River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-04-26
THE DEMOCRATIC TARIFF.
Legislative Incapacity of laundering Free
Traders.


The tariff bill as finally reported to
the senate is ridiculous travesty upon
democratic theories and professions. In
many points 1t directly antagonizes the
fundamental declaration Of the party
platform That platform affirms pro-
lection to be unconstitutional The
bill. as recon structed by the senate
committee, adopts this unconstitution-
al principle a to certain preferred in
dustries, extending to them a protec-
ton which is arbitrarily denied to other
interests equally important end do
serving. These cmcessions are made,
admittedly. for partisan reasons, and
Independently altogether Of broad con-
siderations of public policy; they are
made to conciliate special interests and
appease the hostile sentiment of spe-
cial localities. Thus we have a bill
which is inspired on the one hand by
motives of hostility to great national
interests, and on the other by solicit
tude for interests which are largely sec
tional and hold no vital relation TO the
national prosperlty-a bill which is for
protection and against it. which EN-
bodies both constitutional and an I'M
constitutional principles; which pro-
poses. accepting the claims of its franz
ers as sincere. to promote the national
welfare and at the same time encour-
age national disaster.
Believing as we do in the protective
policy, we of course regard its applica-
tion as to any interest or industry as q
matter for congratulation. We have
no doubt that the Determinations of
the amended Wilson bill, made in the
interest of localities, will in some sense
inure TO the public advantage. But
this does not alter the fact that the
bill is dishonest and incoherent, utterly
bad in morals. and that as such it must
bring our legislation into contempt
Whenever a country lets down the
standard of legislation to the level Of
expediency, and its laws come to image
the prejudices or passions, or reflect
the selfishness and venality of the pop
ulace, or any part of it-when, in a
word, ii enacts its laws by process of
bargain and sale-it invites the deri-
sion of all right-thinking peoples and
makes it inevitable that its own au-
thority will cease, sooner or later, to
command respect
The laundering of the democratic
party in this matter of the tariff illus
trates afresh Its singular incapacity for
dealing in a statesmanlike way with
questions of public concern. 1t had an
opportunity such as rarely comes to
any party to formulate and carry out a
distinctive. concrete and positive policy.
The country had declared in its favor.
Its power, with all departments of the
government in its possession, was abso-
lutte and complete Acting in honest
conformity TO the spirit and demands
of it's platform, and standing unitedly
for principle, it could have commanded
popular respect because of its integrity
of purpose, however much the results
of its action might have been depre-
Gated. Instead of this it has by its in
competence and timorous insincerity
deepened the distrust of the people, lost
its opportunity, and brought upon the
country fresh confusion and apprehen-
sion as to the economic policy of the
future. Instead of settling, it has I'M
settled financial and industrial conii-
tons, and thus has aggravated the
difficulties, already ominously great,
TIN ough which we must make our way
to that clear, well-settled and perma-
nent national policy which can alone
bring genuine and abiding prosperity.
-Leslie's Weekly.