The Forrest City times., 1902-03-07


 be safely predicted here tonight that a | continued refusal to give relief to the sui. 1 feriug people of Cuba who only ask that | their commerce may be relieved from iis unjust burdens. will be followed by a re- action against the party in power so sweeping ard complete that a majority pledged to relief will be elected the coming fall and will control the next house of rep | reseutatiVts.
 Revenue Reform a IenJiur Issue The democratic party should again press to the front the issue Of revenue re- form. The signs of the times indicate the wisdom of such a course. It is not a new issue but it is an ole oHe-which has grown better by age.
 'It is an issue upon which Every demo. crdt in this broad land can stand. without regard to past differences or previous con cition of servitude To any other isues. good. bad or indifferent. II is not dead issue. but living issue; il is not passing is sue, but an ever present issue; it k not 3 questionable issue.
 'lt has stood the test of age. because it is right. II has been obscured al times by the temporary prominence of other issues. but It has never ceased to be the party's faith
 Revenue reform has many synonyms. It may be defined as that policy which for bl6S the Use of the taxing power of the aAtiltlAl Ibi tue iiS iffffe Tt Uf Dri- Vate purposes. That Is its true meaning in a nutshell lt Is equivalent to the shibbo- ltth of tariff for revenue only which has been smblazoned on our party harners 90 mary time in our history II signifies the S9tHG governmental theory of public taxa tior for public purposes It is founded Gron the principle that 1t l. Tot the true ! province of government to tax one man for the benefit Of anether's private busi- ne>s.
 There ts absolute unarlmits on the question of the republican attitude in moerat!e ranks. There Is. however, some division in the republican party or this ques tton. IL began several years ago. when MT. Blaine, who had previously been the urcompromising champion of protec- ueH. with keen foresight saw that the doc tfIHe WaS being carried to extremes, and that il could not much longer resist the growing public sentiment in favor of q change suggested that 1t might be well to lnauSurate policy of reciprocal trade through commercial treaties negotiated between this country and some other eoun- tries asserting thereto
 Reciprocity a Democratic Policy.
 The policy of reciprocity is and has all way been a emocratic policy There has reVtr been time iH the history of the country when the democracy has not been Gtsirous of establishing reciprocal trade, either through treaties or otherwise. be- tween this ard other countries.
 There Was really nothing new ir NIT. Elaine $ suggestion in itself: it startled the country simply because f came from an unexpected source. l. was al irGorsa nj nt of the ocmoeratie position from an hither- te hostile quarter.
 "But if Mr Blaines tribute years ago 10 the wiSGOm of the democratic party was 2 surprise, much more SO Were the WorGs ef President Mckinley expressed in his ad- dress at the Pan-Ame rcan Xpositi6n at Buffalo last fall. and which urques stior- ably would have attracted more attention and comment but for his untimelv ard tragic death which followed 90 soon after WarG. He there said:
 The period of exelusiveness is past The expansion of our trade and comma rec Is the pressing problem. Commercial wars are urprofitable. A policy of good will and friendly trade relations will prevent reprisals Reciprocity treaties are in har- mery with the spirit Of the times; measures Of retaliation are not. If. per chance. some ot our tariffs are no longer needed for rev enue, or to encourage and protect our in- Gustries at home, why should they rot be employed to extend and promote our mar ket abr1ad2
 'These words. coming from one whose political life had been engaged in adVoCat- ing aH opposite policy. but whose partisan vie ws must have been modified when con- frorteG with spousibHity in the great of fee of president of the whole country. are most significant and instructive. The re- publican party has been comparatively silent upon these most important utter arces.
 1t Is impossible for our opponents satis- factority to answer these inquiries, ard they Go not venture to do so. Their lead CTS in congress have repeatedly and de- fiartly declared that there will be no tariff legislation at this session.
 ''ID view of this anOmalO situation and of these cOrsldera tions 1t becomes the part of wisdom for the democracy to press To he front this great issue of revenue re- form not 10 the exclusion of other issues, but prominently and in conjunction there- with.
 "It is not necessary 10 put all our eggs in one basket. There are other Issues worthy of consideration which should not be g- nored and upon which our position is im- pre Crable
 We believe ir a select construction of the federal constitution as essential for the public welfare
 Democratic Policy Tersely Expressed
 "We favor an amendment to the consti- tuton providing for the election of United States senators by the people of the several states rather than by state legislators. We should continue to advocate that amend ment. l. is a reform in the right direction and it ought to prevail
 "Oppostiou to dangerous corporations of capital should continue to be the demo- cratic position. The best and truest in- terests of the country require that such combinations should be prohibited. Rea- sonable and desirable cooperation of large moneyed interests may be permitted. but the scope and methods thereof should be wisely regulated.