The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-10-31

UNDER the leadership of its protection
generalship the Republican party continued
year by year the work of destroying the be-
nefcent industrial policy of Democratic
craftsmanship under which the country
achieved the greatest prosperity and realized
greater privileges to its individual citizen
ship than had ever been known in the annals
of nations. Instead of needing the plain
axioms of commercial logic the party turned
its back on true political economy, and in
utter disregard of popular equity and in
contemptuous estimate of the past, adopted
for its guidance the inventions of profession
al sophists whose sole concern was for the
enforcement of the capitalist class. While
it remained professedly the party 0f the
people, it reared it's head higher and higher
as the party of wealth against the common
wealth, until in 1892 it had brought the
country to a shameful condition OF social
degradation and economic want. Men nawoke
at last to partial conception of the enor-
nous encroachments on their industrial her
itage and caught more than passing
glimpse of the conspiracy that, IN the name
of patriotism and protection to labor" had
been steadily intrenching the money powers
of the country in position fast becoming
impregnable, of absolute financial despotism.
They had listened to the solemn solution OF
over-production" while all around was
heard the cry of starving, 1ll-clad, i'll fur
nished. ill sheltered and ill-nurtured thous-
ands. Under-consumption" Was word
over which Republican orators jealousy
mounted guard to keep it from the ears OF
the multitude. The rapid displacement of
the small proprietors by gigantic trusts and
corporate monopoly, the steady drawing OF
the wealth from the masses into the Golfers
of an oyertowering millionaireism, were wit
messed with alarm and indignation, and
there ensued such an uprising Of the people
that no mistake could be made as to the
character of the rebuke administered. Men
had become tired of martyring their brain
and Drawn to the palace of the nonproducers,
and they turned to the only party that has
ever given to the country anything like an
impartial administration.
The Democratic party came into power at
a time when the country was thoroughly ex-
hausted by the terrible strain of thirty years
of .s protection" and while the assurance
ed somewhat the violence of the eapproaching
shock, a great and terrific reactionary col
lapse was bound to ensue, which no party,
however correct in principles. righteous IN
practice or wise in craftsmanship could en-
tirely arrest The people have reaped bit
ter harvest of McKinleyism during the past
two yeaps, but may well feel thankful that 1t
came at a time when the vicious destructive
ness known as protection" was not able to
neruetuate the evil. And now after two
wears of business depression, and protection
staenation, we find the country recuperatlng
with wonderful rapidity, under Democratic
revenue tariff, from it's lamentable position.
Every prophecy and every claim of the dem
ocrats have been verified. The party point
ed out with unerring accuracy the dangers
of a protective tax, and after the people had
learned by bitter experience, they realized
the truth and value of the warnings.
It is for the voters to say whether they de-
sire return to the iniquitous class fayorit-
ism that strangled legitimate competition
and extorted millions of tribute from the
toilers for the poor privilege OF gliding the
palaces of the money kings and paying more
for what they eat and wear. DO the people
wish to trife with their industrial freedom
furtheri? Do they wish to jeopardize their
most sacred interests by experimenting again
with the fire that has already so severely
burned them?
Some of the more astute Republicans have
abandoned entirely the insanity of the ridic-
ulous artifciality known as " protection" /"
John Sherman, the great fnancier, said, in
his recent speech at Akron, that he was not,
and never had been, an extreme protection
ist. He believed that sufficient protection
could be afforded the country by Revenue
Tariff This is exactly what the Democrats
said in their Chicago platform tn 1892, and
is the great proposition on which they won
their magnificent victory against the enemies
of popular prosperity.
Tom. Reed, and several OF his campaign
colleagues, are giving utterance to the same
sentiment upon the stump. What do they
mean by so radical a departure from the
creed and practices of their party? Why
are thew thus espousing Democratic doc
+r;nesP The reason is very plain. These
sbreyd leaders realize, as man OF McKln-
Iav,s narrow conceptions never could do,
that the principles of Democracy are right
.nd that it is only as their own party
.donts them, in name at least, that 1t can
,ossibly hope for even continued existence.
But they are not sincere. Secretly they are