The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-03-07

Ouaties Emory smith, it, CHIEF
editor. telegraphed a long, able and
very stirring editorial to the Press on
Monday morning, which showed the
desperate straights in which the
Tariff then was. with Kelley confess
ing to successful Democratic OBJ
struction in the House. and viii,
New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania
left in the Senate to their own re-
sources by New England and the
extreme West, whose industries had
been cared for with a view to divide
the friends of the Tariff. Mr.. Smiths
appeal was for a community OF
Tariff interests, and such a leader
ship as would keep in steady line a
majority which needs only disci-
pline. irmness and great leadership
to accomplish all. The editorial tel
egrani closes with these words: "Ohi
for night or Blucherl' "Oh ! for
night or the timely appearance Of
invigorating Republican leadership"
This exclamation not only well
described the Tariff situation, but a
general political situation brought
about by a mad cry against true and
tired leaders, and 4 mad rush to pull
them down. Even worse than this
was the twin folly which cried for
ever increasing rights to minorities.
We have the sequel in minorities
binding with loose and rafting
chains a majority, which for want
of brave leadership has feared TO
shake off its shackles. Kasson
would have done it with a rule
which says simply that q majority,
in emergencies, should have the
power to select important measures
on which the vote shall first be tax
en-. Kelley would have backed the
rule. but the men on the outskirts,
those making up driitwood. the more
conservative, the timid, and the rep
resentative remains of weak and
purile politics, begged that hesita-
ton might rule the hour, while the
Democrats in single chorus from
Randall to Carlisle howled their OBJ
structive epithets and threats until
the air was sulphurous with Free
Trade fireworks.
Could such threats appail men
like Blaine, Conkling, Window, Fer
nv and others who have fallen before
the weakening cries of faction?-
fallen in an epoch which struck at
all leadership-an era wherein every
appeal was rather to political cow
ardice than courage. If the more
manly politics which supported
Lincoln, Stevens, Wilson, Sumner,
Hale, and Wade, had still obtained,
tempered only as a~ggravating aus
were removed, could such a cry as
that of Charles Emory Smith be now
made? Look inward, all ye editors
of the Press, the Tribune, the Times;
and ask yourselves this question
and as the industries of your States
stand in peril note the fact that
"hoary locks" are being shaken be-
fore your faces!
The mistake in these great iourn-
ais was in yielding to weakening
methods and suggestions which
found birth under the weak admin
istration of Hayes, and growth I'M
der the follies of fiction. Our peo-
pie, too many of them, think that
anv fair man a fill Presidential
and Gubernatorial chairs, but
breadth of view and high courage
must always be there, or the enfee-
bling traces of political disease can
be seer for years thereafter. The
Hayes disease is still upon us; that
of Pattison and Cleveland will fol-
low in Pennsylvania and New York
a few months later, but it will strike
the other side and give Republicans
time to regain their political health,
and though the old cry at Waterloo
NAV be repeated for a few days more,
something better will follow.
A Butcher may not come in ALI
ance with the Tariff, but night will,
and beyond the night is the dawn
of a better day. when Republicans
can cheerily sing,
Say not good night,
But in some brighter dawn bid us good morning
If the House Tariff bill has failed
and Kelly says Democratic obstruc-
ton has killed it, then look to the
Senate bill and if it cannot be so
amended as to protect the leading
industries of the great Middle States
kill Il. Do it boldly. Stamp it down
in the face of all men, and trust to
the brighter. day coming, It will
come, for Democracy only seizes the
lower House; the Senate's Republi-
can majority increases from two to
four; the President is a New York
Protectionist, steadily bound to all
our great industries. If by any
chance a measure of Free Trade
passes the future House. the Senate
can scale, and the President stab it
with his veto. So there is no dam
ger ahead. The issue will be made
up, and on that all Republicans can
go to the country forgetting a tempo
rary weakness imposed by too great
success and too great a proneness to
division. In that battle there will
be no weak counseis, no aesthetic
%foilies. no sympathy with treacher-
Gus minorities, but sturdy, manly
united blows for American politics,
American ideas, and American in
dustries. And the Press, and the
Tribune, and the Times will absorb
the spirit of the occasion, and do all
the better service after their sad ex-
perience.-Media american.
II is impolite to say a MAI has
"cheek :" say facial area"