The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-05-19
PO|IfCl| Commend.
An Echo of Tariff Reform.


An echo of the last era of tariff re-
form has been heard in St Louis sew
eral times this week. Jacob s. CoXey
OF Ohio is attending the Farmers meet
ing. 1t was Jacob s. Coxey who, n
1894, organized a considerable number
OF the disconnected, who then were
more common than work or wages, to
march upon Washington and demand a
redress of grievances. The Democrats
were in full authority at Washington
Mr.. Cleveland was President and there
was large Democratic majority in
both Senate and House. The party
had been swept into power on a wave
of tariff reform 1t had for years been
laundering in its platforms that, if
intrusted with control of all the law
making branches, it would make such
a mighty cut in tariff taxes that the
suffering consumer would find relief
from his burdens. In a way, this
pledge was kept. The consumer was
eased of most of the burden of con-
Stunning. Idle men wandered over the
country seeking something to consume.
The atmosphere was cleared and puri-
fled by being cleaned of the factory
smoke which had once polluted it, and
appetites grew keener, partly because
of that clearance, and partly because
everything was so cheap that it seem
ed within easy reach. When would
be consumers reached for things they
found that the low-hanging fruits hung
too high to be reached by men tied
down.
At Washington, Democrats who had
been elected on pledges of tariff reform
were quarreling and dividing in coun-
ell as to what tariff reform was. 1t
was then that the sugar trust manipu-
lated the sugar schedules by judi
cious distribution of some of its gilt
edged stocks among Democratic states
men. In the doubt, uncertainty and
hesitation which covered everything,
the country languished more and more.
Democrats then. like Senator Bailey of
Texas now, declared that writing party
platforms is only a matter of princi-
pie. while making laws is matter OF
detail. The depression continued, and
grew worse, through weary months,
running into years. The House stood
for one bill, the Senate for another,
from both. In the midst of the dis
tress, Coxey organized an army o.
ragged cadets and marched toward
Washington Other leaders of discon-
tent, starting up in the farther West.
marched after him, each with his lit
tie army of tatterdemalions. They
were going to force action. They did.
The Washington chief of police acted
promptly and put most of them in jail.
We rejoice at the presence OF CoXey
here now for more than one reason.
One reason is that, in coming here, be
reached his point of destination in q
Pullman car, and not on foot Another
is that, though he is still loudly view
ing with alarm some things he doesn't
like, there is not even a suggestion
made to put him in jail Chief of our
reasons for qualification al his pres
ence, however, is the opportunity 1t az
fords us of calling the attention of
young Democrats who recently raised
voices and threw up their hats for an
other experiment with Democratic tar
liz reform, to the comparative condition
of Gen. Jacob S. Coxey then and now.
Then he Travelled afoot. He travels
now in parlor cars. Then he was ask
ing handouts for his starving fol-
lowers. Now he himself is handing
out the assurance that no matter what
wrongs any man may think his, let
him not put his trust IL the Democrat
ic party to set them right. Thousands
of men who did not march with Coxey
in the '90s marched out OF the Demo
cratic party with him then, and, like
him. will never march back.-St Louis
Globe Democrat.