The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-11-23
FATHERLY ADVICE.

ty of it, But I've time to say but lit
tie, having gone off with the Spiritual
lists. 1t does no good any way; have
been helping Mclean in Ohio, which
explains why he got in by staying out.
The democratic party does wonder
ously we'll, seeing that no one class
supports it with any sort of unanimity,
and that it must, therefore, 'pick up"
its vote promiscuously. Hence, the
republicans say it is rag tag-bobtail
party and has no policy. The republi-
can party has substantially the unani-
nous support, not only in voting, but
also of campaign funds, of the great
money lenders and creditors, manufac-
turers and their operatives, transporta-
tion and its labor, the great commercial
corporations and the pensioners. And
as it secures this support by giving
these classes the legislation they want
the republican party is said to have
policy. This 'policy" gives the party
a neucleus, strong in wealth and inAu-
ence rather in the number of votes, to
begin with or base on; and the party
prejudice and habit growing out of the
war, coupled with the supernatural as
tuteness of the republican leader and
what seems to be an mate asstuteness
with the democratic leader does the
rest. To this may be added the fact
that no amount Of internal dissentions
is allowed to interfere with republican
success, as in Ohio; while any little
matter will divide the democratic par
ty, as in Kentucky. Moreover the re-
publican party makes friends of those
who know which side of their bread is
buttered and whose only use for par
ty is to spread the butter on thick; and
while the democratic party attempts to
make friends of those who either don't
know butter when they see it or who
prefer to give it to the hungry politi-
clan and old party rather than to them
selves, Sallie and the babies.
The democrtic party will hardly get
any where until it adopts policy"
or proposes to legislate for classes in
such way as secures the practical unan-
imous support. The farmer has an un-
comfortably warm side for the hungry
politician and old party, and may be a
little slow, but given time enough if
the democratic party treats him right
he will finally get there. 1t may be
said that the democracy already sides
with the farmer in the matter Of BIZ
metalism which gives him better prices
for his stuffs and makes the payment of
taxes, fixed incomes and all that, much
easier; aud by opposing high tariff and
trusts which make him pay higher for
what he buys; and by opposing pools
which gives him higher freight rates;
and by opposing subsidies to railroads
and ocean lines; and by opposing ex-
pensive and dangerous ornaments and
wars to broaden the field Of commerce
in manufactured goods and to give
capitalists profitable Investments and
destroy the life Of the republic. All Of
which is good as far as it goes and goes
far enough to secure for democracy
the practically unanimous vote of the
farmer if he cared little more for Sal
lie and the babies and not 80 much for
the hungry politician. This ought to
suffice the great majority Of farmers il
like the other fellows their own use for
a party was what it did for them.
But it is at this point that republican
astuteness comes in to take advantage
of democratic asstuteness. The unani.
nous support of republican classes
won't keep the party in power if the
unanimous support of the farmer goes
to democracy. The vote of republican
classes must be supplemented, and one
vote taken from democratic classes
counts for two. Hence republican as
tuteness throws little sop to the farm
er in the way Of protection to wool
hides, etc., and secures that vote, while
Cleayeland ponderosity was so swelle(
out with disgust because the Wilson
bill gave some protection to raw ma
terial, or the products Of mine ant
farm, that he wouldn't sign the bill
All protection incident to tariff fo
revenue should so to the manufacturer
sc Cleveland fat said. And the manufac
turers altogether agree with him. Bu'
the astute republican leader said, won
do, we must have votes enough to pu
the party in or You yourselves will get n
protection to speak of. Cleaveland did
seem to understand that the democrati
party needed votes. And the idea @
goldbug democrats even unto this da
seems to be that money lenders an
creditors can vote a party into power
the farmer, manufacturer and every 9th
er man to the contrary notwithstand
ing.
The basic principle of democracy
not free trade nor tariff for revenue
but that all classes should have protet
ton, or none should have protector
One class, the manufacturer and hi
labor, should not have protection {
the expense of another class, the farm
er aud his labor. Until some other be
ter way of raising revenue is devise
we must have a tariff law which nece
sarily gives somebody protection; I'll