The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-04
CHAIRMAN JONES COUNSELS IN
ACTIVITY AGAINST THE PRO
TECTIVE TARIFF.


The bill that passed the senate last
Friday to provide for the appointment OF
commissioners on the part Of the United
States TO an international money confer.
cnce revealed rather singular policy by
the democrats MS indicated by the vote
Jones, the chairman Of the national com
mittee Of the democratic party. lie said
he was in favor Of allowing the rcpubli-
cans to have every opportunity to try
their plan for bringing about prosperity.
Does that mean that the democrats in
congress will vote for, or not oppose any
thrift measures introduced into congress
by the republican party? IL it does, we
do not believe these democratic members
of congress will be endorsed in that
course by their constituents. We are
not in the secrets of the Bryan wing of
the democratic party, but we know that
Mr.. Bryan made one of the strongest
arguments that has ever been made in
congress against the whole principle and
republican plan Of Il high protective tariff,
and we have no reason to believe he has
changed his opinions on the subject. We
also know that the older democrats, no
matter which way they may think and
vote on the monetary question are radi-
cally opposed to n protective tariff. They
do not believe II is possible TO construct u
protective tariff that will be at the same
time revenue tariff, and we do not be-
lieve they abandoned their ancient faith
in this respect when they advocated
either the gold or the double standard
IL may be that the dominant wing of the
democratic party has discovered that in
the tariff agitation the republicans are
fast drifting onto the breakers, and that
they have determined to wait that ship
wreck in order TO make another trial to
establish the double standard
We do not believe in the policy of
wrecking any party involving the danger
ts the country that this plan would,
merely to win the national Offices If
the democratic leaders in congress con.
template for Il moment the widespread
ruin that a high protective tariff would
scatter broadcast over this country, they
would conclude they would be paying
too dear for the whistle. All democrats
know that n protective tariff policy is
not going TO restore prosperity TO this
country, but on the other hand if we nre
saddled with n high tariff. such Ms is
now demanded by the representatives of
every industry of the country, that the
depression would be so prolonged that
few business men would survive the
strain.
The kind Of democracy that we were
taught was uncompromising enmity TO a
protective tariff, and to fight il and fight
1t with vigor whenever it raised its
hydra head. We were taught that the
protective tariff was the most insidcus
foe to republican institutions that guar.
anteed to all men equal privileges. We
were taught to regard il as an attcmpt
TO throw the whole influence of the GOV.
'crnment in behalf of privileged class
Tor whom the masses of the people were
TO be the hewers of wood and the draw
ers of water-that the protective tariff
robbed the laboring men of the country
IN such a secret way that they felt il
only in the result of bitter grinding
poverty-thnt the poor were compelled by |
1t to pay large bonus TO the wealthy |
manufacturers in order to raise such \ |
- Slus of money that these manufnc- |
turers' might contribute large campairn |
funds to keep the party advocating n |
protective tariff in power. We believe |
that these things are rs true now as they |
were then, and we can only express our
surprise that any democrat is willing 10 |
lay down his arms and surrender when |
this old doctrine of the democratic party |
Is about TO be consigned TO the tomb of |
the Capuets. The sound of the trumpet
rallying the republican party forces to
the advocacy of protective tariff has |
heretofore been the most magical long
roll to the democracy to meet. them on
that issue in the open field, and now we
are told that the party is to be quiescent
and submissive while its opponents are
" march over principles rough-shod, that
hare heretofore been the battle shibbo-