been re-
duced, while wages have been increased
and the cost OF living decreased.
The Republican party also claims that
ii we are ever to have free trade 1t must
be through protection.
Whenever the time comes that the
United States, through improved ma
chinery and other agencies, can manu-.
facture goods as cheap as they can be
made abroad, then the Republican party
will be willing TO consider the wisdom
OF admitting foreign goods free.
The open'and avowed policy OF Grover
Cleveland and the Democratic party is
to force free trade on the country il nee
essary through reduction OF wages, or
without regard TO the fact whether our
industrial plants can maintain them
selves or not.
TRUE MEANING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PLAT
FORM.
Tho Republican platform declares
emphatically for continued protection.
The Democratic platform declares in
substance for free trade and free raw
materials. We are not at a loss in this
campaign to know just what the Demo-
cratic party means by its platform;
heretofore its platforms on the subject
Of the tariff has had double meaning,
to suit both wings of the party.
The committee on resolutions at the
Chicago convention, in the platform,
reported the following on the tariff:
''But in making reductions in taxes,
it is not proposed to injure any domes-
tic industries, but rather to promote
their healthy growth. From the toun-
dation of this government the taxes
collected at the custom.house have been
the chief source OF federal revenue.
Such they must continue to be. More
over, many Industries have come to rely
upon legislation for successful continu-
ance, 30 that any change Of law must
be at every step regardful OF the labor
and capital thusinvolved. The process
oil reform must be subject in the execu-
ton Of this plan to the dictates of JUS
tice.
"When custom-house taxation is lev.
led upon articles Of any kind produced
in this country, the difference between
the cost OF labor here and labor abroad,
when such difference exists, fully meas
ures any possible benefits to labor"
This declaration was in harmony
with the Democratic platforms OF 1884
and 1888, and reflected the views Of
large element in the Democratic party.
1t showed a willngnessin adjusting the
tariff to take into account the differ
ence between wages paid in this coun-
try and those paid in Europe, and that
home industries should be considered
and not be ruthlessly stricken down; but
a minority report was offered as a sub
stitute, which is as follows:
ave declare II to be fundamental
principle of the Democratic party that
the federal government has no constitu-
tional power to impose and collect tariff
duties. except for the'purposes OF reve-
nue. only, and we demand that the col
lection Of such taxes shall be limited to
the necessities OF the government when
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