The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-07-11
STAND FIRM.


The hope of the democratic party is
now the national house of representa-
tives. On that body now seems to rest
the responsibility Of redeeming or re-
pudiating the pledge of tariff reform
made in the platform adopted in Chicago
two years ago. That platform spoke in
no uncertain terms. II said, and the
language is plain and simple and easily
understood:
We denounce republican protection as
a fraud. a robbery OF the great majority
Of the American people for the benefit of
the few. We declare IT TO be funda-
mental principle Of the democratic party
that the federal government has no con-
stitutional power TO impose and collect
tariff duties except for the purpose OF
revenue only, and we demand that the
collection Of such taxes shall be limited
10 the necessities Of the government
when honestly and economically admin
istered. We denounce the Mckinley
tariff law enacted by the Fifty-first con-
gress as the eliminating atrocity Of class
legislation; we indorse the efforts made
by the democrats Of the present congress
TO modify its most oppressive feature In
the direction Of free raw materials and
cheaper manufactured goods that enter
ise its repeal as one Of the benefCent re-
suits that will follow the action of the
people in intrusting power to the demo-
cratic party.
We recognize I'm the trusts and COM
binations which are designed 10 enable
capital to secure more than its just
share Of the joint product Of capital and
labor. a natural consequence Of the pro-
hibitive taxes which prevent the free
competition which is the life of honest
trade. but believe their worst evils can
be abated by law. aud we demand the
rigid enforcement OF the laws made TO
prevent and control them. together with
such further legislation I'm restraint OF
their abuses as experience may show TO
be necessary.
There IS in this declaration no possible
hint that favors should be shown to the
whisky trust or the sugar trust or the
coal trust or any other trust There Is
in 1t no suggestion that any local inter
est should be looked after There Is in It
no thought OF protective" duty for the
makers Of collars and cuffs at Troy.
There is no mental reservation in behalf
Of the lead miners Of Joplin. Mo. or the
coal barons Of Maryland or the sugar
growers OF Louisiana or the sap-suckers
Of Vermont. on the contrary. there IS
an express and unequivocal pledge to re-
peal the Mckinley law because II favors
these trusts and helps them TO burden
the people with unjust charges for the
necessaries Of life.
The tariff bill. as It comes back TO the
house from the senate. is not such a bill
as Is promised In that section OF the Chi
cago platform heretofore quoted. II does
not modify In It's most oppressive feat
ures in the direction OF free raw materials
and cheaper manufactured goods" the
Mckinley law to any such extent as the
platform promised. This bill may not
give republican protection" in fact It
is a good deal OF an Improvement on the
Mckinley monstrosity; but 1t does give
democratic protection. and that is almost
as bad.
The house has a clear duty to perform,
and that is to knock the democratic pro-
lection out of the bill. We believe it can
do so by standing squarely and firmly
on the democratic platform; the would-be
traitors to the democracy among the
democratic senators are already as badly
frightened as a green militiaman in a
camp of strikers. THY dare not carry
out their treachery TO their party if the
house puts them squarely on record and
makes a fair issue Of breaking or keeping
faith. The one Judas Iscariot, whom
Fate had hit upon for a contemplate end
has done his despicable work. though
he hasn't yet had a sufficient revival Of
good taste to go out and hang himself
But nice new rope is around his neck
in plain view-a warning sufficiently po-
tent to deprive him Of followers. The
senate has, during the last six months.
gotten a good idea of the temper of the
people; it knows that it is in bad odor;
it realizes that there is a widespread
sentiment in favor of the utter extinction
of the upper house and a still more gen
eral demand for it's reform. The would
be traitors know that in their own states
their party is in revolt against hem, and
they are ready. if the house insists. to
make an effort to restore themselves in
their party's confidence by voting for
genuine tariff reform if the question is
so put that they cannot evade 1t.
The house must now stand out firm for
the redemption Of the platform pledges;
it must present to the senators the al
tentative of voting for real tariff reform
or taking the responsibility of defeating
it upon themselves; and If they do so the
party will go into the campaign with
record of every pledge made two years
ago redeemed in good faith and in full.