St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-09
ALL FOR PLUMBER.

ne IuHudIneHIal QlIIefence between
the Democratic party and the Re-
publican is brought out clearly in the
vote in the senate on the amendment
to the postoffice bill appropriating $780,
coo for the carriage of mails from San
Francisco to New Zealand and New
South Wales. This Is an extension of
the subsidy plan put into operation by
the profligate congress of 1890. 1t
means, as all subsidies mean, the tax
ing of millions of people for the profit
of few favored contractors. The
mails in question are now transmitted
with sufficient dispatch and safety to
answer all business needs. The pur-
pose of voting money from the fed
eral treasury to assist this service is
merely to give a bonus to some par
ticular steamship company, or to some
petty promoter who may be enabled
thereby to make a contract financially
advantageous to himself. 1t means
that the government, under the guise
of paying for the carriage Of the peo-
large share of the cost of operating
foreign steamship line, leaving the
company interested to absorb all the
receipts from the commercial side of
it's business as profit. 1t is the people
who foot the bills. This is the prin-
ciple of the other subsidies already in
force, of the sugar bounties, and Of
the whole infamous protective scheme.
In favor of this amendment there
voted twenty-siX Republican senators
and four Democrats. The latter list
includes Brice, who represents no
party, but only great corporate inter
ests; White, whose vote is given on
local grounds, and Call and Roach,
who are generally on the un-Democrat-
ic side of every proposition. Jones and
Stewart are very properly found vot-
ing with them. since they, too, are in
the senate only to advocate the seal
ing down Of the peoples resources by
so per cent, in order to add 100 per
cent to the profits of the silver min
ing industry. Against this subsidy
there were recorded the votes Of
eighteen Democrats, two Populist3 and
not a single Republican.
This exhibits the only clear line OF
demarcation drawn between the par
ties today. There are. we regret to
say, Democratic high protectionists.
There are both Democrats and Repub-
licans who have fallen victims to
the free silver fallacy. But, in gen.
eral, on the broad question as to
whether the state should take money
directly out of the pocket Of one man
who has earned it in order to put it
into the pocket Of another man who
has not earned it, Democracy says
no, and Republicanism answers yes
If ever the Republican party again
obtains complete control of the gov
ernment, this country will see such
a reign of universal favoritism toward
the rich, the powerful and the subsidy
grabber, such a mushroom growth of
trusts and combines and monopolies,
such a grant Of guarantees and sub
sides to the employers of the lobby,
such a frightful plundering of the
working people to enrich the favored
few, as has not been witnessed by the
world since the feudal ages. This is
the great coming issue. 1t is wider
than party; it is as comprehensive and
as vital as liberty itself On that
issue the Democratic party is ever
lastingly right. On that issue the
Republican party, saturated with the
lust of wealth and the love Of priv
ilege, will ultimately perish.