The San Francisco call., 1896-08-30
PROTECT ton
THE ISSUE
TcOntfnued from First Pa0e.I

OF it. Commercial and financial success is the
highest achievement of this age. And so we
must have protection or we Will have cheap
and all Americans must be Intelligent, or this
Republic cannot stand. This is the price we
pay for liberty-who can object TO II?
During the last four years the depreciation
in annual crop values has been enormous.
This depreciation largely accrued when the
Democrats commenced tinkerlng with the
tariff. Take wool, for instance, the average
price was IL cents pound before 1t was put
on the free list by the Democracy; now 1t Us 3
and cents pound. Barley was 81 cents;
now it is "a cents bushel. Corn was In 1892
worth 3S cents a bushel; in 1895, 26 cents.
Wheat in 1892 was worth rs cents q bushel,
and in 1885, so cents bushel. The price OF
every product of the farm was, and is, on the
down grade. The above are Eastern prices.
In livestock the depreciation is even greater,
until the annual depreciation OF the products
of the American farms under Mr.. Cleveland's
administration reached the enormous amount
of 81 ,462, ,551, ,473.
This does not include the loss on fruits, nuts
and raisins, wherein California is more par
ticularly interested.
The unquestioned facts are that we had fair
prices under protective tariff, with exactly
the same monetary and coinage laws which
we now have; but now, with a tariff for
revenue and free trade we have low prices and
hard times.
The result of the present Democratic tariff
reform legislation, as compared with the re-
suits under the Republican administration, is
instructive. For the year 1892 our exports
reached the enormous sum OF $1,015, 732, OIL.
1t is admitted this was productive year. But
note this: Our exports for the year 1895 were
only 1924, ,e62, ,475-showing loss under Dem
ocratic rule Tor the years indicated of $780,
S69. .536, while the difference in the amount of
our imports is no less marked.
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894,
only $647 IT'S OF. while for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1885, under the tariff-reform
laws OF the Democracy, our imports were In
creased to 1901 ,663 AGO, or an increase of i'm
ports under Democratic rule OF $l53, ,SSS, ,473;
thus showing loss OF exports OF american
products to foreign market in single year
of $50, ,S69, ,535, and at the same time an in
crease of imports of foreign-made goods to an
American market of $153, ,S6S, ,473. In word,
by reason OF the change OF our tariff laws We
sold, in round bers, $190, ,000, 900 less in
1895 than in 1892, and bought Sl53,oo0,OOO
loss, in round numbers, of $340, ,000, 900, or
an amount greater than is required annually
to support most of the leading nations of the
world. All this time we had 100000, 900 OF
silver coin and silver certificates ready for
use, but which was not used. We had more
silver money than could be or was used, be-
cause we had no business at home.
For the twenty-eight years of Republican
rule we paid two billions of the National debt.
During the four years next preceding Mr..
Cleveland's first administration. namely,
covering the administration of Garfeld and
Arthur, we paid $497, ,429 $50 on the National
debt. During the next Jour years, covering
Mr.. Cleveland's first administration, we paid
but S276, ,041 ,350-a little more than half as
much. During the administration of Presi-
dent Harrison-from March, 1885, to March,
1898, and Notwithstanding the Cleveland
tariff tinkering of the previous year-the Re-
Dublicans paid on the principal of the National
debt $236, ,000,0 900; while during the very
next three years, under Mr.. Cleyeland's ad-
ministration, directly following Harrison's-
from 1892 till now-we have actually run in
debt 1862 100000. And for all these periods
let me add, the Iaws governing the coinage of
silver were exactly the same as now. The
money was not, and so this condition cannot
be attributed TO the money question.
Possibly the best illustration OF the effect of
Democratic tariff legislation on the industries
of the country is found in the fact that during
the four years of Garfield and Arthur's admin
istrauon, our foreign trade was $512, ,362. .773
more than during the four succeeding years
covering Mr.. Cleveland's first administration
So during the last two years OF Mr.. Harrison's S
administration, our total foreign trade was
1925. S72, ,S02 more than 1t was during the first
two years of Cleveland's administration fol-
lowing. So our foreign trade during the first
three years of the present Cleveland admins
tration shows, in exports, 1925, ,243711 less
than during the last three Yeas OF Harrison's
administration.
These illustrations demonstrate the differ
enee between q Republican and Dem ocratic
administration, and between protective and
free trade or tariff reform policy.
These illustrations show that protection is
our only remedy for hard times, and SO we will
not barter protection away for anything else.
We don't believe anything else can take its
place.
believe in bimetallism, and do not now
know of anything have ever said in favor of
bimetalism that l would not repeat to-day
with ADDED emphasis, and yet, il 1t were neces-
sary 10 do so, am not prepared to surrender
the principles of protection for bimetallism.
The Republican party is for bimetallism in its
best and strongest sense.
The unnuastionpd facts of historv are that
when the Democratic party was 40 years old
secession became the logical result OF its prin-
ciples; that when the Republican party was
FIVE years old the logical and inevitable result
OF its principles made it stand the matclless,
heroic and patriotic defender of the American
Nation, and II has been the great National
American party ever since.
1t has been American in the higher sense
that its principles are as broad as the conti-
nent and as far reaching as are the waits of
man 1t has stood for civil and religious lib
erty, because without both neither could sur
yive. 1t has stood for the American Union,
because without q union OF the States the
whole Nation would fall, for nation divided
against itself cannot stand. 1t has stood for
republican principles OF government, because
II this national experiment oil free government
should fail republics will be wiped from the
face OF the earth and the hopes OF the lovers OF
freedom will be lost forever. 1t has stood for
an Amer can protective tariff, be cause this is
necessary to secure prosperity to the American
people. 1t has opposed all that was un-Ameri-
can in our civil polity, because this Republic
stands among the nations of the earth the soli-
tary defender of the equal rights OF man.
The great overshadowing principle of our
party since the rebellion is protection, but we
believe in and have always maintained Ma
tional financial system that will protect all
men and injure none. We believe in building
and maintaining an American navy, and IN
erecting forts for the National defense. We
are opposed to lowering the American nag,
whether it be raised on the Sandwich Islands
or on the island of Cuba, or anywhere else-on
land or sea. We have always defended the
labor of the poor, and with equal justice have
protected the money of the rich. We believe
in thesMonroe Doctrine as the settled law gov
erning the Nations of the Western Continent,
and we will risk every man and every dol ar
in its defense. We would maintain the Ma
tional credit by earning money, not by bor-
rowing it. These, among other tenets, have
been the beacon lights Of our party for all the