The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-09-17
NOT BACK To CLENELANDISM.

when an editorial entitled ION
to Sham Battle" appeared in re-
cent issue of the Commoner dis
patch was sent out from Lincoln to
the effect that Mr.. Bryan had declar-
ed in the Commoner that the next
fight of democracy must be along
the lines of Cleveland's victory.
Some of the eastern papers still fur
Their misrepresented the article by
putting headlines ove1 the press dis
patch like the following: "Nebras-
kan says democracy must get back
to Cleveland tariff ideas, etc" In
order that history may be kept
straight, the Commoner ventures to
suggest that the democratic party
began a fight for radical tariff re"
form in congress in 1892. The Nc
Kinley bill had aroused opposition
to the principle Of protection, and
the democratic house passed several
bills dealing with separate schedules
and providing for substantial reduc-
tons and recognizing the principle
of free raw material. Mr.. Bryan
made his first congressional tariff
speech in support of house roll 60O7,
which was a bill ito place wool on
the free list and reduce the duties
on wooden goods" This speech was
delivered on March 16, 1892. and
was widely circulated. In this speech
Mr.. Bryan attacked the principle of
protection and advocated a tariff for
revenue only. It was after a demo-
cratic congress had gone on record
in favor of free wool and several
other measures recognizing the doc
trine of free raw material that the
victory of 1892 was won. The plat
form adopted by the national con-
vention in 1892 was not written by
Mr. Cleveland or his immediate
friends; in fact. it was much more
radical than the platform which Mr..
Cleveland favored. When the ways
and means committee sent sub
committee to Mr.. Whitney, the chair
mittee, to ask whether further tariff
Legislation was desired before con-
gress adjourned, Mr. Whitney ex-
pressed dissatisfaction with the rad
ical position taken by the convention
and declared that no more tariff
Legislation was desired at that time.
After the election the more radi-
cal of the tariff reform element urg-
ed a special session of congress for
the purpose of proceeding with tariff
revision along the lines laid down by
the platform, but President Cleve-
land was not wiling to convene con-
gTess for that purpose, although he
did call a special session later for
lae consideration of the uncondition-
al repeal of the Sherman law
While there is no reason why
Cleveland and anti Cleveland demo-
Gratis should fall out over the tariff
question at this time, still it is not
fair for the friends of Mr.. Cleveland
to accuse tariff reformers of taking
up with Mr.. Cleveland's tariff ideas.
Neither is it fair to denOunce the
doctrine of free raw material as a
Cleveland doctrine II had the sup
port of the democrats in congress
before the election of 1892, and the
platform of 1892 was the outgrowth
of tire fight made in congress, and
MIR. Cleveland not only did not write
the platform but even disliked it.
Tariff reform, however, should
stand or fall upon its merits. An
idea is good not because it is advo-
Gated by some particular person, but
because it has merit In itself. The
advocates of free raw material as a
advactes of free raw material as a
means of securing tariff reform do
not have to rely upon the name of
any supporter of the policy-they
can support their position by argu-
ment and are willing to let it rest
upon its merits. The Commoner.