Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1895 — TARIFF IS THE ISSUE. [ARTICLE]

TARIFF IS THE ISSUE.

NO GOOD REASON WHY IT SHOULD NOT BE SO. Democrats Will Appeal Confidently to the People on the Record of the Country Since the Wilson Bill Was Adopted—McKinley’s Admission. The Next Campaign. The Republican press insists that the tariff is to be the real issue between the two great parties in the next national -campaign. There is certainly no reason why it should not be, as without exception all the leading Republicans have shirked a plain declaration on the ■currency question, and therefore party lines cannot be drawn on the silver issue. The Democrats have no wish to ignore the tariff question, but on the contrary will appeal confidently to the people on the record of the country since the Wilson tariff was adopted. In 1890 and 1892 the people voted by enormous majorities for free trade and against McKinleyism. Unfortunately for the party of tariff reform, the hard times which resulted from the Republican tariff and financial legislation led to a reversal of popular sentiment in 1594, and by demagogic pretenses that the Democrats were responsible for the business depression, the Republicans secured a majority in Con-

gress. But their triumph will be a very short one. With less than a year of a liberal trade policy the industrial situation has changed from stagnation to the greatest activity. The most partisan Republican organs admit that there has been a wonderful revival In all branches of trade and manufacturing, and that already over a million workers have had their wages increased from 5 to 25 per cent. On the other hand, the Republicans will go before the people threatening to again unsettle industry with the uncertainty of increased tariff rates. They will be forced to declare for a renewal or Increase of McKinley duties, thus preventing manufacturers from making contracts for raw materials or selling goods except to fill temporary orders. To the demand of the business interests for a rest from tariff agitation and a fair opportunity to test the Wilson tariff they will reply with a threat to thoroughly revise and increase duties on imports. Under these circumstances can there be any doubt as to the verdict of the country? Is there any reason why the people should prefer a policy of free trade restriction and business depression to one of freer trade, lower taxes and industrial prosperity? The Tin Bunco Game. No American can read without a little disposition to blush for his countrymen the report of Special Agent Rolker, of the Geological Survey, on the occurrence of tin ore in the United States. It is only four or five years since shares of stock in a tin mine in the Black Hills were being sold, on the strength of reports of chemical analysis showing ;t to be the richest tin ore in the world, while there were geological reports showing the vast extent of the deposits. This ore was going to be mined and reduced at less cost than any other tin ore in the world, and yet a protective duty of over S4O a ton was essential to the development of the mines, and that duty was granted. It was to protect American capital, yet most of the. capital that went into that ill-starred enterprise was English. A photograph was taken of President Harrison at Temescal, California, with a, pile of tin for a background, and it was used as a campaign document After all of this Mr. Rolker reports: “No tin is being produced In the United States, and the tin occurrences of this country are so far only of geological or mineralogical interest, with indications of prospective value in a few instances.” The tin-mine business thus far unhappily presents many of the aspects of a bunco game, except that a large part of the American people took part in it.—Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin.

McKinley’s Admission. As to the claim that there Is no real revival of business, we may cite Gov. McKinley himself, who said at Cleveland: “I think that business conditions show a general improvement. Take Canton, for instance, where I passed last Sunday and Monday. Most of the works are in operation, and while of course the city is not back to the point where it was before the business depression conditions are much improved. The general outlook, I think, is favorable.” It is noteworthy that the Governor himself makes no demand for return to the tariff legislation which the committee of which he was chairman perfected in 1890. One Way OutForeman (Hayville Screamer)—ln this editorial on “Hard Times and Democracy,” you say: “Thanks are also due to Cleveland’s pernicious free-trade policy for hardships here at home. Remember how last fall the two factories

in oar midst suspended operations sad reduced wages!” Editor—Yes; that’s right Foreman —Well, both those factories have got orders ahead for six months, and wages have been raised 10 per cent Editor—Here, give me that proof! Til make a note of it and add: “Under the promise of the return of the Grand Old Party to power, the influence of the Democracy for harm is gone, and the country is recovering.”—Puck. The lowa Campaign. Republicans of lowa have nominated for Governor Gen. F. M. Drake, a railroad president with an office in Chicago. His nomination was attended by a scandal of unusual proportions, whether the stories told in the Republican press were true or whether they were invented and circulated by hostile Republican politicians for purposes of blackmail or malice. Temperance Republicans of the State also were cheated by the neglect of the convention to make any platform declaration in support of their principles. Many Republicans will refuse to vote for the candidates, but there will be no organized bolt, nor any general unorganized defection at the polls. The Republican ticket, however, will lose many votes from these and other causes. The panic is ended, and the Democratic tariff and financial policy is vindicated. There are no bankruptcies, great strikes, “industrial armies” of tramps, and multitudes of the un-

employed to be produced as arguments against the Democratic party. The day of Republican “landslide” victories has passed. These facts give the Democrats in lowa a fighting chance. It should be improved to the utmost. They may make great gains, even if they should fail to carry the State. The Republican majority in 1894 was about 80,000. In 1893 the Republican majority was 32,000. The majority this year can be reduced below that of two years ago. Such a result would be an encouraging prelude to the campaign of 1896. In this view lowa Democrats have an important duty to perform. It is evident that a change is in progress on the national issue of free silver. It is not the part of wisdom to anticipate now the national issues of next year. lowa Democrats should fight the State campaign of 1895 on the State issues of 1895. The Immediate State issues are sufficient to employ all their energies. —Chicago Chronicle. France Lowers Duties. One of the first results of the election of a free trade president in France has been a considerable reduction In the French tariff on goods imported from Switzerland. In 1892 the Swiss offered to reduce their tariff on French goods provided France would make similar reductions. The protectionists, who controlled the French fiscal policy, refused. But the experience of three years showed that the tariff war between the two countries was injuring France far more than Switzerland, as the latter country was buying goods, formerly taken from France, in Germany and Italy. So France has reduced the duties on thirty articles of Swiss production, the Swiss duties being correspondingly lowered. Both countries expect to profit by the Increased commerce which will follow the decreased tariff.

Anotherßurden on the Foreigner. The esteemed Tribune, rendered unhappy by the better times that have put an end to calamity politics, insists that our new tariff “was contrived for the benefit of foreign rather than American producers.” We suppose it must be the foreigners who are paying the Increased wages of our workingmen—which is rather hard on them after having paid the tariff taxes under McKinleyism.—New York World. The Business Revival. Every indication points to a heavier volume of trade this coming fall than has been known for several years.— Chicago Times-Herald. The prospect for the calamity howlers grows gloomier every day, and the dawn of an era of prosperity throughout the country means sure death to these parasites.—Detroit Free Press. The business revival puts the Democratic party in a strong position before the voters, and the Republicans will not have the easy time of it they have been reckoning on.—Springfield Republican. The calamity howlers are a good deal perplexed by the unmistakable indications of business revival, and it exacts of them some laborious special pleading to make the present situation accord with their predictions.—Philadelphia Times. The Republican papers resisted the improvement in business as long as they were able. They were unwilling to admit that improvement was taking place. They made themselves ridiculous by calamity howls even after their news columns announced the unmistakable improvement in business. Now that they deem it inexpedient longer to deny the fact, they insist that the Demi ocratlc party is not entitled to any credit for it.—Louisville' Courier-Jour-naL