Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-04-12
The Opportunity of the Democratic
Party,

Party.
In the issue of tariff reform, Mr..
Cleveland thinks, lies hope of Demo
cratic success. He deplores indiscrimi-
nate attack upon railroad corporations;
recognizing thejustice that lies beneath
the denuneiation Of them, he holds
that there is also much that is ground
less and wrong. Ills feeling will pass
ana 1.-THE people will demand of the
party to which they give their suffra-
yes the enunciation of a principle rath-
er than the denunciation of condition.
ut behooves Democrats to lose no
time in bringing TO the front the ssue
OF tariff reform and in focusing the at
tention Of the county upon il" he
says TO the New YORK Times. Tariff
reform is the issue that will clarity the
atmosphere, solidify the friends Of
Democracy and bring victory to The
party"
Mr. Cleveland goes OH to say: ~ hold
the matter ofthe reform Of the tariff
to be absolutely fundamental. This
question Of The trusts is entirely de-
pendent upon il 1t cannot ever be de-
MED, ana II should never be forgotten,
that the tariff is the father of the trusts.
In 1t all forms of corporate injustice
find their origin and their refuge. If
the country is interested IN securing
to every man an equal choice let it
guarantee him first such rights as for
instance, the rights of purchasing an
American made article as cheaply as it
can be purchased by a foreigner
abroad.
"Ihey can never deny nor escape
from the dire Significance of that fact.
American goods are cheaper abroad
than at home. 1t is idle to talk Of sur
plus stock and the like. rne simple
fact is the tariff puts into the hands OF
corporations powerful weapon where
with to do injustice to our own peo-
ple."
He points out the inconsistency of
the policy of childish. selfish isola-
tion." Claiming to be member of the
family of nations we shutout the other
members of that family from our mar
Kets and cut ourselves of from theirs.
ut is time to stop the farce and the
conscience and brain of the nation.
now, after its century of internal de-
velopment, pulsing with realizing
sense of its call to higher life, Will re-
spond-depend upon ito the de-
mand TO throw off this barbarous su-
prostitution of industrial isolation aud
gladly confidently take its true place
in the industrial scheme of a well-or-
dered world,
$50 confident am /, for one, of the
success that would follow the forcing
to the front by Democrats of the tariff
reform issue that | am disposed to pre-
dict that if we fail to do so now our
friends the enemy will take it out of
our hands before four more wears
| have rolled by.
II am serious. The opportunities for
Democratic success were never bright
er, once the mind of the party is clear
as to its mission in this supreme hour
The chances are far better than thew
were in 1886. There is gathering, and
viii still more swiftly gather, reali-
cation on the part of the American
people of the essential iniquity of the
protection fraud-of the fact
that it underlies most of our economic
and political ills. 1t remains for Dem
ocrats to enter into the victory for
which they have SO long fought. 1t
would be sad, indeed, to see our thun-
der stolen, our victory seized by politi-
cal opponents, shrewder than we ia
Judging Of the trend of public senti-
ment."