New-York tribune., 1886-08-21
FUSION AGAIN.
country

The Democratic and Grcenback fusion in
Michigan this year appears at first sight to be
an absuIdity. 1t is true, a similar fusion was
effected four years ago. and two years ago. and
at tho last Congressional election gave the
fusionists seven of the eleven members of Con-
gress from that State, and reduced tho Rcpub
lcan majority for Governor TO less than 1000
But that was before the Democrats had
National Administration to prove how
false and frail their campaign promises
were. Now they ask the Grccnbackcrs
to support a party whose President and
Secretary of the Treasury arc controll-
ing the finances of the nation in utter contempt
alike of the wishes of Greenback voters and of
the pledges made to them, and who have boon
particularly careful in Michigan to exclude
Grccnbackcrs from Office. There the shoe
pinchcs. The Greenback statesman might be
expected to put up with disregard of his So
called convictions the fact is that four-fifths
Of the Democrats themselves do that. when
they sing halleuahs for the Administration
of President Cleveland, whilo dcnOuncing SUBJ
stantially everything it has done. But it
might be supposed that the Grccnback pol
itcians could not put up with starvation-with
exclusion from share of the spOils.
Yet the fusion Is really more easy than some
may suppose. The Republicans of Michigan,
at all events, know that they have no reason
to count upon any advantage through the in
compatibility Of temper of the mating couple.
The trouble is that the couple are well matched.
The Glecnback force Is composed Of two sets
of men-voters ignorant enough to support
Cleveland as a Grecnback candidate, and polit
ical tramps destitute of principle or conscience,
who act as assistant Democrats Oly because they
can find nobody else to put up the drinks "
for them. The ignorant voters are just ig-
norant enough to believe what the ramps tell
them. The hamps are hungry enough to wei
come the distant smell of dinner that they can
get on the sidewalk, while the Democratic lead
crs are enjoying the feast inside. Men who
arc ignorant enough to believe that paper
promise to pay dollar is a dollar, are also
ignorant enough to believe that vote to sup
port Cleveland Is a vote for Grecnback ideas.
The question is how many voters Of that de-
gree Of ignorance are to be found in Michigan
at this day. The Republicans ought to gain
several members of Congress in Michigan. In
the Hid Congressional District they wae beaten
two years ago by only 54 votes, and in the IVth
District by 352, and in two other Districts the
vote was close enough TO DC reversed Oy proper
effort The people of Michigan realize the
Occd of protection for their industries more
clearly, perhaps, than the people of almost any
other State. Confronted "a they are with
Canadian conpctition and largely dependent
upon lumber, iron and salt industries. they
have had especial occasion within the last few
months to consider what Democratic victory
means to them. The Morrison bill was sup
ported by fourfifths Of the Democratic MEM
bcrs Of Congress, and might have been forced
through under the lash of party discipline, had
there not been Republican Senate to block
tho success of the measure. But this bill, the
workers Of Michigan well know, would have
affected all their industries most injuriously. |
1t is a question which they will be called upon
TO answer at the polls this year, whether they |
can afford to fool away any more time in sup
porting fusion for the bcncft Of President
Clcveland's Administration, and in electing
members of Congress who are hostile to the
protection of home Industry.