The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-04-19

the sum paid for such duties.o Con-
corning the effect of the tariff on wages
Mr.. Cleveland said: "The aborer re
ceives at the desk of his employer his
wages, and before he reaches home is
obliged in purchase for family use of
an article which embraces his own la.
Dor, to return, in payment of the in.
crease in price which the tariff per.
mits, the hard earned compensation of
many days of toll" These expires.
sions and such as these more than five
years ago aroused throughout the coun-
try an admiration which the president
had no opportunity to justify during
the next four years. The Mills bill was
tentative measure; it was the modfi-
cation of an iniquity; it was in no sense
an attempt to uproot that iniquity.
In 1892 the democratic platform was
concise, clear, and defiant. The party
realized that the time for apologies and
explanations had ceased, II determined
to appeal to the country on an issue 30
clear cut that no man, though a fool,
need err therein. Hence this plank in
platform: " We declare it to be funda.
mental principle of the democratic
party that the Federal government has
no constitutional power to impose and
collect tariff duties except for the pur-
pose of revenue only, and we demand
that the collection of such taxes shall be
limited to the necessities of the govern
ment when honestly and economically
administered" On this platform it
placed Mr.. Grover Cleveland. In his
Madison square speech Mr.. Cleveland
took ground that was an advance on his
tariff message. I'VE insist" said he,
that no plan of tariff legislation shall
be tolerated which has for its objects
and purpose forced contribution IRON
the earnings and incomes of the mass
of our citizens to swell directly the ac-
cumulations of a favored few; nor will
we permit pretended solictude for
American labor, or any other specious
preteXt of benevolent care for others,
to blind the eyes of the people to the
selfish schemes of those who seek,
through the aid Of unequal tariff laws,
to gaia unnecessary and unreasonable
advantages at the expense of their fell
lows"
In his letter Of acceptance Mr.. Cleve-
land declared that revenue was the only
possible excuse for a taxation on i'm.
ports, and the theory of tariff for pro-
lection is, he said, " directly antagon-
lied by every sentiment of justice and
fairness of which Americans are pre-
eminently proud" In such expressions
as these no man can find double mean
ing. Mr.. Cleveland is no more his own
platform than he is his own party. He
stands where his party placed him, on a
ree-trade platform, and his party utter
ances are in perfect accord with the
principles of an enlightened and a dis
enthralled democracy.
Now the party approaches the time
when it must put its creed into deeds.
1t has control of the executive and legis-
lative departm 1t must provide an
enormous revenue. 1t must devise a
new system of taxation. 1t must sub
stitute revenue for protective duties,
and relieve the taxpayers of all tribute
to those organizations which have
usurped the power of government and
have plundered the people without COM
passion or remorse. That the party
will be as bold in action as in utterance
we do not doubt. The time for COM
promise has passed. Every duty laid
must be for revenue only, and where
revenue begins protection ends. -
Henry WdtterSon, in Louisville Courier
Journal