The river press., 1904-09-28

pute the contention that. the Democratic
platform adopted at st. Louis did not
really mean what it said. but should be
taken in the light of the personal views
OF the Democratic leaders themselves.
" hen the evening came for the al.
Journcd shop-talk, the Democratic snon.
sor produced some extracts from the Con-
gressional Record, going to show that
Just ten years ago Senator's German,
Brice, Camden, Smith, Mcpherson. Muir.
Ply aud others. all Democrats held up
the Wilson tariff bill. which had beon
passed by Bryan and his associates in
! the House Of Representatives, and made
! it much more OF a protection measure
than it originally was.
Cleveland's Letter.
Some impression was made by this rec.
! ord. but it was almost completely dissi-
ratea by two documents. One OF these
was tic letter written by Grover Clcvc
land while President Of the United
States: to Gen Catchings of Mississippi.
denouncing the action Of German. and
his associates rs ''perGdy and dishonor."
1t WAS further shown that Mt the st.
Louis convention the New Jersey delega-
tion. which was controlled in the interest
! OF Grover Cleveland by James: Smith,
! this same Democratic protection Senator.
voted solidly OH the lir>t ballot for Par
kcr. and Mr.. Cleveland himself, in Il
published interview before the convcn-
! ton. came out for Parker as the most
available Democratic candidate.
Still more important in making up the
minds of the men present ut the meet
| ing. WAS fortunate citation of the con
,las,ing planks in the two platforms OF
1882. In that year. it will be remdl,..
hcred. Grover Cleveland beat Benjamin
Harrison and the entire campaign was
| fought out on the tariff issue. There
was no equivocation then. Mr.. Cleveland
| stood for free trade. and Gen. Harrison
| for protection.
The Republicans in their convention.
adopted Il protection plank which is Il
clear exposition OF the constant principle
eft the party for the last generation. and
| Which reads:
I'VE believe that all articles whict
cannot he ir"duccu III the United States.
except luXurics. should bc 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 between
wages HhFOau ana ut nome.
Like the tariff declaration Of this year.
this plank met the approval Of the iron
men who were gathered together to dis
russ 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 Il sensation among the men when
one Of their number read the straight
forward and equally courageous dcclara-
,inn OF the Democratic platform of 1892,
which openly pr,nounces for free trade.
aud which declares protection to be not
".ly unjust but Illegal. This plank reads
as follows:
( I'VE declare it to be Fundamental.
principle of the Democratic party that
the Federal government has no constit,l-
tional power to impose and collect tariff
duties, except for the purpose of reve.
nue. only
| 1t was this plank and the fact tina,
Mr.. Cleveland had been elected upon it,
which influenced the shop-talk meeting
into an informal but none the less bind
ing decision to the effect that the Repub-
liran positio on the tariff. with it's con-
SiStent pledge for protection, coupled
with the Democratic position OH the
tariff. and it's consistent record for free
trade made the issue Il perfectly plain
one. which could not be disguised by any
political appeal. and which must be de-
cide'( 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
the party. for there was no chairman.
IF we believe in protection. we must
vote for Roosevelt. Ii we believe in free
trade we must vote for Parker, and that
! is all there is about it,