The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-03-23
A YEAR OF DnMoCnACY.
How 1t Has Not Kept Its rlc~dGes-Iusi
ccrlLy OF lis l'rOfesslOns.

How II Has Not Kept Its rlCdGes-Iusin.
ccrity at Its Professions.
San Prdacsco .irgoueH,
Exactly ono year ago, on tho It'll OF
March, 1893, tho Democratic party
assumed control OF tho government Of
tho United States. 1t IL now tho 18th
OF Mnrch, 1891. Lot W look bNck and
500 what this reform party" has nc.
Complishcd.
Ono year has elapsed. When tho
Democratic party assumed tho rcins Of
power on tho 18th OF March, 1893, II
pledged itself TO reform" tho tariff; 1t
pledged itself to put tho national cur.
tGnCy on II sound basis; it pledged
itself to strengthen tho public credit; it
pledged itself to introduce economy
IN all the departments OF the govern.
mont; it pledged itse!i to Il firm yet
conservative policy; and it pledged it.
soil 10 Inaucurato al era OF uuprocu.
dcnted prosperity.
How has the democratic party kept
its pledges since tho 18th OF March, 1898
1t has not reformed" tho tariff. Al.
though II year has elapsed, aud nj.
though it has tho larccst working ma.
IorIty known since the war time Com
crosses, It has barely begun its tariff
tinkerlne, Although Congress has
practically been in session since tho It'll
OF August, lS03-about seven months
It has, after all this time, Just succeeded
in gOttiug its new tariff bill through
tho house. 1t is yGt to he acted upon
in tho senate, and it is more than
doubtful what its into will he there. So
much for the rapiLity Of the tariff re-
form which tho Democrats have
effected since the itIl OF March, 1893.
Now as to the 6iucGrity Oi TIE Demo-
Gratis tariff reform" idea. In their
platform they said: 1--WE d]enounce
protection as Il fraud; u robbery OF Il
great majority oil the American people
for the protection OF Il few. SO de-
clare it 10 bc q fundamental principle
OF tho Democratic party that the federal
government has no power to impose
and collect tarill duties, except for the
purposes OF revenue only" Have the
Democrats adhered 10 this declara'ion2
No honest man can say they have. Bad
and vicious rs We believe the Wllson
tariff TO be, il Is still not Il tariff for rev.
enue only, and everybody knows it IA
not; all sorts OF interests are protected
in 1t for various rcasons-sectional, por-
sonaI and political. What, then, be-
comes OF the denunciation OF protec.
ton as Il fraud" and 4 robbery? II
this DO true, why have not the Demo.
Gratis abolished it Mt once, and why are
fIRKE FtFaF.n vino 10 an - t, ~ - ., - V-.
favored Instances that certain southern
states may have their products pro-
tGctGd? What have Democrats done
towards abolishing what they call u
robbery" since the it'll Of March, 1898?
AS 10 their promise OF putting the
finances OF the country on asound basis,
the Democrats wranglcd for months
over the silver question, and only suc-
ceedcd III settling that, notwitlistand-
their overwhelming majority, through
the patriotism OF the Republican minor
lty. The treasury is almost empty, but
the Democrats n agree on Il bond
issue. Instead OF carrying out the
pledge OF Il firm yet conservative foreign
policy, the administration has covered
itself with ignominy in the Hawaiian
question, has practically attempted TO
restore IL fallen monarchy by force. and
has met with the unqualified and un-
mlstakable rebuke OF the people.
These, then, are Il few OF the things
which she Democrats promised to do
and have not done. Let us turn to
their performances, and not their prom
ises. Here the list is long.
Since the ith OF March tho Democrats
have repealed the federal election law,
thereby putting Il premium on ballot
box shutting and false and fraudulent
election returns.
Since the 18th OF March they have,
through their ir0o trade panic. thrown
the Reading, the Erie, the Northern
Pacific, the Union Pacific. the Santa Fe
and sixty-niEe other railway systems
into the hands Gf receivers.
Since the 9Th oil March they have
forced sos banks to close their doors.
Since the iUh OF March they have
caused 500 manufactures 10 shut down.
Since the 4,h OF Ilarch they have
forced l5.lS3 mercantile houses into
bankruptcy.
Since the 18th oil March they have
thrown owe a million w~orkirgmen into
idleness, beggGry and crime.
This, then, Is the record Of the Demo.
cratic party, the party OF REFORM"
since March i. 1893. This is their
record OF disaster Tor one Of their Jour
years. What will they do in the re-
manning three?