River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-09-15
Democrats Think Free Trade
Panacea Harmless, Because
1t Cannot Be Taken.
COWARDLY INCONSISTENCY
OF Party Leaders Exposed by Demo-
cratic Free Trade Paper-Gorman
and Davis Placed in an
Unenyiable Light.

cratic leaders to minimize the popular
apprehension that harm might follow
Parkers election through the break
down Of the system of protection, by ex-
planning that after all it would be i'm
possible to break down the system be-
cause the Republican Senate would
stand in the way.
The logic Of this Democratic reason
ing is somewhat like that of the boy
who explained that by refusing to eat
pins he had saved his -life-Only that i'll
the Democratic case the country would be
saved not by the Democratic refusal to
do harm. but only by the Democratic
inability to do the harm it was openly
trying to do. Judge Parker in his speech
of acceptance said;
CIT rs A FACT AND SHOULD BE
FRANKLY CONCEDED THAT
THOUGH OUR PARTY BE sue
CESSFUL IN THE COMING CON
TEST WE CANNOT HOPE TO Sc
CURE A MAJORITY IN THE SEN
ATE DURING. THE NEXT FOUR
YEARS, HENCE WE SHALL BE
UNABLE TO SECURE ANY MODI-
FICATION IN THE TARIFF SAVE
THAT TO WHICH THE REPUBLI-
CAN MAJORITY IN THE SENATE
M ~ CONSENI.
Mr.. Parker further thinks that this
fact of Democratic inability to modify
the tariff should serve to prevent a re-
currence of THAT SENSE OF UN-
CERTAINTY AND INSTABILITY
THAT ON OTHER OCCASIONS
MANIFESTED ITSELF"
Dem cratic Courage Weakens
At the recent Democratic ratification
meeting in Brooklyn a lurking fear was
shown Of the effect on the minds of
w0rkingmen of Democratic talk against
the tariff. The tenor of the remarks Of
the big Democrats who talked was to
the effect that free trade was a beautiful
theory and the Democrats should be
put in power because they stood sponsor
for it; and since, after all, they would
be unable when put in power to put that
theory into practice, the country with
perfect safety could indorse the beauti-
full theory by putting its sponsors into
power.
The New York Evening Post, mug
wump free trade organ which is actively
supporting Parker, but nevertheless can
not resist the temptation to expose cow
ardly inconsistency when it sees it, had
this to say about the Brooklyn ratifica-
ton meeting:
q Now that the party orators are face to
face with the voters on the hustngs, their
courage has weakened Having in their
exalted moments, declared that protection,
as principle, is robbery and works meal
culable harm to the people, they shiver
at the possible effect of their pronounce
ment at the polls In word, they shut
Shepard who presided at Brooklyn. He
said that the Democratic nominees stand
Tor sincere and persistent effort to re
hn fprfGf ~ I1xv t1 holt
or reduce those duties, the plain effect OF
which is not to extend or diversity amer
lean Industry How, striking the outrast
to the st. Louis declaration! The obvious
Implication is that no fault can be found
= with protection if it extends and diversi-
fiGs American industry, But when It is
In certain cases, who is going to fix the
number and variety Of such cases? The
argument that protection is an evil per Sc
is apparently thrown overheard
The Alarm of Senator Bailey.
"As much fault can be found with Sen
atOr Bailey's speech. One feels ones
courage mount high as he declares: 1 do
not hesitate single moment to declare
1t as my belief that any law which levies
tax not for the purpose of raising revenue
tofsupport the government, but for the pur-
pose of compelling an American citizen to
pay more for the goods which he must buy,
is Il peryersion of governmental power and
a downright robbery This has the true
ring, but Immediately it produces a great
fright in the Senator's mind. His prophetic
soul sees the Republican orators using his
words to stir up alarm among the work
ing men, SO he cries out to the wage
earners of this country who are employed
in protected industries and who are
to be told by the Republicans that the
trade, not to be afraid THE DULLEST
MAN IN ALL HIS AUDIENCE, he pro
tests, KNOWS PERFECTLY WE'LL THAT
FREE TRADE is AN ABSOLUTE INIPOS-
SIBILITY IN THIS REPUBLIC. EVEN
WHEN THE DEMOCRATS ARE CALLED
Fho f 70 8lI AD IN T THIS gov
EMINENT, he walls, WE WILL FIND
IT IMPOSSIBLE, HOWEVER MUCH WE
MAY DESIRE TO DO so, TO RERUCE
THAT WILL BE HIGHER THAN THE
MOST EXTREME OF THE EARLY PRO
NECESSARY. AND HIGHER THAN ANY
MODERATE PROTECTIONIST OF To-
DAY BELIEVES ESSENTIAL for the pro-
lection of any legitimate industry.
such Good Lord, good Devil talk will
not help the Democratic party in the least.
Ii protection, as Democratic platforms
n&tUre evil, it is a thing to be got rid of
8s promptly possible. If the party
orators should frankly say that, no one
would misunderstood them.
Protection for Democratic Leaders.
The cowardly Inconsistency which the
Evening Post thus exposes is character
istic Of most of the Democratic lead
ers. They are afraid of their own medi-
cine. which they advertise to the coun-
try as being such a fine thing-especial
~ WHEN NOT TAKEN.
When the Wilson tariff bill was
framed prominent Democratic leaders
took the precaution to see to ii that
industries in which they themselves hap
pened to be interested were not ad-
versely affected by the bill, no matter
how much harm might befall other in
dustrieS For instance, Senator Cor
man took pains TO keep the sugar trust
protected. The present Vice Presidential
candidate, Henry GaSsaway Davis. took
pains to see that coal was kept off the
free list, for his own immense fortune
was largely represented in the coal lands
CT West Virginia.