The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-15
All Containing Stirring Appeals to Vote
Against the Industry-Wrecking
Revenue" Measure.
MIR. WILSON TO DEMOCRATS
The Chief Of the Tariff Thinkers
Sounds a Note of Warning.
Unless Every Member of the Majority
Attends the House the Bill May
Be Changed or Delayed.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-There Is no
doubt that a most profound impression is
being made even the rabid free-trade
Democrats in Congress by the flood OF petit
tions coming in from the farmers and wage
earners of the country against the passage
Of the Wilson tariff bill. Away out in re-
mote parts Of the country, where the farmer
or laborer may magnify the Independence
OF the man in Congress and his general
greatness. 1t may occur TO humble and
honest minds that a simple request signed
by a number OF plain farmers or hard
working men in the village, in opposition
to a measure would have little effect upon
the great intellect Of a great statesman,
in such a high body as Congress. There
could be greater mistake. 1t is true that
a man in Congress has immense reverence
for the politician, the merchant, or banker.
or other person with capital and labor at
his command, but when it comes right down
to the fine point of influence there is TO
person in this world who can in a humble
way WELD as much influence as the farmer
the laboring man.
1t has been the custom of Democratic
politicians, especially those who have been
fortunate enough TO get into Congress, to
claim that petitions against a low tariff
emanated from manufacturers and capital
ists and have been prone to heretofore
contend that the work OF laborers against
low tariff was the result OF intimidation
by employers. But the present avalanche
of protests from humble but honest and in
telligent citizens against the adoption of the
iniquitous and destructive English measure
known as the Wilson tariff bill has hushed
almost every intimation of coercion and
capitalisuc influence. few Democrats
have been reckless enough to express the
opinion that intimidation had been exer-
cised in securing petitions again the Wilson
bill, but in private they have acknowledged
that the opinion only for the public
and was not in earnest
Some of the petitions which are arriving
in opposition to the Wilson bill are almost
pitjful in simplicity of statement and senti-
ment- They are written in the most simple
language, by hands unfamiliar with the
pen, upon postal cards or little bits of pa
per taken from the fyleafs of books. They
tell or how the writers supported the Demo-
cratic ticket last year under the Impression
that better times would come, and how in
stead, their employment has left them and
they are without work and without bread.
They beg their friends in Congress to
hasten action, il action is to be taken, on
its final passage, and save the industries
or the country. Other protests against the
w llSOn Dill come IN the form OF long petl-
tions, signed in the plain handwriting OF
the hard working man. Many Of the sigma
lures have been attested by the cross,
which signifies that the man bearing the
name, although unable to write is intelli-
gent enough to know why he is out of en-
ployment, why his family is suffering for
bread, and that he desires the defeat of a
bill which proposes TO transfer his employ
ment to British hands.
Some of the Introductory remarks pom
petitions are enough TO melt the heat OF
the most insane free-trader who has any
patriotism about him. They depict the de-
plorable commercial conditions. tell OF the
large army, out Of employment and OF the
suffering which abounds All of this is laid
at the door of the policy which has been
adopted by the party in power. Most OF
these these petitions specify specify that the duty pro-
article which the signers are engaged In
manufacturing is so low that ii will destroy
bag fb p9sfto he nd men TaS
their signatures know more about the con-
dition of the trade in which they are en-
gagged than anybody else. Who would not
prefer the judgment of a nan who had
worked thirty or forty years iron
puddler a glass blower on a question
of the effect OF a proposed law to the the
ory of a man who never saw an iron fur
mace or a building in which glass was
made?
Many of these petitions are laid away in
the desks of the men who receive them,
and they are never presented TO the COM
niittee having in charge the questions at
sented in the House and brought to the
notice of that body A good many of the
Democrats are ashamed to have IL known
that they advocating a party theory
which is so hostile to and so strongly and
universally opposed by their constituents.
But there is not the slightest doubt that
every postal card, every letter, petition and
memorial sent here in opposition 10 the
Wilson bill sets the recipient to thinking
and makes an impression upon him which
will be shown in some manner at some