New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-18

DEMOCRATS FROM PRTNCIPLE.'
ave are Democrats from principle. and we
do not expect 10 suffer in The house OF orr
friends" II was Mr. Bush president Of the
Mobile and birmingham Railway Company and
the Clifton Iron Works Of Alabama. who said
this in an address to the Democratic members
Of the WAYS and Means Committee on Ihiirs
day. He appeared as the representative OF the
coal and iron Industries Of Alabama In oppos,
tion TO free coal and iron. and was accompanied
by a number Of capitalists who are niere>te!
In the development Of these industries in Ala
bama and Tennessee where they have EN-
barked about Sl2JOUOOOO in mining and manu-
featuring enterprises. Under the operation Of
the protective duties which the Democratic Ma
tional Convention denounced as IA fraud.
robbery Of the ma jority Of the American people
for the benefit 81 the few. these enterprises
have been very successful They have not only
brought handsome returns 10 their projectors.
but have furnished employment 10 large num-
bers Of persons who have been enabled thereby
TO maintain themselves and their families In
comfortable independence They have besides
gIidlroncd with railroads the sections where
they are located. and developed their resources
until Alabama now produces annually 100000
tons OF pig iron and 100000 tons Of coal. In
that State alone the coal and iron interests
furnish employment 10 10000 men and support
one-ffth OF the entire population Of the state.
All this was due. Mr.. Bush and his associates
said TO the protection Of iron ore and coal by
the tariff.
Democrats from principle" they said ilicy
were: and they did not expect 10 suffer In The
house Of their friends They had consequently
come up from Alabama 10 ask their friends
now In control Of all branches Of the National
Government not To strike down deliberately the
successful business enterprises they had built
M: not 10 shut of the production OF coal ana
iron in Alabama mol 10 close up the business
Of the railroads in the State; not to destroy
Slo5. 900 Of invested capital; not 10 turn
10000 men out of employment: not 10 deprive
one fifth Of the entire population Of the State
of the means Of Subsistence. They are quite
certain that this will be the result Of putting
coal and iron on the free list. ~ II Is now mn
derstood the WAYS and Means Committee pro-
pose TO do. So they make this appeal 10 Il Dem
ocratlc Congress rs Democrats from prln-
ciple" begging that they shall not be made TO
suffer In the house Of their friends. They ask
that protective duties on coal and Iron he con
timed 10 save them from ruin and their enter
prses from disaster. They prefer their request
10 q committee whose chaii man presided over
the National Convention which solcmnly pro
nounced protective duties unconstitutional. 81
fraud and a robbery Of the jority Of the
American people for the benefit Of the few"
That T., ~ cov thav calmly ask Mr. Wilson
and his committee and a Democratic Congress
10 continue 10 violate the Constitution. per
pctuate a fraud and 60 on robbing n majority
Of the American people for their benefit
The same day n delegation Of farmers and
gardeners from Virginia appeared before thc
committee 10 protest against any reduction OF
existing duties upon potatoes and other farm
producis About l,OOOOW barrels Of potatoes
are annually raised in the Norfolk district of
Virgiuis besides millions OF dollars worth OF
other farm and garden products. all Of which
are shipped to Northern markets. Without a
protective duty the Virginia potatoes would
come in competition with importatOns from
Nova Scotia coming in ballast and paying little
or no freight and the effect would DO disastrous
10 the farming interest of Virginia. They con-
seaucntly ask that II Democratic Congress
should violate the Constitution in Orler that
the Virginia farmers may continue 10 dcfraud
their customers and rob n majority of the
American people to enrich themselves. They.
too. are no doubt Democrats from principle"
and do not expect TO suffer in the house Of
their friends.
The question naturally arises in such circum.
stances What precisely is n Democrat from
prlnciplc Does Mr. Bush or any other ~
the Alabama delegates know? Do the Virginia
farmers know: What did they think they were
voting for q year ago? II the Chicago Con
vcntion affirmed distinctly any one principle 1t
was that Projection was unconstitutional. n
fraud and robbery. II voted separately upon II
and established IL after discussion. with de-
liberation and without reservation. as "a f,lnda-
mental principle Of the Democratic party" And
now these " Democrats from principle" finding
that interest conflicts with principle, are asking
that the fundamental principle be absolutely
dIsregardcd and overturned. Why would II not