New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-27
Tile MIN ISSUE.

THE MAIN ISSUE.
Since the Ohio election Eastern Democrats
have been loud in their dcnials of free-trade
purposes. 1t has seemed necessary to them TO
declare day by day. with great sofemnity, that
the tariff question was not the issue III this
canvass. That the politicians, unscrupulous
and greedy, and caring for nothing but offices,
make this assertion is not strange. That the
free -trade newspapers, directly or indirectly
hired by foreign interests to break down
American industries, repeat the came assertion
in their desperate anxiety to get by fraud q
success which they no longer hope to obtain by
an honest decision of the people is perhaps to
be expected. Bat it is most strange that men
who profess to be governed in their political
action by economic convictions, who are
teachers and professors, and claim to be leaders
of opinion, should stoop to utter the same I'M
truth.
1t can hardly be that these people deceive
themselves. If they go into any shop, or mine,
or mill, if they talk with any merchant, or
porter or clerk, if they listen to the cOnversa-
ton on any strcct-car or ferry-boat, they know
that ten times as many people to-day are think
ing and talking of the tariff question as are
thinking and talking Of any other question
whatever. That is because the question has
direct and definite influence upon the prosperity
Of all, the wages and earnings of all, the cost OF
living of every family, the probable continuance
or suspension Of manufacturing establishments
throughout the land. Such question cannot
be snrered out of the way, nor laughed ont of
the way. nor put out of the way by any amount OF
wing There is absolutcly but one way to avoid
determined action by the people on the tariff
question at the coming election. and that - TO
satisfy them that the Democratic and Republl-
can parties do not essentially differ as TO that
question in their belief or aims
The Democrats cndcaVor tn do this. II IL a
desperate chance and they know it; but il is
their only chance to succeed in the coming clcc-
tlon. Six months ago they had different idea.
Then they believed that the people wanted
what they called "talil reform" Then they
londly boastcd that the success Of the Demo
cratic party would bring about this "tarin re
lorn," aud So give the people cheaper goods
cheaper tools, cheaper materials aud a lower
cost Of living. They argued after that fashion
for months aud worked Themselves into n be
lief that The, were imptcHSing public opinion
greatly They me now trying 10 cIlncc the
memory at everything then said, aud 10 mako
people believe they never said II,
II h not possible ~ cillco the memory at the
conduct of the Democratic ~ liorlly In Congress
last winter Had the party chosen at the be
ginning Of the session to elect Mr., Randall ~
Speaker of tho House. had II organized the
House with view To maintain undisturbcd the
existing tnin, had it attended to the legitimate
business of the session, had it left tawtl agita-
ton to the "cranlls" and the importers, or to
the future, it might now be believed that the
tariff was not vital issue in the present cam
paigu. Instead of that, the Democratic
party elected Mr.. Carlisle as Speaker,
because he was frcc-tradcr. 1t or
ganizcd the House with deliberate purpose to
make the tariff the main Issue of tho campaign.
IL sacrificed for six weary months every other
public interest, and all the legitimate business
of Congress, to Il struggle Oh the tariff question.
II put what ii pleased to call "tarif reform"
into n bill which its advocates hailed as the
" first firm step toward free trade" 1t fought
desperately for this bill, argued for II at great
length, discussed it IN all the newspapers, and
cast at last 1jl Democratic votes forit, against
IL against it. When the Democratic party
can make voters believe that the sun which
ulZzlcS tnclr eyes Is not SHINING IN 'nc heavens,
perhaps it can convince people that It did not
make the tariff an issue in the Presidential
The Republicans accepted the Issue without
hesitation. They deny that the tariff ought to
be changed, ms four-fifths of the Democrats in
sist that it must be; deny that the Morrison bill
was an Intelligent or practicable chang; deny
that the Democratic party has practical sense
enough to form any tariff bill to which the in
dustries of the country could be safely sub
ectcd and deny that the theories Of that party
ought now, or at any other time to be put into
avs by which the wages of industry in this
country should be governed The issue was
made in Congress. II is met in the campaign;
t will be decided at the polls.