Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-09-20
HypoeritieaI Candidates.

to the papers of Scranton, declares him
self to be such, and, if this is true, we
would like to know why the Democrats
in that district went to the trouble of
making a nomination at all. Congress-
man Scranton, who has been nominated
by the Republicans, is an out-and-out
protectionist and an able representa-
tive for his district in matters not con-
nected with the tariff question. Since
the voters of Lackawanna county, es-
pecially the Democratic voters, have
nothing to gain by electing q man who is
directly opposed to the principles of Dem
ocracy, it would seem that they pro-
| pose to indulge in burlesque campaign.
This nomination brings to mind the
position many Democrats in other parts
of the state find themselves in respect to
some of the congressional candidates.
If the Democratic nominees in the
eleventh and twelfth districts should by
chance be elected, of what use will they
be to the Democrats? Will they sink
their own opinions of tariff bills and
vote against their own convictions? Of
Mr.. Merrifeld the TRIBUNE cannot
speak with certainty, but we do know
that Congressman Hines is not in har-
mony with his party upon this impor-
tant question. 1t is a matter of public
record that the representative of this
district would not assist the original Will
son bill even so little as to vote upon the
motion to consider it, but acted like a
dummy, sitting in his seat and refusing,
with the Republicans, to answer his
name on roll-call, thereby causing the
non-appearance of quorum in the
house and preventing the passage of
tariff reform bill, which was promised
in the national, state and county plat
forms of his party and upon which he was
elected to congress. His work to have
certain portions of the bill altered to
suit certain manufacturers in this dis
trict is too well-known to be reiterated
now. His private conversations with
men in Freeland stamp him as foe to
the Democratic policy of tariir.for-
revenue only.
Electing men like these to the senate
as Democrats was the cause of the fail
ure of the Wilson bill and the substitu-
ton of the Gormanized sugar tariff
measure. Men who in their hearts are
protectionists cannot and should not be
expected to vote for tariff REFORM but if
they can wriggle themselves into posi-
tions in the senate and house with the
aid of Democratic votes by running as
Democratic candidates, who is to blame
but the party itself? The present de-
moralized condition of the Democratic
party throughout the United States is due
solely to the disregard the party showed
heretofore in choosing candidates for
national honors. And now, after hav-
ing been betrayed by these men, they
again nominate some of them and have
the audacty to tell Democrats they
must support them or be read out of the
party.
Democrats who stand squarely upon
that plank Of the Chicago platform which
says protection is unconstitutional" :" the
men who have battled for that principle
in season and out, they are informed
that their support must be given to a
protectionist, they must do the very
opposite of what has been taught for
years by Democratic orators, editors and
platforms, They are expected to retreat
from the advanced position they have
won after the campaigns of 1883, 80 and
'92, to surrender to the high-tarifr god
without blow. They are commanded
to shout for tariff reform, but to vote fol-
protection. Will they? Let each answer
for himself.
The TRIBUNE is one of the many
papers that support the Democratic
party and Democratic candidates foi
something more than the fact that they
call themselves Democrats. 1t supports
the party because it believes its prin
ciples, if put into actual practice, woulG
go further in elevating the human race
and would open the way to greater posi-
bilities for American citizens than the
principles of any other party now il
existence. 1t supports the candidates o
the party because they are supposed tt
be the exponents of the party's prin
ciples, but when we find among them one
who is publicly known to be traitor t.
those principles the TRIBUNE refuses tc
assist him and there is no clique, ring o.
power influential enough to compel it tt
do otherwise.
The candidates for state, Legislative
and county Offices stand upon platform.
that indorse the genuine Democrat,
doctrine, and these men will receive al
the aid they should be given. The candi
date for congress also stands upon the
county platform, but past experience has
proven that he is unworthy of any posi-
ton of trust at the hands of Democrats
He is not in sympathy with the platform