The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-08-10

DEAR SIR There Is q great deal Of
dissatisfaction in the Democratic ranks
here, and, while the Democrats are
doing considerable talking. | think they
are losing ground every day. There Is
4 good deal Of talk Of the gold Demo-
Gratis nominating q third ticket. ! don't
think II would be- sound policy for
them to do 80, for they could accom-
pllsh nothing by It. The political stu
alton has resolved itself Into q question
Of Mckinley or ruin. |, therefore, think
1t Incumbent upon all patriotic Demo-
Gratis who have the Interest Of their
country at heart, TO cast aside their
party prejudice and passions and vote
for Mckinley. He Is the only mar who
can nov save this country from dire
calamity and ruin.
The people should not fool them
selves; they should not allow them
selves to be lulled Into 4 feeling OF
fancled security. We are sleeping on a
volcano. which Is liable 10 break forth
at any time and cause the greatest po-
liticAl and social upheaval the world
has ever seen. | believe. sir, that the
situation In this country to-day Is far
more alarming, momentouS and serious
than It vas In 1850. II IS not now a
question OF sections, but IL Is n vital
question. whEh effects every quarter
OF the union. The welfare and happl-
ness Of seventy millions OF people Is at
stake
recently read an interview with Mr..
Scwall. In which he Is reported 10 have
said: The only issue OF the am
paign Is free silver. The Republicans
have been trying 70 force the tariff to
the front, but annot do II. II Is such
n secondary issue that the people are
not thinking about Il, etc"
| beg leave 10 differ with Mr.. Scwnll,
While undoubtedly the money question
IL Il most important Issue at this time
and has been brought most conspicu-
ously TO the front by the D~emocrats-r
do not by any means acknowledge 1t
20 be- thr only issue, neither do l con-
sideF the tariff an ~unimp0rtant Sec
undlry issue. The seven years Imme-
dIately preceding the establishment OF
the tariff of 1924, the cOuntry was In a
similar condition 10 what Il Is at the
present time. The people were opprcss-
cd and borne down by an enormous
load Of debt: there were ruInuus sales
and sacrifices Of real estate, Il deficit In
the public revenue existed, which, while
II did not force the government to Is
sue bonds as It Is now forced TO do,
compelled 1t to seize upon and divert
from Its legitimate object, the appro-
priations Ia the sinking fund. TO redeem
the national debt. Stop laws and relief
laws were passed. and paper money
was adopted to save the people from
impending destruction.
To show the effect OF the tariff laws
OF 1924 on such times OF drs0lati0n and
tSmay, l will quote from Il speech de-
iivered by Henry Clay in the United
States senate In 1882 In defence OF the
American system" He said:
This transformation OF the cOndi-
ton OF the country from gloom and
distress 10 brightness ard prosperity,
has been mainly the work OF American
Legislation, fostering American Industry.
Instead OF allowing Ito be controlled
by foreign legislation, %Cherlshing foreign
industry. The foes Of the American
system In 1874. with great holiness and
confidence. predicted first, the ruin OF
the public revenue and the creation NJ Il
necessity to resort to direct taxation;
the gentleman from South Carolina
tGeneral Hayne). believe thought that
the tariff of 1874 wOuldRpperate n reduc-
tlHu OF rcvanu to the large mount OF
eight millions OF dollars; secondly, the
dcstructlOn OF our navigation; thirdly,
the dtsolatlon OF commercial cities: and
f0urthly. the augmentation Of the price
OF objects Of consumption. and further
decline In that OF the articles Of our ex-
ports.
Every prediction which they made
has failed; utterly failed. Instead OF
the ruin Of the public revenue, with
which they then thought to deter US
from the ndpOtion OF the American sys-
TEN. We are now threatened with It's
subverSion by the vast amount OF the
public revenue produced By that system.
Every branch Of on navigation has In
CREASED. AS to the dcSolation OF our cit
les. let us take, as an example, the con-
dillon OF the larEcStIand most CONNER
cial OF all OF them. the great northern
capital.
have In my handR the assessed valun-
t!0n OF real estate in the city Of New
York. from 1917 TO 1881. This valuc Is
~cHnvaSsCd. contested. scrutini2Gd and
adjIdgcd by the proper sworn authuTl-
ties. |; IL therefore entitled TO full Gre
deTcc. During the first jerm. commence
lug with 1877, and ending In the year Of
the passage OF the tariff of 1921, the
amount OF the value Of rCnl estate was,
the first yCnr Si7, 100. i35. and after vari-
Gus fluctuations settled down at ST., 0lg.-
80, exhibiting Il decrease In seven years
ar SJ,'T0. T05. During the first ycnr Of
1895. after the passage or the tariff, Il
rose, and. gradually ascending through
out tho whole Of the latter period Of sew
en- years. Il finally. In 1891, reached the
astonishing height Of 500. ZIG. 49,. Now.
lf II be said that this rapid growth of tho
city of New York was the effect OF for
ciIn commerce. then II was not correctly
predicted In 1874 that the tariff would de-
GtTIy foreign commerce aud dcsOlntr our
commercial cities. II. On the contrary,
It he the effect OF Internal trade, then In
ternnl trade cannot hc JuHtly %chnrEcable
with the evil consequences imputed to IL,
"rhC truth H., 1t IL the Joint effect of
both principles. the domestic Industry
nnur!EllinG the foreign trade, and the
foreign M In turn nGurishinG the
domestic Industry. Nowhere more than
In New York Is the combination OF both
rrincIplCg go completely developed. In
the progress OF my argument, viii CON
slider the effect upon the price
OF commodities produced by the
American system. and SHOW that
the very reverse nf the prediction OF It's
foes In 1921, actually happened"
u The tariff Of 1921 could bring the
prosperity /" the country II u%ndouhtcd-
IS did, ! am convinced that Il aImilnr
tariff pnsscd by our next Congress, |
would nave ilsn same beneficial effect
nOw.
! wish our party would hurry IN and
begin the campaign in earnest, the
sooner they do the better, for In MILL
tnry experience the leader who takcg
the Initiative Is usually successful.
VIII tlrp tt1II mn La, urp t.tIft, ,II, a..