Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-08-07
Backing Out.

III seems well 10 Tie DcluUCIdbiC
speakers and journals to state that they
will not be, dragged into q discussion of
the tariff. In that case the Republicans
will have the advantage of presenting
their views to this people without reply.
If the Democrats insist upon their refu
sal to discuss the question which
has a direct and personal interest to
more voters than any other, they will
have to abide the consequences. Three
fourths of the voters of New York have
been greatly agitated during the past
year by Democratic attempt to break
down the protective tariff, and to take a
first term step toward free trade" as
Mr.. Dorsheimer said. The Republicans
will show that nearly four-fifths of the
Democrats in the House were engaged
in this attempt, and thought it at that
time 80 much more important than all
other business that they really blocked
the wheels of legislation for months IL
their desperate endsavor. The Repub-
licans will also show what the bill was.
and what its effect upon the wages of
labor would have been. Ii the Demo-
Gratis decline to make any reply, the vo-
ters will Judge what the reason is.
1t also seems well to the Democrats
not to discuss questions of foreign poli-
cy. Whether the United States should
extend is trade by wise and nrm dl-
plomacy, and thus open great markets
to the products of its labor, and whether
it should fearlessly and faithfully de-
fend its citizens abroad, and insist that
Germany shall no longer assert any au-
thority over person of German birth
after he has been duly naturalized as a
citizen of the United States-these and
similar questions have deep interest
for many voters. If the Democratic
party declines to discuss them, the Re-
publicans will have the field to them
selves. They can show that a Demo
cratic majority in Congress was used as
sewer by the British holders of Peru
Vian bonds; that they emptied foul SIAN
der upon the American Secretary of
State in order to defeat the National
policy of which he had sought to wrest
from Great Britain great commercial
advantages for this Nation; that policy
which Mr.. Blaine then proposed was
one so wise, so honorable and so advan-
tageous to this country that it ought as
soon as possible to be adopted. If the
Democratic party is willing to have the
case 60 to the people on that showing,
without reply, the Republicans are con-
tent.
On all these and other great questions
which affect the welfare of all citizens,
the Democrats propose to reply, "Mulli-
gan" Very well; we shall see whether
that will pay. The American people
have not deep interest in the Mulligsn
question. At bottom it is question
whether Mr.. Blaine's construction of his
Own letters and acts is the true one, or
Mr.. Mulligan's onstruetion-Mr. Multi
gan being at the time self-conyicted
knave. The question of veracity be-
tween these two has not seemed to Sc,
100000 Of people very grave one. But
if the Democrats think IL is. they can
discuss it. AS they crawled on street
pavements to discuss the 1929" matter
when President Garfield was a candi.
date, they have the satisfaction of
knowing that they can hardly get lower
than they did then, though they may be
worse beaten. At all events, Republi-
cans will discsss their principles, and
the grave questions Of National policy,
while the Democrats discuss Mulligan.
We shall see in November which will
Il y " rn-:l