The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-31
In POnderOus Periods CIeve-
land BeIabors Trusts.
THEY WHO WRITE TARIFFS
When Duped People Call for Relief the Mon,
eyed Masters Of the Republican Party
Write New Tariff InCreas>
ing The Burd n.
(By the Associated Press.)

Morrstown, N. j., Oct. 3O.-Former
President Cleveland spoke here tonight
to a political meeting held in Lyceum
Hall. Special trains brought hundreds
of people from other cities and towns in
this vicinity and Mr.. Cleveland was
given an ovation.
Mr. Cleveland said in part:
81 am especially pleased to learn that
tariff reform mas been made the princi-
pal issue in the canvass you have in
hand Never within my observation or
experience has there been a time when
this should be more earnestly, persist
emily and honestly pressed upon the at
tention of our countrymen than now.
"Of course custom duties must continue
to be the source of government main
tenance until another plan is devised,
but a tariff. constructed for the purpose
of protection as its chief object, is at
all times and in every feature of it,
an unjust and unfair burden upon the
masses of our people, but the bold and
arrogant developments of its unfairness
and injustice in recent years, and the
new directions they have taken. ought
to especially arrest the attention and
apprehension Of every thoughtful sober
minded citizen"
Mr.. Cleveland reverted to former
Democratic tariff campaigners and
quoted several paragraphs from his
tariff message of 1887.
For the purpose of showing, not only
the accepted position of the Democratic
party on the tariff question, but also as
suggesting the material then available in
attacking tariff iniauities. / want, if
can" he continued, ito lead you to
contemplation ofthe iniquities that have
since accumulated. to the numerous ad-
ditions to a vicious and dangerous
progeny born of tariff license and de-
pravity, to the increased material of
successful attack and, to the present
duty of all who love our people more
than self, to strike a blow whenever
and wherever it is possible, for our coun-
try's honor and emancipation.
For this purpose l hope you will per-
nit me to add one further quotation
from the same message, as follows:
I'm speaking "of the increased cost to
the consumer of our home manufacturers,
resulting from a duty laid upon imported
articles of the same description, the
fact is not overlooked that competition
samong our domestic producers some
times has the effect of keeping the price
of their products below the highest limit
allowed by such duty. But it is notori-
Gus that this competition is too often
strangled by combinations quite preva-
lent at this time and frequently called
trusts, which have for their object the
regulation of the supply and price of
commodities made and sold by members
OF the combination. The people can
hardly hope for any consideration in the
operation of their selfish schemes
Less than a year after this announce
ment of Democratic doctrine, it was
made target for all sorts of attack
in a Presidential election. The timid
were secured that absolute free trade
would follow Democratic success. that
the importers paid the custom taxes. and
above ALL that if any revision or change
was expedient, it should be entrusted to
the friends of the tariff The people
were persuaded to continue these friends
in political control, and they forthwith
constructed a new scheme of high pro-
lection.
he bill then passed was so full of
denominations and so plainly showed the
heedlessness of its authors and benef-
ciaries, and their disregard of the inter-
ests of the people, that the voters of the
land, though accustomed to yielding to
tariff delusion, were prompt in their re-
venge and condemnation
1t might naturally be supposed that
so violent a blow as was then given
would admonish. if it did not reform,
these promoters of selfish tariff benefits.
This, however, was by no means in ac-
cord with their natures, nor in agree
ment with their Vaccinations.
They sullenly surrendered control of
governmental policies and laid in wait
for ther opportunity. The lamentable
conditions which quickly gave this op-
portunity are familiar to you ALL | am
not here to speak of Democratic misfor-
tunes or miscarriage, but to call atten-
tion to the unyielding tenacity of high
tariff rapacity and arrogance and to the
manner in which they grow and develop
whenever they have an opportunity.
Sooner than they had the least reason
to expect :he friends of the tariff, or,
in other words, those who sought to grow
rich with government help at the ex-
pense OF the people with their aiders and
abettors, had turned over to them the
work of again adjusting tariff rates. How
did they approach the task? Was it with
. patriotic intention to really benefit the
masses of our people and make their
burdens lighter? This they would hardly |
declare without a sly wink. Was it even
with the fear of the people before their |
eyes? Surely nothing indicates it. Their
work was undertaken as they would have i
I'll.
most of it,. | have heard it said upon