The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-09-20

in some form or other from starr TO
finish.
The Federalists had as their leader
the most powerful man Of his day IN
point of intellect, Alexander Hamil-
ton. Aggressive, fearless and ener-
getic he lead his party wherever TIC
desired. and dominated with an iron
will. But for his uutinely death the
pages of our country's history would
tell another tale today. 1he De1ho-
Gratis, or rather as they were then
styled, Republicans, were under the
leadership Of Thomas Jefferson,
yerv versatile, but much inferior man
in ability to Hamilton. Hamilton
was often accused of favorinS a mon
archial form of government, but how
ever that may be, history shows that
he and the party, of which he was
the head, were favorably impressed
with Capitalization and a strong
government at Washington. 1t IS
we'll known that Hamilton and Jeff-
erson, when in Washington's cabinet
were ALWAYS pickering over the pow
ers of the national government, and
of the states respectively. On ques-
tons of finance they were agreed,
but seldom on anything else, and IN
consequence of which, Hamilton fin
ally resigned from the cabinet and
left Jefferson master of the situation.
Now what does the triumph OF this
Capitalization policy first advocated
bv Fcdcralists, now sailing under the
name of Republicans mean? 1t means
to the North a consumation OF their
all absorbing wish, and for the South
a final blow to liberty itself. With
no check upon them the Republicans
will carry out at this late day the
plans of Alexander Hamilton and the
South will be reduced to AFFECT slavery.
1t was against this tendency that we
made of Virginia battle ground. 1t
is for the prevention of tins wrong
that the South stands solid, and to-
day, beneath the glamour of minor
issues the same principle is involved.
The first great economic question
that emanates from the fundamental
difference between the parties, and
which exemplifes the truth Of the
assertion that Republicans favor a
loose construction Of theConstitution,
is the issue of protection. 10 con-
tend that protection, for projections
sake is constitutional, is to construe
the constitution as it was never in
tended to be construed. The trainers
of our constitution were patriots,
they were men ofintellect, and were not
robber barons. They never intended
that under the power given Congress
to regulate commerce there was an
implied power to tax one class of
men for the benefit of another. That
is what protection does and it is very
easy to demonstrate it: One class of
men are engaged in manufacturing,
another farming OF other vocation.
Suppose the manufacturer is protect
ed from any competition. Tho duty
on what he manufactures is SO high
as to be prohibitive, and consequent
ly he has monopoly of his particu-
lar business. How is it with the
farmer, the mechanic and others?
Are they benefited by the protection
afforded the manufacturer? No. for
their cloths they have to pay the ex-
cess in price that protection has
made The manufacturer Of WOODEN
goods commands his own price. He
has no competition and he does not
pay his labor higher wages than he
would if there was no protection.
The mechanic pays the excess in
price for his claw hammer and other
tools, and the manufacturer is bene-
flied thereby. Protection does not
benefit the laboring man. Outside
of any argument look at the facts in
the case. Look at the millionaire
Carnegies, who have grown up under
a protective tariff and it is very pal
pable who is the beneficiary. All
this talk about the labor;ng man is
mere petty Republican demagogery
anyway. Generally the men who
work in these northern factories and
in mining sections, are foreigners
The cheapest labor is employed,
which, is for the most part composed