New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-01
M WF1ENfSS ALLOWABLE.

The Rcpublcan party has never been
seriously tempted to surrender or to shirk its
principles. The one thing above all others
which has given it public confidence and en-
during strength is that threats of opposition or
fears Of defeat have never pushed the party to
any departure from It's convictions. That one
rare excellence contrasting so sharply with
Democratic trickery and c0wardice, has made
the people prefer the Republican party i'll spite
of all its faults and shortcomings.
Ii is therefore safe to say that the Republican
party is not going to be false to its convictions
or its pledges on the tariff question, for the sake
of appcasing any faction. Its position on that
question Is not new. 1t has been vindicated by
twenty years of marvellous growth and pros
perity. To that position, as Mr. Blaine has
shown so well in his history, the first great vic
tory of the Republican party in 1850 was dis
tnctly due by its attitude on the tariff ques-
ton the party won Pennsylvania from the
Democratic party, and by winning that state 1t
elected Mr.. Lincoln. Since that time, the
position of the Republicans on that question has
again and again turned the scale. 1t defeated
| General Hancock in 1880 and elected PreSl-
dent Garfield, as every one is aware. Thus its
earliest and its latest national victories prove
that the party owes its success and its very cx-
istence to its steadlast protection of American
| labor.
In order 20 serve certain personal ends or sat
isfy certain personal grudges, men have been
! chosen delegates from some of the States who
are not in accord with the Republican party on
| this vital question In this State OF the four
! Edmunds delegates chosen by President
! Arthur's friends, three are known as irec-uad-
! crs In Massachusetts, others elected by the
/ same influences are of the same opinions, and
there are few from Western districts. 1t was
not supposed by the Republican voters,
when such delegates were chosen, that
there would be any attempt to twist the
party out Of its impregnable position on
/ the tariff question. This at least is certain
| that these delegates, however well they
/ may accord with the wishes of their cOnsttu-
! ents i'm respect to choice of candidates, do not
represent the convictions Of a majority OF the
! Ropublicans, even in their own districts OF
| States, on the tariff question. But it may be
noticed that the Democrats at Washington have
/ become far more cheerful and hopeful since
these dolcSatca were chosen.
Their hopes are vain. The Republicans in
. National Convention viii not commit suicide
There are too many of them who understand
perfectly how even the suspicion of weakness
or wavcring or inGlelity on the tariff question
would defeat the party. Neither in the plat
form, nor in tho selection of candidates
will they consent to have the position
of the party compromised in the least degree
The noisy and demonstrative enthusiasm Of ;
few free-trade organs for Senator Edmund
does not help him the fac; that The AeO- Yori
Times, The Aec- York Herad and The Nelc
York Evening Post unite in fayorinS any cand
date would be- Of itself, excellent reason for re
garding him with doubt. 1t happens, too, tina
the supporters of Mr. Arthur come almos
wholly from the South where manufacture
have been but little developed, and The praclica
advantages of the protective system have neye
been fully realized. The Old-tine hostility o
slave-mastcrs toward the elevation of labor la
gwen ii color to public opinion at the South Il
this day Oh questions OF taxation. All theS