La Junta tribune., 1904-09-10

the next payday. with the understanding
TINT both sides should bring In any evil
dencs they might have to afirm or dis
pute the contention that the Democratic
really mean what il said, but should be
taken In the light OF the personal views
OF the Democratic leaders themselves.
When the evening came for the ad-
journed shpp-talk. the Democratic spon-
sor produced some extracts from the Con-
xressional 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
Il much more OF 4 protection measure
than 1t originally was.
Cleveland's Letter.
Some impression was made by this rec
ord. but il was almost completely dissi-
pated by two documents. One Of these
was the letter written by Grover Cleve-
land while President OF the United
States, TO Gen. CatchinGs Of Mississippi,
denouncing the action Of Gorman and
his associates as ''perfdy and dishonor."
II was further shown that at 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 q
published interview before the conven-
ton. came out for Parker as the most
available Democratic candidate.
Sci ttv,n fs, ,att tn0 mr. -
minds OF the men present At the meet
ing. was 4 fortunate citation of the con-
trasting planks In the two platforms Of
1892. In that year. II will be remem-
bcred, Grover Cleveland bent 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 = protection plank which 10 q
clear exposition of the constant principle
of the party for the last genera ton, and
which reads:
I'VE believe that all articles which
cannot be produced In the United States.
except fuXuries. 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 between
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
~ ~.
thing OF q sensation among the men when
one Of their number read the straight
forward and equally courageous declara-
tion OF the Democratic platform Of 1892.
which openly pronounces for frse trade.
and which declares protection to Be not
only unjust but illegal. This plank reads
A. follows:
I'VE declare II to be q fundamental
principle OF the Democfatic party that
the Federal government has no constitu-
tional power to impose and collect tarin
duties, except for the purpose Of revs-
nue. only
1t was this plank and the fact that
Mr. Cleveland had been elected upon II.
which Influenced the shop-talk meeting
into an Informal but none 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
tarin. and its consistent record for free
trade. made the issue q perfectly plain
one. which could not be disguised BY any
political appeal. and which must be de-
cided BY the working man without regard
to other issues which do not directly con-
cern their interests.
I'VE must choose between protection
and free trade" said the eldest man In
the party. for there was no chairman.
III we believe in protection. we must
vote for Roosevelt. IL We believe in free
trade We must vote for Parker. and that
10 all there 10 about It."