Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-09
rhe president and gree Trade.

The Cosvisr-.Jouradl has not complied
with our request that it should favor the
readers of that paper with an article COM
menting upon MIR. CLxyEL.sD's anu-irce-
trade utterances in his letter of Septem-
Der. 1892, accepting the nomination Tor
President of the United States. Our Lou
isyills contem porary secs an opponent OF
tariff reform 10 every bush" and would
If it could compel Congress to legisiate
upon the subject OF the tariff before legis-
latiug upon the subject of the finances.
We have steadfastly advocated taking ac-
ton on the currency before touching the
tariff or, as We said long before there was
any panic in India or the United States,
we have favored such legislation at
once on financial questions as would
give Mr.. CARLIsLE's new tariff good send
of. We renew our request to the Courier
Journal and plead that we find good rea-
sons for repeating it in the facts-hrs',
that our Louisville contemporary mas
charged US with seeming 70 think " that
party pledges are made TO be broken;
second, that we twill never learn " that
there is wide difference between tarih
reform and free trade, and third, that ar.
CLEVELAND il pledged to the principle
OF "a tariff for revenue only" we VIII
let Mr.. CLEVELAND speak for us and Tor
himself. Here Ia what he said on TINS
subject in his letter Of acceptance. We
quote his own words
although We oppose the theory that tsrln laws
may be PASSED having for their object the grant
ing Of discriminating and unfair governmental
aid 10 private ventures, ws wage no s1tsrn'-
mating war against any American interests We
believe readjustInent can be accomplished III
accordance with the principles Ho profess VIM
out disaster or demolition. We bolieYe that the
advantages Of freer raw material should Do ac-
corded 10 cur manufacturers, and We cont9n-
plate fair and careful distrbutloa OF necessary
tarin burdens rather taan the procipitauSh OF
free trade.
1--WE anticipate with calmness the misrepre-
sentation OF orr motives and purposes ins'isa-
ted by sslAshness which socks 10 hold in UNI
rslenting grasp Its unfair advantage un1er the
presept tariff laws. We will roly upon tho in
teliigenOe OF our fellow-countrymsn TO reject the
charge that a party compris nc majority OF
our people is planning the destruction OF injury
Of American Interests, and ws know thsy caht
he frightened by the spectre OF impossiple iree-
trade"
In these two paragraphs, as we have
argued heretofore. Mr.. CLEVELAND scouts
the charge that he favors " the precipita-
ton of free trade" He brands the talk
of the free.traders as :" the mere spectre
of impossible free trade the ghost OF
free trade. Now. let our Louisville con-
Temporary tackle" the President and ex-
ouse us for following in the footsteps OF
the head of the Democratic party. If all
the "gab" the country has had on this
subject from lll.intormod persons were
called to the attention OF the President
he would be so disgusted with 1t that he
would feel as If be would like to hide
himself for season. And we say for our
selves. as the President SAYS for himself,
that we cannot be frightened by such
spectre.
And how DO such teachings as those OF
our Louisville contemporary read in the
light of the late news from Indiap Is not
the reader reminded of JOHNNY Hook
crying Beef" Beet" all through
camp Of the soldiers of the revolution of
l776? What says the President in bis pre-
clamation converting Congress in extra
session? he docs not mention the tariff
ct all. He lays all the financial troubles of
the country upon laws which must be
executed until repealed by Congress-"
That language SO plainly points out the
SHERMAN silver law as the cause of the
present condition of our finances that
nobody will pretend to find in 1t any
reference to the existing tariff. The " dis
trust and apprehension" of which he
speaks as "pervsding all business
circlesp' be charges by necessary implics-
ton to that law. But why argue the
point? Everybody knows that the Presi-
dent would not have convened Congress
in extra session to leglslate on the tariff.
That one tact proves that the President
is on our side. or rather that we are on his
side of this question.
Let US hear from our Louisville con-
temporary. But do not confound "a
tariff for revenue" with tariff laid for
revenue purposes only" Tho President
takes sides with us on that point also
when he calls for "frser raw material"
This freer raw material" is to protect
American manufacturers.