Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1892 — THE LIGHT OF LOGIC. [ARTICLE]

THE LIGHT OF LOGIC.

THE SO-CALLED "PROTECTIVE” SYSTEM ILLUMINATED. Universal Progress of the Tarlff-Beform Movement—President Harrison’s. Position—The Ways ol Trusts—Episode In Detroit—Crooked Taxation. The Campaign of Education. A little over four years ago, when Grover Cleveland sent to Congress his now famous tariff reform message, there was no organized agitation against the imposition of the tariff taxes which, even then, before the McKinley bill was concocted, lay with oppressive weight upon nearly every industry and upon nearly every article of general consumption by the people. Here and there a bold champion of fair play raised his voice against the filching system, and there was an under current of resentment against it, but no great manifestation was made. When President Cleveland sent in his plucky challenge to the supporters of high taxes and placed himself at the head of the sentiment demanding reform, the situation rapidly began to change, and, as was said at that time, the whole country was transformed into a debating school. In the progress of the debate since 1888, the allied forces of monopoly have received some pretty hard knocks, and have lost ground steadily. Very much of the success of the fight against oppressive taxes has been due to the systematic publication of the plain facts about the'tariff question. The newspapers have spoken boldly. Men who had been handicapped in their business for years by the tariff came out and said *so. When the effect of the high tariff taxes upon different productive occupations came to be considered, something like the full effect of such legislation could be realized. Since 1888 the Reform Club, of New York, has been publishing the results of careful Investigations as to how far each of the various leading industries of our country have been affected by the tariff laws and in what manner. Besides explanations of the interests of the general farmer and laborer, they have published brief essays upon the iron and steel industry, copper and brass, coal, salt, dairy farming, wool, grape 6, sugar, pottery, glass, wall paper, hats, gloves, etc. As far as their means would allow they have distributed and are still distributing these all over the United States. They have also carried on an aggressive agitation by means of joint debates, non-partisan addresses, and in other ways. A recent report of the work of this organization gives details of the work done in over a dozen States of the Union and their plans for the great contest of ’92.