The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-05-14

China and Japan. the increasing importa
tons of long stapled Egyptian in compe-
tition with our Sea Island cotton, and the
i'll effects of the abrogation Of the tariff
on wool along with the reduction in the
tariff on wooden manufactures. combine
to evidence the fact that the time has not
arrived TO abandon the adequate protect
i've tariff system in vain pursuit OF the
phantom Of free trade.
The effect of the wool schedule of the
Wilson bill has been to enrich the Euro
pean manufacturer at the expense OF
our domestic manufacturer, and enlarge
the European market for foreign woods
while lessening our home market for our
domestic wools occasioning an advance
of cents pound for Port Phillip (Aus-
tralian) wool in London, while unwashed
Ohio wool has decreased IL cents pound
in Boston and New York; and producing
such depression of our home manufact-
urers as has caused reduction in wages
of operatives and threatens to throw this
branch of domestic labor out Of all en-
ployment.
We are, therefore, opposed to opening
our home market of seventy millions of
consumers TO the foreigner on any pre-
tense of procuring thereby a foreign
market for the productions Of the United
States. But we shall exact of our manu-
facturers that they accord TO laborers a
liberal and more continuously certain
share of the protection accorded them;
and that the tariff devised shall afford also
a protection TO the farmer and the planter
and provide sufficient revenues for the
necessary expenditures of government.
THIRD. We demand the application Of
the principle defined as the Initiative and
Referendum, TO all national legislation
which involves any radical change in
public policy.
FOURTH. We condemn Clevelandism
utterly; that debauching of legislators
with patronage to achieve legislation OPP
posed to the will of the people is vicious
prostitution of executive influence, which
we shall denounce as bitterly if 1t be the
practice of an executive elected as repub-
lican as when the practice of one elected
as a democrat.
The above is good and calculated
to harmonic many different elements.
While it is true there are entirely too
many new parties, yet such has seem
ingly been the case IN every great
political crisis. Gradually there is a
commingling of the different elements
and then the reform is accomplished.
In the present the many reform
movements may gradually amalgam-
ate on compromise ground and then
will rise new and great party out of
the present chaos. 1t will cleanse
much of the present political filth
and for a few decades purify the
national atmosphere, until years of
power shall breed corruption within
1t and still other parties be born to
re-purify things. The above will
withstand heavy battery of criti-
clsm. 1t opens for the free coinage
of silver A vast portion of the
democratic party is gradually drawing
towards a slightly modified form of
the republican tariff theories and a
few years more will draw them still
closer together. There has never to
us appeared anything so awful crazy
about the Initiative and Referendum.
While we have never been known as
supporter of that proposition, we
have strongly thought that a few
more years and it would not be
laughed at by many as now, Such
radical change in public policy as
Should the government own the
great trunk lines of railway?" might
wisely be referred to the people.
The results in Switzerland might
possibly justify the test. If the plan
had been in force in 1873, silver
might not have been demonetized.