The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-01
THE ISSUE CLEARLY DRAWN
A,Frominent Democrat Tells My He
Left His Party.

A ;Prominent Democrat Tells WY ne
Left His Party.
COULDN'T STAND ITS BUNGLING
Spsesh IN Which Ex-Msyor Haveus. OF
Terre Hsute. lad. Declared HIS lu-
teutiou OF Co-operatiu. with the
Republican Party Hereafter.
The Democratic party from every
stump in the land. loud and long pro.
claimed, exclaimed and declaimed
against the Republican methods OF
finance. Give us control OF the govern
ment, 1t said, and We will cure the
financial ills brought upon the people
by the Republican party. In 1892 the
people, believing this true, turned the
government completely over to the
Democratic party. Myself. togetner
with thousands Of others. had misgiV-
ings on this question, as well as on tnat
other and greater question, the tariH'
yet We maintained our party relatlohs.
How has this promise been kept? What
miserable doctors Of finance has the
Democratic party produced! Tneir
remedies have only aggravated the evii,
as they chose to call It, Their course
brought no relief they fioundered,
fioundered like q ship without rudder.
Incapacity and want Of ability on the
part of the, Democratic party on the
financial question have been made so
apparent that no argument Is needed
to establish the fact-hopelessly at sea,
as we were under the Democratic party
on this same question In lS60-6l, when
Walkers free trade theory had driven
the country almost to ruin and Mr.. Bu-
chanan was forced to do what the Will
son free trade bill has forced Mr. Cleve-
land to do-borrow money to pay the
ordinary running expenses OF the gov
ernment. The mismanagement OF our
affairs by Walker and Buchanan in 1850
had so Frustrated the country and the
government that 1t was compelled to
borrow money at II per cent.
ADMINISTRATION ARRAIGNED.
Failing to legislate so that the reve-
nues OF the government might meet it's
ordinary expenses. the present admin
istration has yet left the power to bOr-
cow money to pay the running expenses
of the government by the issuing OF
bonds in time of peace. And how have
these bonds been issued? Mr. Cleve-
land sold bonds that had thirty years
to run through u syndicate at 500,
while bonds of the government that had
only ten years to run were selling In
the markets of the world at $ll6. Mr..
Cleveland undertook to repeat himself
by the sale Of more bonds. The people
throughout the country had clamored
loud and long that public loans should
be made-that IL, that the people should
be offered these bonds that they might
take them and keep them at home. The
administration paid no attention to
their demands. Mr.. Cleveland's ar
rangements with the syndicate In New
York were upset by resolution intro
duced In the senate of the United States
by Senator Elkins, by directing the sec
retary of the treasury to advertise a
public loan, and for that 500. .O00. 900 of
loan nearly 5000, ,000, 900 were subscribed,
and these bonds. II remember correct
~, were sold at about $1.11. Mr.. CleNe-
lands syndicate lost per cent. on this
Investment which 1t did not get on ac-
count Of Senator Elkins' resolution.
Why did not some Democratic senator
offer resolution like Senator Elkins
did?
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
now come to the last and greatest
question of all. and one upon which
the prosperity of our country rests.
The question IL as old as our govern
Elent, was with us at the formation of
'iur constitution, and has been with US
ever since. and Is again with US in the
destruction, ruin and misery brought
upon the country by the so-called leg
islation Of the Democratic party under
the Wilson bill. Tariff, protection or
free trade-this Is the great. the para
mount, the important question that is
before the country In the coming cam
paign. Taxation is the one nearest and
Of most interest Of all questions to the
people. To raise the money necessary
to carry on the government IL q duty
all will admit. How to do this, that the
burden may fall equally and lightly
on all classes, Is the question. How to
do this and at the same time protect our
labor, our industries and our people of
every class Is the question for the
statesman and the legislator. Behind
us is more than q century Of experience
In the levy and collection of the neces-
sary taxation. Practice, experience
and theory we have had in abundance.
At the outset you will find that the
theological, geological and aftentimes
the illogical white-cravated college
professors, enforced by English-loving
mugwumps. who are In favor of free
trade. With no practical experience in
this pushing; hustling. hard-lined
business world. these people step for
ward with theory, and the application
Of the theory of only one Of the class
mentioned has brought our government
to the verge of financial ruin and bank
ruptcy and our business interests, east,
west, north and south to stagnation,
with utter ruin staring US in the face.
WILSON LAW A CRIME.
The greatest crime in the nineteenth
century against the business Industries
Of pur country was the passage of the
Wilson bill. The destruction of the
7alNes of property, the destruction of
she business interests of the country,
the freat army of unemployed, the re-
uuctpn In the wages Of labor are all
the Aesult Of that law. The present
hard times commencing in 1893. and
yet u1pn us, were caused by this law.
lust aAthe history of the country shows
the dradful parics Of 1919, 1887 and 1857
were caused by similar Democratic free
trade legislation on the tariff question.
On thA other hand, and In opposition
10 the Neas of the modern tariff re.
former az embraced in the Wilson bill
We have Ahe words. acts and deeds OF
washington, Jefferson, Hamilton
coln. Blait, Grant, Mckinley and g
host OF otht illustrious men. The leg.
lslation Of be country, when following
the advice Ind lines Of policy marked
out by this\class Of men, has alway.
brought PROPERTY. When 1t has fol.
lowed out TN lines of the Wilson bill
ruin and disaNter have been the result
The pathway Of the Wilson bill ha.
been strewn nth suicides of ex-con.
gressmen, manufacturers, bankers
business men thd laboring people. The
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