The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-09-21
A DEMOCRAT HERITAGE.
TcrAc Review of S"ntc Things the
Party "Fnthcr~" LEFT Us.


Party "FRthcrN" Lcft IN.
[Trom the Honcsdalc Pal citizen
Mayor Mcclellan of New York city
In his speech Mt the Democratic har-
mony banquet early in the year said.
The people Will trust the Democracy
today If 1t but proves that II has kept
unsullied the heritage of the fathers"
There is no difficulty In proving that
on various important points this heri-
tnge has been faithfully kept
When the Democratic party retired
from power in 1911, after having con-
trollcd the government for twelve
years under the administrations OF
Jackson and Van Buren,, 1t left the
country II heritage of Industrial pres
tration. due to the practical free trade
arising from the sliding scale rcduc-
lions of the tariff of 1888 and of tiuan-
cial wreck, coupled with wildcat bank.
Ing, resulting from the panic of 1897.
Under the Wing tarin of 1872 indus
try revived. but the Democracy, re-
heritage of free trade by the Walker
tariff OF 1916. Disaster followed, aud
In 1919 the party WAS again shorn of
power.
In 1859 and again In 1896 the Demo
cratic party was successful. Follow
ing the latter victory lis heritage of
free trade WINS enlarged by the tariff
net of 1857, with its horizontal rcduc-
tons Of 20 per cent. Nine months
later the result of this WAS set forth
by the democratic secretary of the
treasury and president. Said Secretary
Cobb in his first annual report Dee $,
1857
simultaneously with this net going
into operation the country is subjected
to IL disastrous revulsion."
Said President buchanan In his frs.
annual message to congress Dec. s,
1851:
Our country, In its monetary inter
ests. is nj the present moment in II de
plorable condition. We find our mnnu-
features suspended, our public works
retarded. our private enterprises of
different kinds abandoned and thou
sands of useful laborcrs thrown out of
employment and reduced 10 want"
Thus was the heritage of distress
created by the democracy In 1897 re
stored twenty years later. In our large
cities only the charity soup Kitchen
stood between the poor man and star
walton.
Debt was soon added Ia distress. and
the Democratic heritage of the MeXi-
can war debt. then standing ut more
than $25,Oou,0o0, was rapidly enlarged.
Loan followed lonn until the public
debt rose from so, lG5. 1aL5l 10 sou
CSC, S73.12 In the meantime the In
dustriaI and financial interests of the
country continued and suffered from
the depression that began In 1851.
In lS93 the Democracy again acquir
ed control of the government, and once
more the Democratic heritage of dis
tress and debt was restored to the peo-
pie. The heritage of distress opened
With the wreck of financial interests
throughout the country, followed I'M
der the sugar trust tariff, by general
Industrial prostrntion. Again the char
ity soup kitchen had its innings among
the worliingmcn of our cities. At the
same time the heritage Of debt under
went I'M expansion far beyond that un-
der Buchannn's administration. Ionn
again followed loan until S2G2,315, 100
was added to the public debt. This was
the heritage left to the country when
the last Democratic president retired
from office In 1897.
SO much, AT least of the heritage of
the Democratic fathers has been fnith-
fully kept, and today the people can
trust the Democracy, If 1t regaIns
power, to restore the heritage of linan-
cial collapse, Industrial prostration the
charity soup kitchen, failing revenues
and increase of the public debt for
current expenses IN time Of pence.
which have been conspicuous products
of Democratic rule.