The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-03-15
TARIFF KEFORm.

The following address has been issued by the
National Association of Democratic Clubs:
The address of the National Association of
Democratic Clubs. issued in April last. outlined
the issue upon which the contest of 1892 must. it
appears. inevitably be conducted.
We were not mistaken in the views then ex-
pressed. The great battle was pitched at every
ciple Of strict construction was put at issue and
Of the votes cast. The tariff question. resolved
bodied in the tenth amendment is question no
longer. if the overwhelming judgment of the
people expressed at the polls is to be respected
and Obeyed by their represen tatlves. The details
of tariff reform-of q system of taxation looking
only to the largest returns of revenue consistent
adjusted by a Democratic congress with the aid
of an enlightened executive chosen to serve alike
the interests of all classes of American citizens
In the address above mentioned we declared ::
Congress may. under the constitution, tax the
people to sustain heir own government. It has
however just as much right to take their lives or
to sell their children into bondage. as it has to
take dollar from them for any other purpose.
Butthe federalist party. purely to create monop-
Olies upon which it may rely fc- political sup
port and to further enrich its wealthy favorites,
boldly assumes the ungranted and forbidden
power to lay taxes with no view whatever to
public revenue. but with sole and avowed view
to transfer untold millions of money annually
from the pockets of the many. who have earned
it. to the Or fiers of the few who are licensed to
olies. If this can be done. there is an end of
liberty; our federal government Is utterly per-
verted; it is not merely fraud but despotism;
and there is nothing left worth struggle.
The power to take and appropriate to others
the proceeds of the peoples labor. is the power
to enslave the people. None such can be found
atSer ,S It shall be thoueb
and therefore forbidden, is the question as Mr.
Jefferson stated it. between limited and unlim
ised government; between self government and
corrupt centralization: between popular liberty
and graspipg and greedy tyranny; between the
masses and the Glasses; between the Federalist-
Republican and the Democrat parties."
With great deliberation and solemn emphasis
the Chic9go convention took the same position.
But while power steals readily and almost i'm
perceptibly from the many to the few.the process
Of reclamation is ever painful and slow. The
enormously rich benefciaries of the federalist
policy. taxing the many for the benefit of the
few, circumscribing the industries of the masses
to enlarge the license of class are still in pow
er as they have been for more than quarter of
a century. They are in full possession of the
monOpolies which have enriched them as no
class as ever before enriched in the same length
of time, and enabled them to protect the party
protecting them. They will remain in power
until just revision of the tax laws on the lines
Of the constitution, as decreed by the people in
the late election. shall lop off their undue profits
and restore to the common people the proportion
of their own earnings. which the federal govern
ment does not plainly require for objects legiti-
They are banded still, ,as heretofore, in defence
of heir unconstitutional privileges. They will
resist stnbbornly at every point and stage. and
tariff reform-tarif reform in its whole wide be
nefeent scope-as contemplated by the Demo
cratic party and majority of the people. will
be accomplished only after a fierce and proiong
their instruments. an executive and congress,
to make this battle for them. But the battle is
substantial remains to this hour with the enemy,
including the vast wealth of the monopoly com
bination increased every day. The monopoly
The object of this address is to urge the Dem
ocratic people and those who united with them
at the election in November last, to maintain,
perfect and extend the system of affiliated Dem
ocratic recent service to the great
cause was so conspicuous. and which must, until
the fruits of the great tvictory are gathered. be
reauired to uphold the hands of our official rep
resentative es in the long and desperate struggle
with private interests which Is still before them.
Democratic President and Democra con-
xress will need, in the next four years. NOR than
ever before. the support of vigilant party and
an aroused people. represented In q perfect or;
sapization- Organization, whose principles and
purposes arc beyond any possible question. A
miscarriage in the elections of 1884. failure to
return another large tariff reform majority,
would be 3 calamity of crushing magnitude.
Goainst il we can have no assurance except in a
system of Democratic clubs. well organizec. ac
tive and aggressive. in every state and district
where contest is to be made. and in every state
in the nation. In this good hour in which the
national convention of Democratic clubs assem-
bied at New York in the first days of October
last the election of Cleveland and Stevenson
was seen to be beyond S a. fperadgen1Gre n,;d @ That
men from all parts OF the country. associated
nnder a simple declaration cf axiomatic Demo-
cratic principles. was spectacle SO striking and
encouragipg as to resolve all doubts. and it is
now very plain that to the Thousand Democratic
clubs represented in that convention and in th is
aesociation, too large a share OF credit for the
final result cannot be accorded.
Letus be found even better prepared in 1894
and 1896.
Yours truly,
Chauncey f. Black, president: Lawrence Gard
ner. secretary; William L. Wilson. chairman
executive committee; h g Monroe. New York;
George H. Lambert. New jersey III. w ellis Rusk
Maryland A. T. Ankeny. Minnesota; Benton
Mcmillan. Tennessee; james Fenton, Washing
ton; O. c. Richards. Utah; N. W. McIvor. Iowa
fslsck. Illinois; jefferson M. Levy. Virginia
Henry w atterson. Kentucky; J. Carr. North
Carolina: Michael D.. Harter. Ohio; Don M
Dickinson. Michigan; W. A. Clark. Montana.