Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-09

O.....|. N.'.s
"PRorEcrloN. We denonnce Repub-
lican protection as a fraud, q robbery of
ths great majority Of the American
people Tor the benefit on the few. We
declare 20 20 De q fundamental principle
Of the Democratic pOrtg that The federal
g0UCrnmCnt hes go constitutional poiocr
20 impose and collect tariff duties EXCEPT
Tor the purpose OF revenue only, and we
iemand that the collection OF taxes
lhall be limited 90 the necessities OF the
government when honestly and econom-
lcally administered.
"THE MCKINLEY TARIFF. We de-
hOunca. the Mckinley tariff law enacted
By the Fifty-frst Congress as q cul-
ninating atrocity OF class legislationi
we indorse the efforts made by the
Democrats OF the present Congress 20
modify los meet oppressive features, in
he direction of free rGlD materials, and
cheaper manufactured goods that enter
into general consumption; and We prom
.Se its repeal as one OF the benehcent
results that will follow the action OF the
people Ito entrusting power Othe Demo
cratic party. Since the Mckinley tariff
went into operation there have been
ten reductions OF the wages Of labofing
men 90 one Increase. We deny that
there has been any increase Of pros
perity 20 the country since that tariff
went into operation, and zee point TO nc
dizziness and distress, the lCQgc reduc-
tons and the strikes in THE IRON TRADE,
as the best possible evidence that 20
such prosperity has resulted from the
Mckinley act"-NdtOndl Democratic
platform, adopted Gt Chicago, June -,
1892.
To is well, at this iuncture, to invite
the attention Of an good Democrats,
and Of all men who profess 60 be Demo
Gratis, whether they be- United States
Senators or private citizens, to these
plain. emphatic declarations Of the
Chicago Platform Of 1892. Upon that
platform the Democratic party went
before the country, and elected its
candidates for President and Vice Pres
ident, elected a Democratic House Of
Representatives, and secured a Demo
cratic majority in the United States
Senate. The American people trust
ed the Democratic party, upon
the faith of the professions and the
pledges embodied ia this platform.
Those professions and those pledges are
positive and distinct. They are IMAM
biguOus aud uneQuivCcal They admit
Of no double or doubtful construction.
According 20 the Democratic plat
form, there can be no such thing as a
Democratic prOtectiOnist" any more
than a Democratic Mckinleyite. The
phrase Is a contradiction ia terms.
protection" is not a Democratic doc
trine. The imposition and collection Of
tariff duties, except for the purposes
OF revenue only" is distinctly declared
20 be unconstitutional
Incidental protection, as tits some
times called, that which results from
the imposition Of any duties upon arti-
cles or wares Of foreign production and
importation, which come into cOmpeti-
tiOn with articles or wares OF the same
class and kind, of native or domestic
production, is the unavoidable result OF
any tariff, even one framed exclusively
with a view 20 revenue only" But
the imposition OF a duty which can be
justified only upon the ground that 10 Is
intended for protection, which Is asked
and advocated only upon that ground,
is undemOcratic and. according % the
party platform, unconstitutional ~
Equally explicit is the language and
doctrine OF the platform upon the sub
joct of "free raw materials" No man
can stand up in his place 10 the Senate
end oppose free raw materials, and
claim 90 be- q Democrat. The Mckinley
tariff imposed a duty Of IS cents a ton
upon coal and iron ore. The imposition
OF a duty OF 40 cents or 90 cents ton
upon the same raw materials OF Indus
trv, is only McKinleyism in lesser
degree. The robust and vigorous de-
nunciatiOn OF Mckinleyism and OF the
Republican doctrine of protection 10
any and every degree, To- the platform
OF the National Democracy, leaves no
room or place within the Democratic
fold for a NcKinleyite or a prOtecuOnist
Democrat.
When General Hancock, who wes a
much better soldier than be was a po-
Htcal economist or statesman, wrote
that ''the tariff was a local issue" his
words we're greeted with universal ridi-
cule. and, doubtless, contributed 90 his
defeat as candidate for the Presidency.
IL appears that there are Democratic
Senators, or rather Senators who were
elected as Democrats and represent
Democratic States, who are in serious
danger Of falling into General Hanc0ck's
error. Some seem 20 be in further danger
of utterly installing on which side Of
the GOcal issue" the true interests and
svmpathles of their constituents Tie. To
an such wanderers from the faith, we
commend a careful study Of the Demo-
cratic platform, the language Of which
we have quoted. Maryland Democrats,
ip particular, are, as class, plaiL, old
fashioned people who are apt 20 believe
what they say. and who expect others,
especially those who assume 90 repre-
sent them, to be true 90 their probes
siOns.