Show AWKWARD FOR Tll1lI A good many Republicans especially in the West find themselves in a most awkward predicament in this campaign The convention at Chicago committed the party to a position and policy which individuals can not occupy and uphold without going back on their creditable records This explains Why so many leading Republicans are flopping to Cleveland They cannot afford to reverse re-verse themselves and assume an attitude atti-tude directly opposite to that which they have so long and so publicly occupied occu-pied With the courageous man party cannot drive him against his judgment If his party goes wrong for reasons of policy or expediency ho will not follow it but will keep on the straight path Protection has never been popular in the northwest where the deep love of the people for the Repuplican party cannot induce the intelligent farmers and laborers to say they are in favor of a system which taxes them heavily but gives them no corresponding benefit They can understand how it helps the manufacturers and mineowners to have their products increased in-creased in price 50 per cent by a protective protec-tive tariff but they cannot set it through their heads how it helps the farmer and the laborer to pay thai 50 per cent increased price for the articles they purchase from the manufacturer and mineowner Just how the intelligent men in the west and northwest feel in this matter was told by Slate Senator P SI Sutton of Marshalltown Iowa lastspring in a letter to the Chicago Tribune Mr Sutton Sut-ton has always been recognized as a Republican leader in his section and few men have labored more earnestly than he for the success of his party Year after year he has stumped the i S ate in its behalf and has spent his time and money for the spread and advancement ad-vancement of Republican principles But like many other members of the I party he thought that w en there was no longer occasion for extraordinary expenditures by the Federal Government Govern-ment there should be a lowering of the taxes that when the war ceased and the legitimate public expenses fell below the sum collected for public purposes the tax burden should be I lightened He was a tariff reformer and employed the forcible and unanswerable un-answerable argument that the government govern-ment should not oppress one class of its citizens for the benefit of another class Last spring there was published in the Chicago Tribune a letter OVi3 r the signature of Mr Sutton in which he clearly showed how the tariff on iron manufactures worked with the manufacturers and their employees Among other things he said In 1870 our Iron manufactures had a capital 8124000000 They manufactured 1 a net profit of 62000000 They employed 77000 hands at an annual yearly wage of 4526 In 1880 after ten years of high protection pro-tection and great prosperity these same irou industries hid a capital of 230003000 They manufactured a net profit of 105000 too They employed 105COO hands at an average yearly wage of only 396 Or if we state it thub Tea years of protection increases In-creases the capital over 80 per cent it in creaes the net product over 70 per cent bu it reduces wages nearly 25 per cent See Unied States census report I The predicament in which Mr Sutton l i now finds himself is apparent at a I fiance To stand by the facts the I figures and his judgment he must continue con-tinue to oppose the tariff and the taxing I tax-ing of the people in order that iron I manufacturers may increase their profits pro-fits and cut down the wages of laborers i I but to occupy this position ho must take issue with his party and denounca the platform which has been constructed con-structed for him to stand upon There are a good many Republicans who areas are-as awkwardly situated as Mr Sutton is The courageous among them are coming com-ing out for Cleveland and tariff form the weakkneed are openly repudiating their past records and confessing that party fealty is greater in their minds than personel principle and honesty |