The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-27
BY those they are sought to be infiu-
enced, and | believe they will.
A PROTECTIVE TARIFF

y HhOI Ell lN II 4 <AhlT
Another issue OF supreme import
ance is that of protection. The peril
of free silver is menace to be feared;
we are already experiencing the effect
of partial free trade. The one must
be averted; the other corrected. The
Republican party is welded to the
doctrine of protection, and was never
more earnest in its support and adj
yocacy than now. If argument were
needed to strengthen its devotion TO
''the American system or increase
the hold of that system upon the party
and people, it is found in the lesson
|ysnd experience of the past three years.
Men realize in their own daily lives
what before was to many of them only
report, history or tradition. Ihey
have had trial of both systems, and
know what each has done for them.
Washington, in his farewell address,
September 18th, 1896, hundred years
ago. said: ''As a very important
source of strength and security,
cherish public credit. One method of
preserving it is to use ut as sparlngly
as possible; avoiding the accumula-
ton of debt, not only by stunning oc-
casions of expense, but by vigorous
charge the debts which unavoidable
wars NAV have occasioned not un-
generously throwing upon posterity
the burden which we ourselves ought
to bear"
To facilitate the enforcement of the
maxims which he announced, he de-
Jared: ''It is essential that you should
practically bear in mind that towards
the payment of debts there must be
revenue; that to have revenue there
must be taxes; that no taxes can be
devised which are not more or less in
convenient or unpleasant; that the in
trinsic embarrassment, inseparable
from the selection of the proper OBJ
iects (which is always a choice of diff
ffculties) ought to be decisive motive
for candid construction Of the
conduct of the government in making
it; and for a spirit of acquiescence in
the measures for obtaining revenue
which the public exigencies may at any
time dictate''
Animated by like sentiments the
people of the country must now face
he conditions which beset them. THE
public exigencies" demand prompt pro-
ective legislation which will avoid the
ccumulation of further debt by pro-
viding adequate revenues for the ex-
penses of the government. This is
manifestlv the requirement of duty. Ii
elected President of the United States
will be my aim to vigorously pro-
mote this object and give ample en-
,ouragement to the occupations of the
American people which, above all else,
is so imperatively demanded at this
uncture of our national affairs.
THE HARD TIMES.
ContinuingMrM Mckinley quotes from
Mr. Harrison's last message to Con-
gress in 1892, reviewing the condition
and resources of the country, showing
prosperity in all branches of trade and
commerce. The message of President
Cleveland, addressed to the Fifty-third
Congress, calling attention to the ex-
istence of an alarming and extraordi-
nary business situation is then quoted,
and continuing, Maj. Mckinley says:
What a star6ling and sudden change
within the short period of eight
months, from December, 1892, to Au-
gust, 1893. What had occurred? A
change of administration; all branches
of the government had been entrusted
to the Democratic party, which was
committed againstthe protective policy
that had prevailed uninterruptedly for
more than thirty-two years, and
brought unexampled prosperity to the
country, and firmly pledged to it's
complete overthrow and the substitu-
ton of tariff for revenue only. The
change having been decreed by the
elections in November, its effects were
at once anticipated and felt, nor would
it be wise to exclude from contempla-
tion and investigation the causeswhich
produced them.
1T is a mere pretence to attribute
the hard times to the fact that all our
Concluded on fourth pege)