New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-26
CFrom The Louisville courter-Jourrol)

|.
The New York Tribune thinks that the
Democrats are "cudding up to protection"
Maybe so; but the likelihood is that, knowing
little about the tariff, which is no longer
paramount issue, the platform builders at
S.. Louis were just "joshing around" a.
Lcdy may say, or words TO that effect They
were doing even worse when they declared for
the government purchase Of ships under the
srocous plea that such measure lis neces-
sary to restore our flag TO the seas, provide
facilities for our foreign commerce, remove
unfair conditions of competition in the deal
ngs of American merchants and producers
with competitors in foreign markets"-per-
feetly good Republican gospel, but strangely
cut of place in a Democratic confession Of
faith.
Platforms, however, are platforms. Only
the other day THE Courier-Jo urnal" was say
ing:
platforms have been always more or less
springes TO catch woodcock Latteriy they
seem made to be disregarded. Their prom
ises are taken, therefore, by serious people as
lightly as dicers' oaths or lovers vows
Like the gentleman who did not be-
ieve in ghosts because he had seen so many
Of them. The Courier-Journap does not be
icve in party platforms. Any fool can make
party platform. and it is a cold day when
any old platform cannot be twisted to serve
the turn of any old party. Presently the
Democratic clans will meet at St Louis. Do
the dickey birds at Chicago imagine that the
Democrats will have no platform? Sure!
And what it will do TO the flag and the
fcotlights and the hosspistols!-shove the
GROWER this way and the hot dog, and don't
everybody speak at once!'
To put the Democrats in a hole, The Trib-
une dips into history ancient history it
seems 70 us at this time O. day-when it says:
1T is well that Henry Watterson is not dele
gate to the St. Louis convention.
When Mr.. Cieyeland's friends tried 10 straddle
the tariff question in the convention Of 1892 the
colonel arose in his wrath. smashed the Cleveland
machine beat the resolutions committee 20 a
frazzle and secured the ins erton in the platform
Of the grand old Democratic shibboeth We de-
clare il 10 be a fundamental principle Of the Demo
cratic party that the Federal government has 10
constitutional power to impose and collect tariff
duties except Cor purposes of revenue only.
The very words Of the Wa,terson amendment Of
1892 repeated in the Democratic platform Of
1912, on which Mr.. Wilson was elected President
Yet now hear from 81. Louis that the Democratic
convention is going 70 approve the creation OF a
permanent tariff commission. whose duty it will be
10 construct schedules based not revenue needs
but on conditions OF production and competition AZ
home and abroad And this appropriation Of PRO
ectionist notions is not 70 stop az the erection OF
the sor, Of commission which Democratic spokesmen
have always denounced and which the Democratic
parry abolished in 1913 as It got back into
power The convention is also 20 indorse the policy
Of leyying duties for the purpose Of protecting
home producers against foreign comretitors who
seek % dump their surpluses in our markets
And thereby" as the gentleman in the
play observes, hangs a tale" which, at risk
Of interesting nobody Of generation that
seems neither 20 read nor care for history,
we shall venture nevertheless with becoming
nodesty 20 recall
That the government has no right in jus
tice or law TO levy a dollar OF taxes except
for its own support-the doctrine Of "a tariff
for revenue only"-appeared first in the ma
tional Democratic platform Of 1875. Placed
there by Kentuckian and kept in each sue
cceding platform OF the party through the
same agency until 1896 it came 10 be known
as the Kentucky idea
Democracy rallied 20 it. The people
warmed 10 IT, Kentucky led the procession
and cat az the head Of the table.
The Republicans called IL free trade. OF
course. 10 was nothing Of the sort. Except
for the insuffciency of Mr. Cleveland and the
,iriiGity. not - say servility. Of the men
about him. we should have enacted a measure
cmbodying rs demands and have repeated
the happy experience OF the Walker tariff of
l345, which, after short trial, proved salts
factory 10 the manufacturers themselves.