The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-12
"A PALpAnun x,ynTrYsruGE.

Senator Aldrich doubtless expresses the dominant Republican, idea of tariff reform winch he declares that his party
 will revise the tariff when neces- safs. The expression takes us back to the stirring events Tor 1860 The weakest plank in the platform of what was known as "the Douglass Democ- racy' of that campaign was this one: Resolved. That 1t Is the duty of the Federal government. in all it's depart ments. to protect, when necessary, the rights of persons and property in the Territories. and wherever else its con- stftutionai authority extends.
 The insertion of the two words. when necessary" in the resolution de- prived it of all force and virtue. The prospects were then good that the Black Republicans" or abolitionists would get possession of the govern ment and would have full control of it. The resolution though it did not say so in express terms, was intended, as all intelligent men knew. to refer pri- marily to slaves and slave-holders Slaves were the only property in jeop- ardy, and siave-hoIders were the only persons whose property stood in need of specific protection. Consequently. the resolution was intended as an ex- pression on the part of the convention that the government should protect slavery in the Territories.
 But the two words mentioned emas- cuiated the demand. The members of the convention knew that the aboIi- tionists would neither protect nor per nit slavery in the Territories when they got possession of the government. and that they would never admit that it was. necessary for the government to interpose to prevent slave-holders being deprived of their property or driven out of the Territories which were Intended to be the common prop erty Of all the people. Tn short, the when necessary" time would never arrive If the aboiitionists attained power. as then seemed more than pos sible, R
 And just so we may expect 1t to be with the Aldrich idea of tariff revisG ion. They will do it themselves when necessary" and the time will not ar rive. There will always be, under a Republican regime, powerful trusts which, like the two daughters of the horse-leech. will continually cry, "Give. give" and will never be satisfied There will always be tariff barons wealthy. powerful and domineering who can never be safely defied or of- fended Their campaign contributions win be necessary and their votes es- sential to Republican success. There fore. the when necessary" revision will never come. Like mirage on the desert it is always just ahead of the weary and thirsty traveller and can never be reached. It Is a delusion and snare to trap the unwary.
 The only hope for such revision or reform in the tariff lies with the Dem ocrats. The only chance for Demo- crats to take the job into their4 hands is to elect a good Democrat and a Democratic Congress. and the only hope of doing that is to unite on old Democratic liiies and make the fight for Democratic principles. 4 No other plan is feasible. and none but a Demo- crat of the old kind can give any hope of success. With Democrats. In power there would be no when necessary" beating about the bush and there would be no radical changes that would initiate against the prosperity and welfare of all the people. That is the solution of the situation.