Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-08
A FREE TRADE PARTY.

JuuSS TdThST mas not yet TeVealeQ
his policy regarding the revision Of
the tariff, but his platform and his
campaign book have both spoken with
much emphasis and as much as the
democratic party ever spoke on this
question, and both are absolutely op-
posed to protection. The democratic
platform denounces protection as rob-
berry of the many for the benefit of a.
few. and the democratic campaign
book offers to prove this statement.
This ought to be enough to enable any
man to make up his mind as to the
democratic position on the tariff cues
ton.
In 1892 the democratic platform in
almost the same language denounced
protection as robbery but Grover
Cleveland in his letter of acceptance
assured the business world that there
would be no harsh measures adopted,
and his friends said that the candi-
date and not the platform made the
issues. Mr.. Cleveland was elected and
then he spoke in perfect harmony
with the platform on which his party
stood during the campaign. In his
first message to congress on March
4, 1893. he said: ''The people of the
United States have decreed that on
this day the control of their govern
ment in It's legislative and executive
branches shall be given to political
party pledged in the most positive
terms to the accomplishment of tariff
reform. They have thus determined
in favor of more just and equitable
system Of federal taxation. The agents
they have chosen to carry out their
purposes are bound by their promises
not less than by the command of their
masters, to devote themselves unre-
mittingly to this service"
The democratic congress followed
Mr.. Cleveland's suggestion and re-
hinder. realizing that they were in
duty bound to carry out the will of the
people as expressed in the national
election. They proceeded to change
our tariff laws in harmony with the
old democratic policy of free trade and
we all know the result. If anyone
needs reminder as to what happened
as the result Of the change ordered by
the American people at the election in
1892, they have only to turn back to
Mr.. Cleveland's own testimony in a
special message to congress in which
he said: "The existence of an alarm
ing and extraordinary business situa-
ton involving the welfare and pros
perity of all our people has constrain-
ed me to call together in extra session
the peoples representative in con-
gress to the end that through wise
and patriotic exercise of legislative
duty with which they solely are
charged, present evils may be miti-
gated and dangers threatening the flu
ture may be averted. Our unfortunate
financial plight is not the result of I'M
toward events nor Of conditions relat-
ed to our natural resources, nor is it
traceable to any of the Affections
which frequently check national
growth and prosperity. With plenty
of crops. with abundant promise of re-
munerative production and manufac-
ture. with unusual invitation to safe
investment and with satisfactory as
surances to business enterprise, sud-
denly financial distrust and fear have
sprung up on every side.'
In that state paper, Mr.. Cleveland
testified to condition produced by
the folly Of his own party and his own
administration. The distrust which
followed cost the American people
more in financial losses than it cost to
nay the expenses of the civil war