Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1892 — NEW POLITICAL ERA. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NEW POLITICAL ERA.

For President, OR OVER CLEVELAND, OF NEW YORK. For Vlee President, ADLAI E. STEVENSON. OF ILLINOIS,

Protection is called an American policy because it robs none but Americans. Keep tbis in your mind: The present protective system is Republicanism softened with grand larceny. The bayonet at the workshop and Hie bayonet at the polls will give us a truly republican form of government. It is possible that Mr. Blaine is getting ready to tell the Republicans of Maine what he doesn’t know about Br er Harrison. It is well for Don Dickinson to be Chairman of the Campaign Committee. Michigan will make the best record this year she has ever made.

The New York Press scores the State of Tennessee for authorizing the lease of convict labor, and the New York Republican boss, Tom Platt, leases this labor. Candidate Reid wasted a powerful amount of ammunition when he whirled westward and tried his confidence game on a State that is committed to the Democracy. The Anderson tin plate works, recently sold by the sheriff for $2lB, were reported by the special agent of the treasury department as having a working capital of $20,000. The Indiana election result is apparently predetermined. There is a tone in the Indianapolis Journal, the Harrison family organ, which is eloquent of fear and exasperation.

If President Harrison cannot fill his stumping engagements this fall he will do well to substitute Mr. Platt. The latter is having a good rest and should be in good form by early autumn. Mr. Carnegie might sell his Pittsburgh library, if he gets it back, and convey the proceeds to the gallant Pennsylvania militia, as a reward for their faithful service on a field where the Pinkertons failed. The pleasant and truthful Republican press is already calling Mr. Stevenson a lawyer, a copperhead, and a substitute hirer. Isn't it rather early in the campaign to be putting In the powerful arguments? The treasury special report on tin manufactures show that 99 per cent, of the tin consumed in the United States this year was imported. Did the foreigner pay the tariff of 2 cents a pound of the 600,000,000 pounds imported? Ex-Ciiairman Clarkson has given out what the Republican press calls “an official statement” of his position.” Upon scrutiny, however, it becomes evident that it is really an official statement of how he happened to be without any position.

Mr. Carter speaks in glowing terms of the work of the General Land Office in his annual report. It is a matter of surprise that he was able to obtain his own consent to relinquish an office for which he evidently regarded himself as being perfectly equipped. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks that Mr. Harrison, since the negroes •voted the Democratic ticket in Alabama, will take no more interest in the force bill, which is only intended to make Republican rotes. Certain it is that Mr. Harrison never spoke against gerrymanders until the Democrats began to profit by them. B. H. is the Joey Bags took of politics. One of the campaign documents issued by the Republican National Committee consists of a map showing that the rate of wages in Republican States is over $1 a day, while “in all Democratic States except Connecticut and New Jersey wages are less than #1 a day.” It would be interesting if the Republican committee would explain what causes the difference between the wages paid in Democratic and Republican The New York Commercial-Adver-tiser now shows its thorough conver•iocrto Republicanism by declaring that the negroes are not allowed to nm la the South. We call the at-

Mr. Harrison in 1888 received over 138,000 votes in Tennessee, while the Democratic candidates for Congress in 1890 received only 105,000 votes. Where does the suppressing come in here In Tennessee, for Instance?

According to a recent decision wax angels for Christmas trees must now pay 35 percent, duty, but no one would object to that if the little angels who gather around the Christ mas tree could be clothed in something warmer than American shoddy. The only industries that the tariff on wool encourages are sheep-raising and coffin-making.

Illinois State Register: The Illinois Republican committee has been sending out circulars to committee chairmen headed in big letters, “Illinois Is in Danger!” The Republican machine makes a grave mistake of assuming that the Republican party is Illinois. Illinois is all right—it is the Republican party that is doomed.

In their efforls to placate Tom Platt Republican managers have “slopped over” and succeeded only in putting Platt in a worse humor than ever. He is out in a declaration that he never authorized to say that he would “take an active part in the campaign” or anything like it. He simply told Chairman Brookfield that he “would support the ticket,” and he didn’t put that in writing, reserving to himself, as did Harrison, the right to repudiate his promises.

The New York Press says: “Reciprocity is increasing our cotton goods exports to Brazil. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1892, we exported to Brazil $689,465 of manufactured cotton, as against $538,583 during the fiscal year, 1890-91.” The Press does not note the fact printed on page 70 of the Statistical Abstract issued by the Treasury Department, that for 1891 our total Imports from Brazil were $83,230,595, and that the balance of trade against us was $69,110,349, the largest in our history, and all under reciprocity.

Secretary Foster believes that the United States Treasury can furnish all the cash needed for moving the crops. He claims to have $16,000,000 of free gold to exchange for notes of large denominations. The Secretary and his friends fail to observe the absurdity involved in the idea that the United States Treasury should be called upon to regulate the money market when crops are to be moved. But they would be the first ones to sneer at the propsition that “the Government should go into the banking business.” There is room for an increase of financial knowledge among Republican financiers.

Chicago newspapers have been having lots of fun with the name of tho Vice Presidential candidate. When ho was at Springfield they called him Outlaw Reid. After he had spent a day in the soot and smoke and grime of Chicago his appearance warranted them in calling him Blacklaw Reid. When he visited the Lake Front they quoted Scripture and declared the people rushed out to see “a Reed Skaken by the Wind.” Then they referred to Blue Laws, commented on the folly of depending on a Broken Reed, and finally when he fled from the reporters declared that he who ran might Read the prophecy of defeat without using speetacle9.

The Home Market Club has issued a companion picture tract showing the enormous advantages of McKinley taxation to American citizens. The first shows a desperate-looking man with a disconsolate wife and children, in a wretched hovel, seated before a table on which appear three cuspidors labeled “coffee taxed,” “sugar taxed,” “jam taxed.” In the other picture a large family appears, dressed in silks and satins and wearing diamonds, and seated at a table groaning with a load of delicacies, among which are silver dishes marked “coffee frte,” “sugar free,” “jam free.” This will go far toward explaining why it is that our workingmen are constantly being yanked into affluence. The first editions of this valuable work will be distributed at Buffalo and Homestead.

Louisville Courier-Journal: In his first message to Congress the President said that “the power to take the whole direction and control of the elections of members of the House of Representatives is clearly clearly given to the General Government,” and that both the President and Congress would be “highly blamable if all the powers granted are not wisely but firmly used.” Mr. Harrison returned to the charge in his second message and did all he could to urge the passage of the bill, which had already passed the House, through the Senate. Having made this record he cannot do much now to break the force of his official declarations and actions. Eyerybody of intelligence knows that he is thoroughly committed to the force bill and that its passage is, next to his wish for reelection, the most earnest desire of hie heart.

A BENEFICIAL CHANCE SOON TO TAKE PLACE. Ererythlnc Tends to Show that tho Country Now Has the Strength, and Is Preparing to Bally Against Its Present Political Disease. We’re to Have a Change. Beyond all doubt we are close to a great and beneficial change in American politics. Ten years or more of politics on the basis of civil war sectionalism would bring anarchy. In thirty years of such politics, in which the decision has rested with only two States, our political methods have of necessity become corrupt to the last degree. the economy of our business activities has been deplorably disordered, and we have been very close to the line beyond which reformation through evolution is no longer possible, and all forces which react against complete political disorganization are made cumulative for revolution. Violently disordered as this country Is in its politics, everything tends to show that it has in it the health and strength to rally against Its diseases, pays the St. Louis Republic. Every sign of the present tends to strengthen the belief that the civil war era is at Its close; that it will close and the new era begin before the country is past any

other remedy than the formidable one of the anarchy which overtakes all societies so politically corrupt that destruction must precede reconstruction. The times are full of hope that America will grow peacefully out of its period of blind passion and will peacefully outgrow all the evils which have come as consequences of the blindness of passion. Under Hayes, Barfield and Arthur, civil war sectionalism so lost the force of blind radicalism that it became possible for Cleveland to do a work of incalculable benefit to America in bringing all sections closer together. No greater work has been done since the time of Washington, and though it was followed by reaction, though the sectionalism of the civil war showed itself more malignantly than ever, yet the country showed that the good work of restoration and unification had not been lost. The Central West in 1890 shook off the bonds of civil war animosities and rose to assert Itself in the Union with the power of a giant; showing that it had the strength and the will to free the generation which will do the opening work of the twentieth century from the worst curse of the greatest crime and blunder of the nineteenth—the war between the States of the American Union. With the Central West still rests the decision of the country’s future. If it again declares that two States shall no longer control the Union; that the policies of the Union shall no longer be determined by coifuption funds used in two States, then there will remain in America no problem that cannot bo solved by peaceful evolution; then the country will finally turn its back on the era of civil war; then the union of equal States will be really restored; then the power of the people in and over the States and the Union of States will be reasserted and reaffirmed; and then the grayheaded men who have seen America under its blackness of great darkness can go to their last sleep in the certainty that a new day has dawned for their country, and that the sun of its future will shine until the fogs and mists from the night of its past are scattered.

The Tariff and Knit Undcrshlrtt. The duty on cotton knit goofs was increased by the McK'nley tariff, and the friends of protection point to the fact that knit undershirts, which were selling in 1890 for $1.25 per dozen, can now be bought for $3,124. This is a reduction of a cent a shirt, and is truly something to be thankful for. But the Indianapolis News, which ig an unbeliever in McKinley and protection, points out that cotton is selling for 5 cents a pound less in 1892 than in 1890, and that the people save a cent a shirt, not through the intervention of the tariff, but because a bounteous provi-

deuce has balked the intention of the good McKinley to put up prices. ( Robbing the Government. Our friends the enemy have much to say about civil service reform and the non-partisan character of the various governmental institutions, from time to time, and especially in campaign years, but it is obvious that they do not let any chance pass to boo3t themselves and make the general government foot the bill of their campaign expenses. The boldest and nfcst brazen attempt to rob the government in the recent past is the report of the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Circulars' were sent out to manufacturers asking for information relative to tho operations of the McKinley bill and its effect upon wages and production. The report says that since the McKinley bill went into operation wages have been increased and production has been increased up into the millions. This will be paid for by the government, and the government will also pay for its distribution throughout the oountry. It will bo used as official data by the Republican spell-binders on the stump during tho campaign, and it will go down in history as the impartial findings of impartial investigators. A moment’s reflection, however, will be sufficient to throw a pall of doubt over its accuracy, and establish its partisanship. The information was sent in by manufacturers, who contributed liberally to the campaign fund four years ago, and who secured the MeKin-

ley bill in return for their bounty. AVhat cost them so much, and what profits them so much, they will not be very likely to decry. If figures can do it, and figures can do anything, they will make it clear that the McKinley bill has been a blessing to the country. They are caretul to conceal the amount which they have been enabled to extort from the public through its agency and operation. They coniine themselves to the increase in wages and the increase in production, and attempt to show how much richer the laboring man is in wages. Such testimony from interested witnesses, who conceal all that is unfavorable, should be taken with many misgivings and much skepticism. Certainly it will require more disinterested testimony to convince people of its truthfulness. It is a campaign document gotten up by the Republican party, and for which the people must pay.— Appeal-Avalanche. Machinery himl the Plukeit >n Plan. Manufacturing in the United States is | done by machinery. A machine does 1 the work of a hundred roe®, and perhaps only one man is employed to run it. The uses of the McKinley taxes are to enable the owners of these machines to realize the largest possible benefit from inventions to keep the benefit of invention monopolized by a class. Mr. Andrew Carnegie, who has fat contracts from the Harrison administration for making armor plate for the navy at the people’s expense, hears of a new invention whieh is wairanted to “displace American labor.” He expects to realize hundreds of thousands irom this invention. He buys it from the inventor for a few thousands and introduces it in his Homestead works. Then he tells his men that as the new machine turns out more work they must take less wages. After which come the Pinkertons, and so on and so forth. Here we have the whole tariff question—the question of protecting the machinery of our Pinkerton plutocrats from competition with European machinery. That is to say, Americans are j to be prohibited by law from buying any I products of our plutocratic machinery I at Pinkerton prices to the consumer and to the laborer. This is the end and aim of the system of tariff taxation arranged and enforced by Messrs. Harrison, McKinley, Carnegie and Pinkerton. Why Farmers Should Vote Against Harrison. Because the cost of running the Government under Harrison has been about $450,000,000 more than it was under Cleveland, and Mr. Harrison could always have vetoed extravagant legislat.on. The Republican party is responsiale ior this increase. For 1890 a Republican Conjr reß .» appropriate! $494,-

000,000. For 1801 the same Congress appropriated $541,009,00,0 and did not include in this sum anything for rivers and harbors. For 1892, $507,000,000 ■was appropriated, $79,000,000 of which was made obligatory by the preceding Congress. The Democratic House did all that it could to cut down, the appropriations in the face of a resisting Senate, and did reduce the appropriations more than $20,000,000 under the Government’s estimate. If, hov ever, there was extravagance in the appropriations, they were approved by Mr. Harrison and were much less than his officers asked for to run the Government. Can farmers afford to c ast their votes in any manner that will aid in the election of a man who has increased the expenses of government nearly $460,000,000 in four years?