The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-09

pulo Ihe cOHtehtlOu that the Democratic
platform adopted at st. Louis did not
really mean what 1t said, but should be
taken In the light of the personal views
OF the Democratic lenders themselves.
When the evening came for the ad-
journed shop-talk, the Democratic spon-
SOL produced some extracts from the Con
sresslonhl Record, going to show that
Just ten years ago Senators German,
brice, Camden, Smith. Mcpherson, Muir
ply and others. all Democrats, held up
the Wilson tariff bill. which had been
passed by Bryan and his associates in
the House Of Representatives, and made
1T much more Of n protection measure
than it originally was.
~Clcveland's Letter.
Some impression was made by this rec
ord, but it was almost completely dissi-
pated by W documents. One of these
was the letter written by Grover Clcye-
land while President of the United
States, to Gen. Catchings OF Mississippi.
dcnouncing the action of German and
his associates as ''pertdy and dishonor."
1T was further shown that ut the st.
Louis convention the New Jersey delega-
ton, which was controlled in the interest
Of Grover Cleveland by james Smith,
this same Democratic protection Senator,
voted solidly on the first ballot for Par
ker, and Mr.. Cleveland himself, in a
published interview before the conven-
ton, came out for Parker as the most
available Democratic candidate.
Still more important in making up the
minds of the men present at the meet
ing, was a fortunate citation of il.e con
traStinS planks in the two platforms of
1882. In that year, it will be remcm
bered, Grover Cleveland beat Benjamin
Harrison and the entire campaign was
fought out on the tariff issue. There
was no equivocation then. MIR. Cleveland
stood for free trade, and Gen. Harrison
for protection.
The Republicans in their convention
adopted a protection plank which is Il
clear exposition of the constant principle
of the party for the last generation, and
which reads:
I'VE believe that all articles which
cannot be produced in the Lnited States,
except Injuries. should be admitted free
OF duty, and that on all imports coming
INTO competition with the products of
American labor, there should be levied
duties equal to the difference etwce
wages abroad and at home"
Like the tariff declaration of this year.
this plank met the approval of the iron
men who were gathered together to dis
cuss the tariff, and the Democrats among
them freely admitted that it was frank
and courageous
Openly for Free Trade.
On the other hand, there was some
thing of a sensation among the men when
one of their number read the straight
forward and equally courageous declara-
ton of the Democratic platform of 1892,
which openly p~ronounccs for free trade,
and which declares protection to be not
only unjust but illegal. This plank reads
as follows:
I'VE declare it to be a fundamental
principle of the Democratic party that
the Federal government has no constitu-
tional power to impose and collect tariff
duties, except for the purpose of reve-
nue. only
1t was this plank and the fact that
Mr.. Cleveland had been elected upon it.
which influenced the shop-tnlk meeting
into an informal but nonc the less bind
ing decision to the effect that the Repub-
lican position on the tariff, with its con-
sistent pledge for protection, coupled
with the Democratic position on the
tariff, and its consistent record for free
trade, made the issue Il perfectly plain
one. which could not be disguised by any
political appeal. md which must be de-
cided by the working man without regard
TO other issues which do not directly con-
Germ their interests.
I'VE must choose between protection
and free trade said the eldest man in
tho nnrtv for thnra urn, N, nbo:cr,o,
IF we believe in protection, we must
vote for Roosevelt. If we believe in free
trade we must vote for Parker. and that
is all there is about it."
Knightlicst Figure in American Poll
tics
[Jacob Riis Oh Roosevelt. the Man"
in Review of Reviews, August. 1901
y man with red blood in his veins, a
healthy patriot. with no clap-trap jingo-
ism about him. but a rugged belief in
America and its mission. an intense low
or of country and flag, a vigorous optim-
lSt, n believer i'll men. WHO looks for the
good in them and finds it. Practical in
p~artisanship, loyal, trusting and gentle
MS Il friend: unSclfish, modest as n wom-
an, clean-handed and clean-hearted, and
honest to the core. In the splendid vigor
of his young manhood he is the knightli-
est figure in American politics to-day.
the tittest exponent of his country's idea,
and the model for its young sons who
are coming to take up the task he set
them.
Democracy and the Money Question:.
Alton II. Parker wired the convention
that ''the gold standard was %irrevocably
established by law" after the committee
which was dominated by Mr.. Parker's
special political manager, David Il. Hill.
had already voted down, % to Is, a
plank that said the standard was mo
longer open to question" Thus the
Democratic party, as represented by it's
platform in committee. is in a majority
OF over two to one in thinking that the
standard is open to question: notwith-
standing that its presidential candidate
says it is '%'irrevocably established by
law If over half of the Democratic
party thinks the standard still 'open to
question:" what assurance is there that
if this party should control both branches
of CnDprnSS fbn cfon3ord ,,o,ll 80 ~