The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-07-31

ground, since their subjection to an
rate OF tariff taxation, great or small
Is alike yiolativc OF Democatic prime
pie and Democratic good faith.
i hope that you will not consider
lnstructiveifIs Ii j say something in relatio
10 another subject which can hardl
iitii 60 be troublesome to the conference
reier to the adjustment OF the tarii
tax on sugar.
I, Under our party platform and in &C
cordance with our declared party pur
| poses, sugar is a legitimate and logica
article OF revenue taxation. UnfOrtu
nately, however, incidents have accom-
panied certain stages of the Legislation
whlcn Will be submitted to the confer
ence that have aroused in connection
with this subject q natural Democratic
amnesty to the methods and manipu.
tlon OF trusts and combination con.
Tess to sharing in this feeling; and vet
1t seems to me we ought, If possible, To
sufficiently free ourselves from pre-
Judice to enable us coolly to weigh the
considerations which in formulating
tarl1l legislation, oughb to guide our
treatment OF sugar 40 u taxable article.
While no tenderness should be enter
tanned for trusts, and while [ am de-
cidedly opposed to granting them un-
der the guise of tariff taxe tion any OPP
portunlty to further their peculiar me-
thods, suggest that we ought not TO
be- driven away from the Democratic
principle and policy which lead to the
taxation OF sugar by the fear, quite
likely exaggerated, that in CARRYING
out this principle and policy we may
aid sugar refining interests. [ know
that in present conditions this ia n
delicate subject, and | appreciate the
depth and strength of the feeling which
It's treatment has aroused. | do not
believe we should do evil that good
may como, but it seems to me that we
should not forget that our aim is the
completion of tariff bill, and that in
taxing sugar for proper purposes aud
within reasonable bounds, whatever
else may be said of our action, we are
IN no danger of running counter to
Democratic principle. With all there
Is ut stake there must be in the treat
ment OF this article some ground upon
which we are all willing to stand,
where liberation and Cancellation may
be allowed to solve the problem with
out defending the entire surrender of
fixed and conscientious convictions.
ought not to prolong this letter. If
what L have written is unwelcomc. [
beg you to believe in my good inten-
tions.
In the conclusions of the conference
touching the numerous items which
Will be considered, the people are not
AFRAID that their interests will be ne
elected. They know that the general
results, SO far as these arc concerned,
Will be to place home neces saries and
comforts easier within their reach, and
to insure better and surer compensation
to those who toll.
We all know that a tariff covering all
the varied interests and conditions of
q country as vast as ours must of neces-
slty be largely the result of honorable
compromise. L expect very few OF us
can say when our measure is perfected
that all its features are entirely as we
would prefer. You know how much
deprecated the incorporation into the
proposed bill OF the income tax feature.
In matters of this kind. however, which
do not violate fixed and recognized
Democratic doctrine, we are willing to
defer to the judgment of Il majority of
our Democratic brethren. | think
there is general agreement that this
Is party duty. This is more palpably
apparent when we realize that tho
business of our country timidly stands
and watches for the result of our ef-
forts to perfect tariff Legislation, that
a quick and certain return of prosperi-
ty waits upon wise adjustments, and
that confiding people still trust in
our hands their prosperity and well
being.
The Democracy of the land plead
most earnestly for the speedy compile
tion OF tariff legislation which their
representatives have undertaken but
they demand not less earnestly that no
stress of necessity shall tempt those
they trust to the abandonment OF Demo
cratic principle. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.