, 1899-10-05
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
DEMOCRATS WILL MAKE THE
TARIFF AN ISSUE.
Its Repeal or Modification Demanded
on the Pretext That In This Way
Alone Can the Trust Pi obiem BE
Successfully Solved.

viii the tariff be made a consplc-
uous issue among the questions to be
submitted to public adjudication in the
presidential campaign of 1900? Opin-
ion varies widely on this point. By
many the belief is expressed that in
the light of the splendid prosperity
that has followed the restoration OF
the protective policy, and in view of
the enormous extension of our for
eign trade that has taken place con-
currently with the unrestricted opera
lion OF that policy, the Democratic par
ty in its next national platform will
not have the hardihood to reopen the
tariff question, but will discreetly re-
frain from any agitation thereof.
Among those who hold to this belief
we find the New York Sun very posi-
tive and emphatic. After pointing to
the splendid showing made in the sta
tlstics of our exports of domestic man
INSTRUMENTATION It appears that,
after deducting the exports of mineral
oil and copper from the unexampled to-
tai of S3SS.667 1914 for the last fiscal
year, the net exports of products in
which labor cost forms a higher per-
centage than in these relatively crude
articles reached in 1899 the sum of
$3.50, 900 900. a gain OF $685. 0O. 900 in
ten years-the Sun announces his con-
clusion:
The prosperity of our manufac-
lures. indicated by these statistics. re-
moves the tiresome and mischievous
I "a riff oontrnunrev Szo,, the NaIl ~
politics, for the time being at least,
and relegates 1t to the purely academic
discussion where only 1t has always
belonged in this country. 1t did not
appear in the campaign OF 1896, and
1t will not appear in the campaign OF
1900. The ridiculous and disastrous re-
suit of 1t after the campaign of 1892
has warned the Democratic party to
let 1t alone"
Almost at the identical moment
when the Sun writer was engaged in
recording the conviction that the facts
OF trade and and the disas-
ters which resulted from the cam
paign of 1892 would compel the re-
mcval of "the tiresome and mischiev-
GUS tariff controversy from the field
Vi oAlIANo - Nht III JULIE at liloSE
and would 'relegate it to the purely
academic discussion where only it has
always belonged in this country" a
body Of orthodox Democrats were hold
ing their state convention in Iowa. In.
the platform adopted by this body of
orthodox Democrats, without a dis
senting vote or voice, We find the fol-
lowing:
we view with alarm the multiple
cation of those combinations of capt.
tai commonly known as trusts, that
are concentrating and monopolizing
industry, crushing out Independent
producers of limited means. destroy
ing competition, restricting opportuni-
ties for labor. artifcially limiting pro-
duction and raising prices, and Great
ing an Industrial condition different
from state socialism only In the re-
spect that under socialism the benefits
of production would go to all, while
under he trust system they go to in
crease the fortune of these institu-
tions. These trusts and combinations
arc the direct outgrowth of the policy
of the Republican party, which has not
only favored these Institutions, but
has accepted their support and soiic-
tied their contributions to aid that par
ty in retaining power which has placed
a burden OF taxation upon those who
labor and produce in time of peace
and who fight our battles in time of
war, while the wealth OF the country
is exempted from these burdens.
I'VE condemn this policy, and 1t is
49, cplapnp nnn yfntinn chat Tho frttStg
must be destroyed or they will destroy
free government, and we demand that
they be suppressed by the repeal of
tie protective tariff and other privi-
lege-conferring legislation responsible
for them and by the enactment of such
legislation, state and national, asNwill
aid in their destruction"
Does this look as though the tariff
controversy was going to be lifted out
OF politics and relegated 10 academic
discussion? The Iowa Democratic
state convention did not think so. We
would gladly share the confidence of
the New York u as to the disappear
ance OF the tariff from among the live
issues of the campaign of next year,
but the facts and probabilities wholly
fail to justify that agreeable anticipa-
ton. On the contrary. the facts and
probabilities point unerringly toward
a savage and determined attack on the
tariff all along the Democratic line. At
the present writing nothing appears
mere certain than that from this time
on every Democratic state convention
will present the Iowa declaration in
some form or other. and that the re-
peal or modification of the Dingley
tariff will be demanded in the national
Democratic platform.