Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-08-23
REPUBLICAN MATTERS.
FREE RAW MATERIALS
A Democratic Principle That Orig mated
In tho plutso..,, 30 ,ona

Is the president of the United
States the platform OF the Demo
cratic party? Has any utterance he
may choose to make the force aud
effect of declaration of national
conventions In his famous (Senator
German says infamous) letter to
Professor Wilson he says: Zone
topic will be submitted to the con-
ference which embodies Democratic
principles so directly that it cannot
be compromised We have in our
platforms, and in every way posi-
BILE, declared in favor of the free i'm
portation of raw materials"
Is that so or is it not SOP When did
the free importation OF all raw ma.
terials become a Democratic prin,
ciple? Let us bring the president
to the test and see whether he
speaks by the book or not, says the
Detroit Tribune.
Going back to the period before
the war, we find the Walker tariff,
1870 1861, making all raw materials
dutiable, almost without exception.
"Free raw materials" was not the n
u Democratic principle The Dem
ocratic platform OF 1864 was silen t
upon the tariff, and of course upon
raw ma terials.
The platform of 1868 pronounced
for "a tariff upon foreign imports,
and such equal taxation under the
internal revenue laws as will afford
incidental protection to domestic
manufactures. Nothing about raw
materials being free, but the oppo.
site implied. The platform of 1872
(Greeley campaign recognized ''that
there are honest and irreconcilable
differences Of opinion in regard to
the respective systems of protection
and free trade" and thereupon re-
mits the whole subject of the tariff
"to the people in their congressional
districts. Nothing whatever in 1t
about free raw materials.
The platform of 1876 declared
that 1--WE demand that all custom
house taxation shall be for revenue. +"
Nothing more.
1880. "A tariff for revenue only. ="
That was the sole enunciation on the
tariff. Nothing about raw materials
The platform of 1884. which was
the one on which Grover Cleveland
was first elected, and which must
come within tho purview OF the pres
ident's statement. makes no mention
OF raw materials as such, or as en-
bodying a distinctive Democratic
principle. But it does say: 1.-The
Democratic party is pledged to re-
wise the tariff in spirit OF fairness
! to all interests. But in making re.
ducUlons IN taxes it is not proposed
to injure any domestic industries, but
growth. Any change of
the law must at every step be re-
gardful of the labor and capital thus
involved" etc. In this first platform
upon which Mr.. Cleveland was
elected to the presidency, there is
no mention made OF any principle
that raw materials should be free OF
duty. 1t seems to us that in this
platform, at least, the president
should be able to point out this great
Democratic principle. But he cannot.
And now we come to the platform
Of 1888, when, for the second time,
Grover Cleveland came before the
American people upon platform
supposed to embody the full text OF
all cardinal democratic principles.
In Decem Der, 1887. Mr.. Cleveland
had sent his famous free trade mes
sage to congress, but no mention
was made therein OF free iron ore or
free coal, though there was great
| plea for the free importation Of
wool The result of that message
was the introduction into the house
of the Mills bill, as embodying the
principles Of the presidents message.
While that measure was still pend
ing in the house of representatives,
the Democratic national convention
assem- led in ST. Louis, and unani-
mously, ''amid loud applause"
adopted the following resolution:
"Resolved, that this convention
hereby indorses and recommends the
early passage OF the bill for the re.
| duction of the revenue now pend
| ing in the house Of representatives.. I"
That was the Mills bill. Any one
can turn to the Mills bill and see for
themselves what it did with iron ore
and coal Mr. Cleveland can see for
himself the platform on which he
ran only six years ago
The Mills bill made iron ore and
coal dutiable at rs cents per ton. the
exact rate that was afterward adopt
ed in the Mckinley law, that "cul-
minating atrocity. So that down to
and including 1888 there was no rec
ognized principle OF ''free raw mater
| ials."
And now we come to the platform
of 1892, and, for the first time, we
| find the mention OF raw materials,
and in this form and substance:
I'VE indorse the efforts maze by the
Democrats of the present congress
to modify its (the Mckinley law's)
most oppressive features in TIE
| direction of free raw materials and
cheaper manufactured goods.
There is no general principle laid
| down here. There is no enunciation
OF the general purpose that all raw
material shall be imported free. 1t
! simply goes "in the direction of
free raw materials. Mr.. Cleveland
in his letter says: ave have again
and again promised that this should