The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-03-13
PLATT ON PROTECTION.
Advocates Carrying Out the Peo-
pies Clearly Expressed Demand.
That the German Act He Repealed
and an Intelligent Conserve
tive Tnrfn That win
Protect he Enacted.

At the banquet rendered to Hon.
Thomas c. Plat. United States senator
elect from New York. at Albany on JAM
uary &c. Mr.. Plat spoke on the subject
Of protection as follows:
'The support given by the state OF New
York TO Mai. McKinley's candidacy album
dainty testines 10 the high hopes which
our people base on his patriotic wisdom.
The success OF his administration will be
the success OF the republican party. and
no contribution that i can make 10 that
great cause will be wanting.
Sufficient time has passed since the
November election TO permit close ex-
animation OF tho results. IL cannot be
said that they are wholly satisfactory.
The bewildering programme OF legislation
proposed by Mr. Bryan obtained so great
popular support as TO forbid the idea
that agitation in It's favor will be aban-
doned, and our democratic friends who,
without giving unqualified adhesion 20 re-
publican principles. nevertheless were con-
strained by their convictions on the money
question 20 support the republican candi-
dates should give sober consideration TO
this fact.
1T Is not yet certain that any plan for
the relief OF the treasury can pass the
senate as II shall be constituted after
March 4.
not increase, labor Will not be adequately
employed until laws are passed TO insure
the treasury against insolvency. and to
guarantee the business interests OF tho
country a safe and reasonably permanent
basis on which TO operate II the changes
In the composition OF the senate now in
progress shall fail 20 produce a majority
that can hold together for the enactment
81 such legislation. we shall have the same
fight out OF which we have just come TO
Fake again four years from now under
probably less favorable conditions.
THE lesson which this possibility
teaches 20 the Sound money" democrats
and the duty u enforces upon them, seem
entirely clear. They can find no home I'm
the democratic party. Their presence
there is not wanted, whereas with us Il
Is held In Just esteem. They must come
into the republican party. exert their due
influence upon its politics and accept their
share OF the responsibility for its work.
And. without abandoning any vital prin-
ciple. which they would not ask or ex-
poet. we must seek in all we do TO hold
their confidence and support.
people do not agitate themselves over
theories OF finance when they are getting
along comfortably. The ciamor for the
free coinage of silver became serious only
when an ill-consdered tariff measure
threw the business OF the country into con-
fusion and left the treasury without an
expenditures IL was then that capital
withdrew from investment II was then
that production was checked that wages
were reduced, that profits and earnings
fell on, that labor was thrown out or en-
ployment and that the people began 10
lend an ear 10 the theorists who told them
there was something the matter with their
dollars.
1T was not Ia human nature for those
who had enacted this mistaken law to
admit II 10 be the origin OF the troubles
which at once came upon the country,
and they cast about for other causes
One OF these they found In the greenback
and they fell TO abusing that useful fea-
ture OF their currency with especial bitter
ness IL may bo that the greenback Is
not an ideal form In which TO express n
public debt or 90 supply the people with
a substitute for money. and IL certainly IS
true that no substitute for money should
be legal tender
But II was not the greenback that
caused the demand for gold. nor was Il
the greenback that shut down mills and
reduced the opportunities OF labor and
tho earnings OF investment IL was the
Wilson tariff law which did these things
There would have been just as much
gold 10 raise. and Just as much trouble
raising H., had the burden fallen on the
banks instead OF on the treasury, and
even then there would have been an
came with the revenue law, and the rem
edy is 10 be provided I'm the same way
mo legislation is now necessary for
the maintenance OF the gold standard,
and when we have replenished the treas
ury. restored the public credit and set
the country's Industries again on their
feet there viii be time enough TO look
after the legal tenders and 70 revise our
no doubt dlsordered currency system
There can be no pretense that the
American people do not desire 20 return
&c the protective policy. They gave a
much heavier majority In 1894 against
the Wilson bill than In 1896 against all
the combined vagaries OF Organism.
The question IS not whether they can
adapt themselves TO a system OF produce
ton which must be based on a lower
standard OF wages than has hitherto pre-
vailed. They do not want TO adapt them
selves TO such "a system. The question
Is not whether revenues can he provided
sufficient to meet the governments ne
ccssities by patching up the Wilson bill
with new internal taxes.
THE people do not want the Wilson
bill patched up. They want 81 repealed,
and In its place their plain demand. 20
which the election OF two successive re-
publican majorities In the house OF repre-
sentatives sufficiently testifies, Is for the
tariff based In every schedule upon the
principle OF preventing the Foreign pro-
Queer OF goods which compete with Amer
lean goods from whocsalirg his wares
I'm the Amerincan market at prices which
compel the American maker or such wares
either 10 go out or business or 20 reduce
the wages he pays TO his labor"
FREE TRADE LION.