Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-19
The Ex-Congressman Addresses the
Ohio Democrats.
CONVENTION ASSEMBLED at COLUMBUS
The Platform Declares Protection
to Be a Fraud.
IN FAVOR OF FREE SILVER

democratic state convention met at 10 a m,
with ex-Congressman Frank Hurd of
Toledo as temporary chairman. In sound
ing the keynote for the Ohio democrats Mr..
Hurd said:
My fellow democrats: congratulate you
upon assembling in state convention in the
first hushes Of the dawn of a new day of
prosperity to the United States.
Through Red seas the business men of
this country have passed. until hope began
to fail, and despair had seized the man.
ayers of nearly every enterprise in the
land.
For more than twenty years tariff re-
formers had predicted that such a condi-
ton must inevitably result from protec-
tion. restriction of the market resulted in
over-production of domestic goods Nor
Tor this condition was the democratic party
In any respect responsible. Whatever dis
turbance comes through reforms must be
charged against the wrongs which make
reforms necessary, and not against the re-
forms themselves.
The promise Of business revival has come
partly because the element of uncertainty
as 10 what the tariff rates would be has
been removed. The new law is not likely to
De modified for some time by a general re-
VISION But chiefly this result has been pro-
duced because the new law Is cheapening
the expense Of living. 1t proclams the
doom Of protection in the United States.
Local interests represented by Congress-
men VINO desire popularity with their con-
stituents often interpose to prevent neces-
sary changes and to prolong system
which bestows local favors. These consid-
erations all appeal to the practical legisla-
tor, and make necessary at the beginning
OF great reforms slowness of movement
exasperattng to the enthusiastic reformers
For these reasons the new law may not
nave gone as far AZ many have wished but
1t goes long way In the redemption of
democratic pledges, and reforming our
the rates of the Mckinley law 30 per cent
But the chief merit, he said, was to be
found in the free list.
The people will be saved nearly 1900 600
Per year. The addition Of wool to the free
list makes the law one of the most import
ant statutes enacted since the war He
predicted higher prices for domestic wool
to the farmer and cheaper goods to the
consumer. In this way free wool is des-
tined to be the great educator of the peo-
pie on the tariff question. Very soon they
VIII demand that other articles of foreign
trade, SO far as 1t is practicable shall be
brought in free.
Coming to the divisions in the party on
the tariff question. Mr.. Hurd said:
Grover Cleveland and John G. Carlisle.
Free wool is worth more to tariff reform
than all other provisions of the law put to-
gether.
ITO their credit, be 1t said. the Ohio
democratic members in the House were
nrm, even voting for free wool. When by
one word he could have defeated free wool,
more credit is due Senator Brice than to
any other influence, or to all other infiu-
ences combined"
Mr.. Hurd counseled harmony and further
effort to agree.
THE different schedules will require far
Their adjustment, in the interest of free
trade. The Chicago platform claims that
protection Is unconstitutional and robbery
If that declaration be true, our mission cam
not be ended while protective statute re-
mains"
Mr.. Hufd closed by saying he was OPP
posed to the American Protective Assoc
cation, because 1t was a secret political
society. Such societies organized on re-
Egious lines are unconstitutional organiza-
tons, violative of the fundamental law
both of the United States and of this state.
The A. r. A. gave Gov Mckinley his
5ority of $1,000, and the large republican
majority in Maine. We must make it plain
that no man can be a democrat and an
The Platform.
The platform praises the efficient, eco
nomical and honest administration Of Presi-
dent Cleveland, declares protection a
fraud. and while recognizing the benefits Of
the reduction of duties on imports Just made
by Congress, favors such further reduction
as can be made, to The end that purely pro-
tective duties be abolished" declares that
the Mckinley law caused the business de-
preston, reduced the revenue, and led to
the necessity for issuing more government
bonds.
Business failures, strikes. low wages, low
prices for farm products are enumerated as
the result of the <ickinley law. Under the
new law business is declared to be reviving,
we dissent, says one plank, from the
PRESIDENTS views, construction and treat
ment of the silver question and therefore
believe that silver should be restored to the
position 1t occupied as money prior to its
cemonetization by the republican party and
to that end We favor the unlimited free
coinage at the legal rate of l6 to 1 with
equal legal tender power"
The platform denounces the last general
assembly of Ohio; Gov. McKinley's admins
tratlon and the American Protective Asso-
cation. 1t favors liberal pensions a cor
rupt practice" law limiting amount of
money to be expended by candidates, and a
law prohibiting free passes on railroads.