Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-07-06
COMING REFORMS.
The Democratic Administration VIII Per
form Its Duty Faithfully and Well

Ihe Democratic Adm tniStr8f1on w 1ti Rcr-
form Its Duty Faithfully and Well.
Ever since the crushing defeat in
hicted on McKinleyism last fall few
journals have been insisting that the
democratic party is bound by its plat
form and pledges and its commission
from the people TO an immediate re-
form of the tariff according to the ex-
treme principles of free trade 1t is
what Mr.. Samuel Weller would call a
s'cohincidence" that these same quick
Interpreters of party duty and popular
will. whether republican or democratic,
have heretofore been stiff protectionists
and persistent preachers of the doctrine
that the tariff is our sole defense
against industrial servility and the pau
perizing OF American labor.
Why this sudden facing about? Is it
the result of genuine conversion, or is
democratic rule so hateful to them that
they are willing to purchase its over
throw by legislation which, they hon.
estly believe, means detriment and dis
aster to the country? AS the demo
cratic party did not heed them when
they sought to arrest its progress
towards the goal of commercial free
dom, so it will not be led by them when
the obstacles to that progress have been
forcibly swept aside. It will make Its
triumphal march under its own wise
and conservative leaders and by such
stages as shall make its victory a per
manent reform and not a violent revO-
luton.
As Mr.. Cleveland said in accepting
the nomination, it is neither destruc-
tive party nor does it propose to toler-
ate any tariff legislation that has fol-
its object a forced contribution from
the earnings of the masses to swell di
rectly the accumula tons of a few.
1t understands that after four year.
of republican extravaganza and pen
sion profigacy we shall have to collect
from the American people for some
years to come larger annual amount:
than were ever collected from any
other people by methods having any
claim to be called taxation. 1t viii
strive to place the burdens where there
is most strength to bear them and
where they will weigh most lightly
on the production and trade of the
country.
It understands that the best and the
only way under free government tc
protect labor is to free from taxation
the materials with which it works, thus
insuring for its products the wider mar
kets which mean both steady employ.
ment and good wages 1t understand.
that commerce is not war in which
there is victor and a vanquished, MOI
yet gam bling in which there is win
ner and a loser, but mutually bene
fetal transaction in which both parties
get the largest returns for their labor
and all share in the advantages of each
1t knows that whatever increase OF
imports may come through lower du
ties must necessarily carry with it an
increase of exports, the products OF
American labor, and that with the en-.
terprise and keen trading of our people
every dollars worth of home product
sent out will bring us in return dol
lars worth of foreign products, with q
good profit to boot.
Tariff reform, therefore, as the duty
now set before the democratic party
looks to results-to permanent and
beneficent results, reached through ad.
herence to correct principles 1t does
not propose q sentimental chase after
free trade regardless of present condi-
tions and interests, nor, on the other
hand, will it fear free trade wherever,
in the ordinary pursuit of sound policy,
it may overtake it. 1t looks to the
liberation of what are known as raw
materials from the taxes which throt-
tie production at its source and thus
rob labor of employment; to such
moderate rates on finished products,
levied for revenue purposes, as will
insure and make possible honest COM
petition. but not monopoly in our own
markets; to such higher duties on lux
uries as will draw bountifully to the
treasury from the abundance of the
rich. And it especially looks to such
vigorous and thorough simplifcation of
our tariff laws as will relieve foreign
trade from the snarls and pitfalls
which beset the approaches to the Gus
tom houses and bring penalties and
litigation to the honest as often as to
the dishonest importer.
These are great reforms. They viii
reverse and undo the vicious practices
of thirty years They may not all be
attainab bic in a few months or by a
single bill. but they are the reforms
which the people wished and COM
manded when they returned the demo-
cratic party TO power, and it is now the
duty of that party, as we believe it is
its honest desire. to set about their ac-
comp1is hment, not precipitately and
blindly, but without haste and without
rest--N. Y. World