St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-10
TEN YEARS OFPaOsREss,

In 1885 there was held in Chicago
convention of the free traders and rev.
enue reformerS OF the nation. and there
the demand was first made for the
freed 1m from tariff taxes of all the raw
materials which lie at the base of the
great manufacturing industries of the
country. Into that convention came lead
ing manufacturers rom New England;
Hazard for the wool ell, Sargent for the
hardware, Means for the boot and shoe,
and Others for other interests, while
Earle S. YoumanS stood Tor free lumber
in the West, each and all Of them de-
caring that they needed no protection
Oh their products, and, if they could
have their materials free of protection
to their producers, they would meet CON-
petition at home or abroad.
The handful of far-sighted manufact-
urerS who came there has been added
to yearly since. until they are to be
found everywhere and in every COM
munity. Harter leads the manufactur-
ers of farm implements. and as a con-
gresham succeeded i'll having them
placed on the free list of the house bill .
The FarquharS of Pennsylvania, in the
same line, have long been active free
traders. McBeth, of Pittsbur ne of
the "pearl-top" lamp chimney. told Nc
Kinley's committee that he wanted no
protection. Tom johnson moved to put
steel rails, Of whic b he is large maker,
Oh the free list, admitting hat he took
the benefits of the tax. but that he did
not propose to stand there as a repre-
! sentative and vote to continue the steal.
Ten years ago last March niue men
! were all who responded to a call for
| gathering of the free traders of Min
neSota, and they set the ball rolling in
this state which has now grown to such
proper tons that poll of the voters of
the state Oh the question of simple free
trade, with its resultant of a direct tax,
would contain the names OF four-ti
of the Democrats and half of all tie
others. 1t was one of the funny Incl.
dents of that meeting that Democrat,
prominent in the organization Of the
party, fiuttered about the meeting, beg.
glng the 'bnyS, for Gods sake. don't dc
anything that will hurt the old party;'
and Democratic paper gave to an ed
itorial comment OH the meeting the cap
ton Putting Club in the Hands OF
the Enemy"
Ten years ago national convention
of Democrats adopted tariff plank 81
automatically wOrded as to enable al
Eastern Democratic prOtectionist to de-
clare that it meant protection, and {
Western Democratic free trader to vow
it meant a revenue tariff; and eigh
years later, when similar Straddle wa!
attempted to be foiSted on another ma
tional convention, the majority tore i
out. and said that protection is fraud
and the voters of the nation, by a ina
jority Of over a million, said amen
Tlmidity, cowardice and treachery
have temporarily thwarted the purpose
of the majority of the voters, hay,
damned the swift, strong urrent for
moment; but the forces behind canno
be stayed, and it will rise until i
sweeps away in wrathful retribution al
distractions.
In our eagerness to achieve results
in our impatience of delays, we los,
sight of the enormous progress that la.
been made and the. rapidity of thu
movement. 1t is only when we paus,
l 10 ike retrospect, and realize where