Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-07-26


promised that this should be accord
ed to our people and our manufac.
turers as soon as the Democratic
party was invested with the power
to determine the tariff policy of The
country. The party has now that
power. We are as certain to be as
we have ever been for the benefit
that would accrue to the country
from the inauguration of this policy
and nothing has occurred to release
us from our obligation to secure this
advantage to our people.
It must be admitted that no tariff
measure can accord with Democratic
principles and promises or bear a
genuine Democratic badge that
does not provide for free raw ma
terials.
In these circumstances it may
we'll excite our wonder that Demo-
Gratis are willing to depart from this,
the most Democratic of all tariff
principles, and that the inconsistent
absurdity of such a proposed de-
parture should be emphasized by
the suggestion that the wool of the
farmer be put on the free list and
the protection of the tariff taxation
be placed around the iron ore and
coal of corporations and capitalists.
How can we face the people after
indulging in such outrage and dis
examinations and violations of prin.
ciple?
Iti quite apparent that this ques-
ton of free raw materials does not
admit of adjustment on any middle
ground, since their subsection to
any rate of tariff taxation, great or
small, is alike violatlve of Demo-
cratic principle and Democratic good
faith.
THE SUGAR QUESTION.
Under our party platform and in
accordance with our declared party
purposes sugar is legitimate and
logical article of revenue taxation.
Unfortunately, however, incidents
have accompanied certain stages of
the legislation which will be SUBJ
mitted to the conference that have
aroused in connection with this SUBJ
iect a natural Democratic animosity
to the methods and manipulations
of trusts and combinations. l con-
fess TO sharing in this feeling, too,
and yet it seems to me we ought, if
possible, to sufficiently free our
selves from prejudice to enable us
to weigh the considerations, which,
in formulating tariff legislation,
ought to guide our treatment of
sugar as a taxable article.
While no tenderness should be
entertained for trusts and while |
am decidedly opposed to granting
them, any opportunity to further
their peculiar methods, | suggest
that we ought not to be driven away
from the Democratic principle and
policy which leads to the taxation
OF sugar by the fear, quite likely
exaggerated, that in carrying out
this principle and policy we may
indirectly and inordinately eneour-
age a combination of sugar refining
interests. | know that in present
conditions this is a delicate subject,
and / appreciate the depth and
strength of the feeling which its
treatment has aroused.
| do not believe we should do
evil that good may come, but 1t
seems to me that we should no. for,
get that our aim is the completion
of the tariff and taxing sugar for
proper purposes and within reason
able bounds. Whatever else may
be said of our action, we are in no
danger Of running counter TO Demo-
cratic principles. With all there is
ct stake there must be in the treat
ment of this article some ground
upon which we are all willing to