The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-09-22
SOUND DOCTRINE.

Principles Which Prompted the R1Soa-
Aene'o Letter 10 Chairman Wilson.
Tho presidents letter to Chairman
Wilson is full of sound democratic doc
trine. It is refreshing to read it after
tho weary weeks of democratic suence
IN the faoe OF q betrayal of the party's
pledges by senators who hold demo
cratic commissions but who place their
own interests above these OF their
party and their country. STIR
Mr.. Cleveland wrote the Letter as an
appeal to Mr.. Wilson in this c=iois to
''insist upon party honesty and good
faith and a sturdy adherence 20 demo-
cratic principles
The question as presented to the con-
ferrees is, in Mr.. Cleveland's words,
selves are to be saved or abandoned"
In view Of his belief that democratic
principles are imperiled by the senate
bill, Senator Smiths protest against
the Interference of q democratic presi-
dent in behalf Of his party by writing
the ways and means committee is of a
piece with his insistcnce on no tariff
bill at all unless the sugar trust shall
be amply provided for.
What are the democratic principles
IN behalf of which M. Cleveland has
done IN unprecedented Ching under
unprecedented circuznstances7 He
states them in his own te1se way il
the letter. He says:
1T must be admitted that no tariff measure
cen accord with democratic principles and
promises or bear a genuine democratic badge
that docs not provide for FREQ raw Materials
ibis is absolutely true. absolutely
sound, absolutely democratic. AS Seu-
ator Nill ssid< the other day in his re-
n1arkable speech upholdinE the presi-
dent:
"It expresses better than con hope to Go
the true. sound and logical position ct tho
Democratic party upon this question
Upon the question OF free raw materials the
president Is right, and you kncwtt. You cannot
answer his arguments You cannot success
fully dispute his propositions. You cannot
yield in the enc to his views You cannot stan
up against the sentiment OF the great demo
cratic ncassec OF the country which will rally
around tho president in his contest with you
upoa THU particular branch OF the subject"
Again the president says, il, sp .aE-
ing Of the senate bill, which leaves tn ,
wool of the farmer on the free list and
proposes to protect the coal and iron
ore OF the capitalist:
"How can We face the people after INDUCING
fl such outrageous Determinations and viola
this question OF free raw materials does not
admit Of adjustment on any middle ground,
ation, great or small is alike v1olative OF dem
ocratic principle and democratic good faith"
If this is not democratic, and If Mr..
Smiths ''sweat-leather" statesman
ship and his and Germans and Brice's
sugar trust craftsmanship are demo-
cratic, then those who have made the
democratic party what it is, those who
have lea it through it's hard but patri-
otlc struggle for tariff reform, those
who have won its triumph. those who
havo 0;ven Smith ard German and
Brlcs what power they possess, have
be 81, bascly deceived. 1t was Clcve-
lands democracy, not smiths, Tor
which tho people supposed they were
voting il 1850 and in 1892.
And this again is theirs as it is Cleve-
lands democracy:
''1'hc democracy OF the land plead most earn
estly for the speedy completion Of tie tart1 leg
islatton which their representatives have I'M
dcrtaken; but they demand not less earnestly
they trust to the abandonment OF democratic
principles"
Rather than a bill dictated by the
sugar trust and the money-bags of the
bill at all. We win then ut least save
the issue for which the democratic
party has been courageously and hope
fully struggling for twenty years.
Ia conclusion we quote once more
from Senator Hills speech, because OF
the force and cloqueuce with which he
emphasizes the point made by the
World since this bill went into con-
ference:
1.-The house CT representatives. fresh from
tho people, which represents moro distinctly
e,,d peculiarly than do the taxing power OF
tho people, repudiates our bill nnd u tccao-
cratic president has emphasized that repudia-
ticn, and tho conditioa which confronts US ia
ono OF extreme embarrassment. Shall VS. re-
treat advance? Shall we surrender to the
house while we con do so honoreoly, OF shall
" Wor Ei'' until We are driven to '''-S' y
NOT A SECTIONAL MEASURE.
Tho Tariff Bill Is Intended to Treat All
The attempt of the Mckinley organs
In both parties to arouse sectional
prejudice against the tariff bill be-
cause the democratic conferrees are