Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-11

nave stood at the front, Ii ts1 Demo-
cratic party. have believed that this
great and rich, and highly inteIligen:
people. endowed with the combined
race genius Of all the leading nations
Of the world, and !nhabiting a vast.
and without question, richest portion
Of the inhabited globe, could compete
with the lesser and weaker peoples Of
any part Of the globe II the open
market; and that 10 our common peo-
pie would come increased comforts
and Iuxuries with z smaller degree Of
effort Il We adopted a system Of free
trade with all peoples and a wide open
commercial door. Here they were me.
with the argument that the vast and
tanning our system OF government, was
derived from the Republican system
Of tariff revenues.
Democratic party leaders then
he6ged with e half way measure
called q tariff for revenue only" re-
ducing the duties everywhere possible
70 a revenue basis that would support
the government. and admitting free
Or a 4 low rate such necessities OF
Americas standard Of living as va
buy more largely abroad. The scheme
was so plausible as TO win largely,
within our memory, among the COM
mon people, away from the advice II
such leaders as just mentioned. and 4
great American citizen pledged 10
Democratic policies and. sincerely be-
l;ering that a faithful carrying out 0.
these policies would be for the great
est good % the greatest number. was
elected. Grover Cleveland was
great and good man, inspired by the
highest purpose, with the courage Q.
t!s convictions, and standing IN
ei-ch:ngly before the argument ..
friend O. toe for What he believed was
right He not only had the adnira-
rio- Of the people Of his own party.
hut he won and hsld the respec, and
re love Q. the American people, with
ou, regard to party lines. But how
far his convictions. as TO the benefits
q z change from the tried and proved
Republican policy Of protection vas
mistaken, We saw ana fax. and un-
5ers,oo9. il tLe tragedy Of the So
called Wilson German tariff bill. 4
tariff for revenue only was tried
and found wanting. To play upon
the word wanting" it may be sail
without contradiction that want"
vas everywhere prevalent. Millions
II workers who depended upon the &C
sivily and success q the country's
industries were everywhere idle, and
when idieress prevails, hunger and
cestitut;on are bound 70 oe abroad as
well With he millions q working
people hunting for jobs. which had
been taken from them by cheap for
e:ga labor in all quarters Of tire
globe, the principle business Of this
country. soon became that u charity.
n all the great cities charity vas or
gen.zed 70 an extent and efficiency
never before known in the history Of
the world. Soup houses and bread
lines prevailed in the East and in the
West. il the North and in the South.
Cur friend vii! renenibe. these
things. Z Re is cd enough. and if no.,
he knows from others that every as
sertion We have made is true. though
actually describing q small part Of
the meaning OF the working out Of one
great Democratic policy that was
tried TO the utter misery Of the people
OF this country. Because Of it, we
again turned TO the advice OF such
drained, far-seeing men as Nc
kirler, and D;ngiey. and Hale, and
L!ttle9aid, and thousands Of Others
like them, who had told Us plainly
and forcefuliy what We might expect
from the adoption Of this one Demo-
cratic policy. over which the two
great parties have always been di-
y!ded.
There are other policies. not SO vital
10 all the people, but which in their et-
feet are bound to De detrimental to
progress, and to the interests Of the
greater number OF people. Our friend
vii! remember the fat money fallacy
Of the present Secretary Of State, the
Hon. ". J. Bryan, and with which. by
his gift Of ofatory, his command If
plausible sophistry, his magnetic ap-
peal to the common people, and his
acknowledged conviction that he was
right. swept the country. Today. an.
man, who is a student OF American
affairs, can see what sort Of disaster
such a policy must invoke.
Again, we would call our friends
attention to the socfalistic tendency
Of Democracy. in recent years-be-
cause Of the AFFECT failure Of so many
OF their other "issues"-such as the
government ownership Of public utih-