New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
TIE PLATFORM WANTED.

U-hor tho crect council of Republicans comes
together to represent the wishes ana the hee"S
Of American citizens, lis declaration on one queS-
ton will have supreme importance 10 the PeoP''
Every man has direct personal interest III the
ouestion Of duties on imports. -Four years ago
great many working men were persuaded ID!
leaders and dcmagogues that neither their wages
nor their employ ment would he materially AZ
fcctcd by any change Of the tarin that was pos
sible. Years Of bitter experience have taught
them better. They know now. beyond all posi-
bility of dispute that reduction OF duties may
and in many branches Of industry actually does
subject them to an enormously Increased foreign
competition. which lessons the number OF per
sons who can be employed In this country ana
the wages that can be paid 10 them. II Is no
longer A vague theory which they have 10 con
front, but a practical experience which VIII not
be forgotten so long the workers or MS
generation live They have seen their employ
mcnt, rcckoncd in days CT hours, reduced by
large percentage in consequence Of this foreign
competition At the same time they have seen
wages OF labor generally reduced more than at
any other time for twenty years
The wacc-carning millions form The main
body Of every political party. Practical poliii-
clans. who are accustomed 10 run things in vii
lagos and wards, or In districts and States. think
much of the distribution Of Offices and contracts
But these things interest al the most 100000 or
200 600 persons The wages If labor and the
condition Of industries directly interest more
than 10000. 900. many Of whom are voters II
the convention finds a candidate and adopts n
| platform which expresses In the most distnc'
and emphatic manner the desire of the wage
/ nd
duties on imports. there will not be very pro
found interest felt, II Il possible In the rest Of
its dclverance The people will vote for Re
pubcanism and prosperity. implicitly trusting
the Republican party 10 protect the National
honor in foreign affairs or in monetary matters
rs II has done for many years.
| II is therefore important that the convention
should be prepared 10 declare it's position on
| the tariff question so distinctly ana unmlstaka-
bly, that there shall no longer be the shadow of
an excuse for any man 10 pretend that he Is
Republican if he subordinatcs the protection Of
home Industries 10 his notions about currency,
the coinage Of silver, or any other question. II
| does not answer 10 be Republican provided
one can have his own way. against the will Of
nine tcnths of the people, about some question OF
that sort The people need defence OF their in
I1SrlPS, whether 'UPI gPt something else or MOI.
| They need genuine Republicans TO make their
| laws. not men who have gone far in their
devotion 10 the silver interest or some other that
they are ready TO destroy national prosperity If
their pet theories or wishes are thwartcd When
| the National! Convention pledges the utmost
efforts Of the Republican party 10 restore full
| protection 10 home Industries. ii does not mean
that Republican will do this after he has done
something else or provided he can do something
else, but will refuse II no cannot Men Of that
stamp need to he told in the most emphatic
manner by the National Convention that they
must either serve Republican principles uncon.
dltionally and faithfully. cease 10 be rcckoncd
with the great party which has never vet pal
tered with It's pledges from the first election Of
Abraham Lincoln to this hour.
| II a man has the notion that labor cannot be-
sufficiently protected without cheaper money.
that Is not an honest reason for refusing to give
labor such protection rs he can. If he finds n
measure pending which is not half what he
| wants. tnat Is not an honest reason for refusing
| to do what he can in the direction Of his princi-
pies and pledges Neither is il an excuse for
refusing to carry ont one pledge Of the Republi-
can party that a man considers II has also
promised something else whirh nne-tcnths of
| It's members never meant 10 promise. The Ma
| tCnal Convention will need 10 he decidedly blunt
and explicit and cannot speak too plainly for
| the 20,O00,0O0 Of wage carncrs