Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-11-15
BACK TO M,KINLEYIsM.
Senator Sherman Forgets That He
Once Talked Free Trade.

Once Talked Free Trade.
Senator Sherman, of Ohio, has nj
ways been olassed with these Republi-
cans who favored moderate proteo-
ton and opposed tho prohibitiye
duties of the Mckinley tariff. In 1888
he voted for reduction of the duty
on wool and q number of other ar
ticles, and it WINS an open secret that
in 1890 lie advised his party leaders
that any increase Of tariff taxation
would bo dangerous. We're it not for
partisan considerations there is no
doubt that he would to-day repeat his
famous declaration that every facil-
ity to free exchange cheapens com
modities, increases trade and produc-
ton, and promotes civilization. But
party ties and political ambitions have
proved too strong, and the man who
might have stood against the trade
destroying, liberty hating fanatics
who now rule tho Republican organ
izatiou, has been whipped into line
behind the conspiracy of protected in
tercsts, monopolies and trusts. Tn q
speech delivered Mt Springfield, Ohio,
September 10, he defined the issues on
which tho campaign III Ohio will be
fought, and outdid Mckinley in his
slayish worship of the protection
fetish. Alter -orctiiiing restrictive laws
with oil tho prosperity which the
country has enjoyed i'll the past, he
said: "What VIC propose to do is to
restore the protective policy of the
Republican purity and to build
up and increase domestic manufac-
lures and productions, not only of tho
workshop, but of the farm and mine.
Tho Mckinley law, with such changes
us time may make necessary, will nc
complisl this purpose.
1t is some satisfaction to have tho
eminent Ohio Senator admit that the
Mckinley tariff is not perfect, and
thnt time Inns made changes in it
necessary. But since he threatens
that in event of Republican success
next year that atrocious measure OF
robbery and class legislation will
again DO made law, it is strange that
no neglected to state the results
which followed its enactment in
1890. Does not Senator Sherman
know that instead of building up and
increasing domestic manufactures the
first effect of tho Mckinley tariff wns
10 close down factories and check pro-
duction? Is he not aware that tho
four years following the law which he
wants restored were years of ,rgraduol-
ly increasing trade depression and
business stagnatIon, culminating in
1898 with tho most disastrous panic
ever experienced? Has he forgotten
so soon that under the operation OF
the Mckinley tariff the market for
farm products WAS decreased and
prices forced down? Does he not
know that millions of workingmcn
wero thrown out of employment or
had their wages cut down, wh1le that
iniquitous tariff was in force?
I'll he is ignorant of these actual re-
cults of four years of McKinleyism,
the American people are not. Their
painful experiences under tho high
taxation trado-hampering policy are
etill fresh i'll their memories. They
will ask Senator Sherman why it was
that instead of prosperity the tariff
ho wants restored brought panic and
bankruptcy. They will point to the
date OF its repeal by a Democratic
Congress rs the time when trade be-
gan to revive, industries long idle
started up again, wages were advanced
md tue gloom of the Mckinley hard
times gave way to the bright outlook
of Democratic prosperity. They will
say that they tried tho patent protec.
ton pill and became very sick. They
used the tariff reform elixir and re-
covered. They know better than to
again try the dose which SO nearly
proved fatal to tho best interests OF
tho country.