Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-06-07
TARIFF REFORM AND DErlO-
CRATIC HARMONY.

CRATIC HARMONY.
Some differences of opinion
in regard to a permanent Phil
ippine policy have strengthen
ed the purpose of the Democrats
to formulate a party programme
to secure substantial agreement
upon essentials, while allowing
upon non-essentials, the largest
liberty. Accordingly a COM
mittee of seven, among whom
are Richard Olney, Edward NJ.
Shepard and Judson Harmon,
has been named to submit a
sketch of a platform to the
Democratic Congressional eau
Gus. In order to still further
promote party harmony and
efficiency in the approaching
campaign for Congress and in
the Presidential contest two
years hence ex President
Cleveland, David B. Hill,
William j. Bryan, Richard
Ulney, Senator Bacon, Mayor
Patrick A. Collins, of Boston;
DIR. Felix Adler, Bourke Cock
ran, William C.. Whitney and
other prominent Democrats
will deliver addresses at the new
Tilden Club in New York on
June 10. 1t will be a notable
occasion for the Democracy.
There is one great question
that of Tariff Reform-upon
which the Democratic party is
practically a unit from the At
lantic to the Pacific and from
the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.
In Tariff Reform is the Remedy
for evils that have brought ruin
upon many individual manufac-
lures and artificially enhanced
prices of necessaries of living
to the masses of American con-
sumers. On this issue the Dem
ocratic party, after having been
forced into a minority for near
ly quarter of a century, has
triumphed in two Presidential
elections. But this reform is
more potent to conjure with
now than it was in 1884 or 1892,
because fairfield monopolies
have never before attained
such gigantic proportions as
they have developed under the
Dingley act-the most exorbit-
antmeasure of the kind ever put
upon the statute book of this
or any other country.
The Beef Trust, the Billion
Dollar Steel Trust and other
like monopolies have power
fully assisted in convincing
great masses of people, hereto
fore unconcerned, of the dan
gerous character of these COM
binations. The people have
come finally to the conclusion
that these great monopolies
could never have attained their
present potential control over
American industries except
through so-called protective
system which makes the Gov
eminent of the United States
an ally and accomplice of
monopoly. On this ground of
Tariff Reform the Democrats
occupy the offensive toward
~-e Republican party. The re-
solutions of the late Ohio Re-
publican State Convention, un-
der the guidance of Senator
Hanna, leading champion of
steamship subsidy, once more
demonstrated that the Republi.
can party is so completely un-
:, der the thrall of the Trusts as
to be incapable of facing this
issue before the country.
1t does not follow, of course,
that the Democrats in making
Tariff Reform the chief issue
+. have any intention of ignoring
or evading questions that have
arisen out of Republican policy
toward Cuba and the Philip
pines. The trivial bill for
commercial reciprocity with
Cuba and the policy of the
Senate bill toward the Philip
pines will afford the Demo
Gratis ample grounds for appeal.
ing to the American people
without any fear of mourning
the reproach of want of pa
triotism. Nor will the Demo
Gratis be deferred from attack
ing Republican policy by the
calumnious partisan charge
that they are hostile to the
1army. A party that does not
possess the courage to denounce
uncivilized methods of warfare
or to endeavor to withhold the
country from wrongful and
unconstitutional processes of
government has no reason of
existence. But while resisting
the fatal Republican policy
that seeks to hold territories of
the United States by another
tenure than that of the Con