The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-07
A DIsGRACEFuL RECORD.


The Democratic party fought the last
presidential campaign on a platform which
pledged it to abolish protection and smash
trusts. The tariff resolution in the Chicago
1t declared that protection was unconsti-
tutional, denounced it as robbery, and vir-
tually pledged the party to its entire abo-
lition. In regard to trusts the platform said:
We recognize in the trusts and combina-
tfons, which are designed to enable capital
10 secure more than it's just share of the
joint product OF capital and labor, a nat
ural consequence of the prohibitive taxes
which prevent the free competition which
Is the life Of honest trade, but We believe
their worst evils can be abated by law, and
we demand the rigid enforcement of the
laws made to prevent and control them,
together with such further legislation in
restraint of their abuses as experience may
show TO be necessary.
On this platform Mr.. Cleveland was NOM
mated and elected. During the campaign
Democratic speakers and newspapers re-
iterated the promises of the platform and
in the most solemn manner pledged the
party to their redemption. Mr.. Cleveland
was elected as a distinctly anti-protection
and antitrust candidate. About the first
thing that Senator voorhees, said after the
Wilson bill reached the Senate
was that in revising it he intended to
smash the trusts if 1t was the last act Of
his life. When told that the Sugar Trust
intended to secure a discriminating duty on
refined sugar he said:
1t Will get not a mill. A duty on refined
sugar is solely protection to the most cor
rupt, grinding and oppressive monopoly in
the country. i intend to make it my espe-
cial duty TO see hat this rus be smashed.
You can depend on one thing certain-that
whatever is done in the way of changing
duties raised by the Wilson bill there will
be no change which will help any trusts.
The Democratic party has for a quarter of
a century been invefghing against trusts
and monopolies, and it has been trying to
Kill them by legislation. L hardly think 1t
will now foster them by tariff measures.
At the same time it was announced tha
NJ hearings would be given to persons in-
terested in specific provisions Of the bill,
and Senator Voorhees, came out with a
statement declaring that if the committee
once began to give hearings to various in
terests 1t might consume the entire sum-
mer. whereas what the country wanted was
prompt action.
In the light of these platform pledges and
declarations of the party press and leaders,
how utterly shameless is the present posi-
ton of the Democratic party. 1t is about
to pass a bill which. while itJstrikes a
deadly blow at many American Industries
still recognizes the principle of protection
and applies it to favored interests. Instead
of smashing the trusts 1T takes them tc
the Democratic bosom. The concessions (
the Sugar Trust are all that it asked, the
sugar schedule having been practically
framed by Mr.. H~avemyer himself, the head
of the trust. The bill as passed by the Sen
ate, receiving the vote of every Democratic
Senator but one, makes a downright gift
of at least SIS, 900. 600 to the Sugar Trusr
and debars the government from receiving
any revenue on sugar for at least a5yeal
after the law goes into effect. JNop olitica
party ever made a more dlsgraceful record