Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1895 — POLITICS OF THE DAY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POLITICS OF THE DAY

ENEMIES OF COMMERCE. On the stump, in Congress and In the press, the McKinleyites insist that their policy Is Just the reverse of free trade. They claim that all the foreign goods Imported mean the loss of employment for American workmen, and that in order to increase prosperity the products of other countries should be shut out by a practically prohibitive tariff. The strongest objection that they can bring against the Wilson tariff is that under its operations imports have increased, and they promise that if restored to power they will enact a tariff law which will effectually prevent foreign trade in many lines which are now profitable. But when the protectionists drop out of their role as political partizans who depend on Lite high tariff as an issue on which they can get office, they argue for increased commerce as strongly as though they were free traders. For instance, in an editorial on New York city as a commercial port, the New York Tribune boasts of that city's growing importance as a center of commerce, predicts yet greater growth, and urges a costly system of harbor and terminal improvements in order that foreign trade may be attracted to New York. From a business standpoint tbe Tribune is doing good work in favoring improved facilities for American commercial relations with foreign countries, but it is very inconsistent for a tradehating to encourage commerce.

If the protection swindle is a sound public policy, as the Tribune asserts, it must require 'the least possible amount of foreign trade. This applies as well to exports as imports, for if protection were to be carried out logically by every country, all international commerce would cease. The result of the strict enforcement of such a policy would be that instead of being a great and wealthy city New York would rapidly fall away until it reached the position of a small seaport town. It will be denied by some high tariffites that their doctrines are inconsistent with the extensive development of foreign trade. What, then, becomes of their claim that they wish to preserve the home market for Americans by the exclusion of foreign goods? They are either trying to delude American workmen with false pretenses of shutting out all foreign competition, or they are sincere enemies of commerce. In either case they are unworthy the-confidence of the people, of whom a great majority are heartily In favor of the greatest possible volume of foreign trade.

Republican National Convention. The Republican convention at Minneapolis In 1892 authorized tbe‘national committee of that party to establish a new ratio of representation in future national conventions. The present, ratio is two delegates for each member of Congress in both houses and two for each territory. The Democrats have the same representation in national conventions. The proposed new rule will provide that there shall be one delegate from each congressional district in all the States and two delegates at large for each State. One additional delegate shall be chosen for each 7,000 Republican voters in any district. This would make a convention for the Republicans of about 1,000 delegates. Probably under a similar rule a Democratic national convention would contain a greater number of members. There is equity in this proposition—too much equity for its acceptance by the aspiring, greedy, trading gang of politicians of the Republican party. It Is only fair that the body of the voters in any party shall select Its‘candidates. The men who are to cast’ the majorities should nominate the man for w T hom they are to vote. It is the height of injustice for the minority States to nominate a candidate whom the majority States are to elect The frauds perpetrated on the Republican national conventions in the past by bodies of delegates yVlthout constituencies have been the scandal of the country for at least two decades. A few cunning and tricky political organizers could pack conventions in the Southern States and send eighty or a hundred irresponsible and venal delegates to the convention, whose votes were to be had by the highest bidder offered through the rascally middlemen controlling the “trust” This class of delegatee nearly-nominated Arthur for President in 1884. They were subsidized for Sherman In 1888, but Alger, “the kind gentleman from Michigan,” bought them out from under him and he lost the presidential nomination which he might have secured If his

delegates had not abandoned him on receiving a new bid. He had his revenge in keeping Alger out of President Harrison’s cabinet In most of the States and smaller political bodies the delegates to the local conventions are proportioned on the basis of votes. This gives the strong counties and precincts their proportionate weight, while weak counties and precincts have all the weight to which they are entitled. It often happens that a man of strong character, great popularity, wide influence and skill in political management, representing a mi-nority-constituency, produces more important results in shaping political action than is effected by mere unorganized numbers. This is the triumph of brains over inert force, and it serves to equalize any difference which tends unfairly against the few for the benefit of the many. There are good reasons why the rule which the Republican national committee is to consider should be adopted by both parties. The Democratic national committee cannot determine the question without instructions from the national Democratic convention, which is the fountain of authority.—Chicago Chronicle. Growth of the Tin Piute Industry.T When the duty on tin plates was reduced by the new tariff law from 2.2 cents to 1.2 cents per pound last summer, the change was vigorously opposed by those who bad engaged in the

high protective rate of the tariff law of 1890, and also by those who contemplated engaging in the business. Those who fought against the change declared that the lower rate of duty not only would ruin all those already engaged in the industry in this country, but also would prevent any further extension of this branch of manufacture. The new tariff law has been in operation now for a year, and instead of the prophesied destruction of the tin plate Industry there has been the largest and most substantial growth in the industry that has ever occurred in the same length of time. The increase in the capacity for producing tfti plates during the past twelve months, under a duty of 1.2 cents per pound-, has been nearly as great as the growth of the industry during the entire three years in which the rate of 2.2 cents was in force. Twenty-six new factories in which the plates are both rolled and tinned have been started, and the companies have extended their plants and increased their output. Six new factories for dipping plates have been built or enlarged. The result of this activity has been a great increase in the production of tin and terne plaitcs, which sliSws that the manufacture of tin plate in the United States has undergone its most marked development during the past twelve months, with a protective duty 45 per cent lower than the rate provided by the tariff act of 1890, and under the lowest prices for tin plate ever known in this country. That the American tin plate industry is able to take care of itself under present conditions of foreign competition is proved by the events of the past year.

Party Lines and Extravagance. The era of lavish appropriations with no thought as to where the money was to come from began with the billion dollar Congress and has lasted ever since. The party lirfe has not appeared in the spending of the money and it should not in fixing the responsibility for it. As to administrations, while each administration is responsible, a comparison as far as that quoted is furnished by the fact that the first Cleveland administration paid off debt and left a surplus in the treasury. The Harrison administration paid off debt, but wiped out the surplus and laid hands on such trust funds as the national bank redemption funds.—Pittsburg Dispatch. Evila of Political Dictatorship, Personal dictatorships are incompatible with true Democratic Government. One-man power is absolutism, and when it fastens itself upon a State or a city the substance of political freedom is gone, though the forms may remain. It makes no essential difference to the mass of the people under what party name a personal dictatorship is established over them. The autocrat who cheats them of their American birthright of self-government may decorate his band wagon with the Democratic or Republican colors, but in either case their political liberties are gone and the autocrat does with them as he pleases,—Baltimore Sun.

Old Forge (X. Y.) dispatch; Ex-President Harrison had removed to-day a large molar which had caused him great pain. It was a wisdom tooth.