The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-12-13
t H r.
AMERICAN NATIONAL POLITICS.

The recent elections In the United
States have brought up the question as
to which party will probably carry the
presidential contest two years hence in a
way which leaves it one of doubtful spec
ulatlon. The Democratic party has lost
great deal of ground, which tends to
improve Republican prospects, but there
is no absolute certainty about anything
pertaining to national politics in the
United States under existing conditions.
Politics of the higher plane are in
transition state. The old issues are dead
to all intents and purposes, although
John Sherman still waves the bloody
shirt" and fancies that by SO doing he
can secure the nomination at the Re-
publican National Convention. This
will prove to be a mistake. Mr.. Blaine
is far keener politician than Senator
Sherman, and while he is prepared to
appeal to the burning issues OF the past
should these serve his turn, he is
shrewdly making his fight under the
shadow of protection and the necessity
for adopting an aggressive foreign policy.
This programme has great attractions
for "Young America" and it may be
the means of once more placing James
@. Blaine on the national ticket as stand
ard-bearer of the Republican hosts. 1t
is quite true that it is not in harmony
with party traditions in the States to
take up a defeated candidate for the
Presidency and give him a second nomi-
nation; but we are by no means con-
WINGED that an exception will not be
made in Blaine's favor, the hostility OF
the "Mugwumps" Notwithstanding.
The name Of Judge Gresham has also
been mentioned as q probable Republi-
can candidate. This would be a strong
nomination. Judge Gresham as Post
master General, and for a short time
afterwards as Secretary of the Treasury
in Arthur's Administration, displayed
executive qualities of the highest order.
He is a man entirely void of prejudice
and has the merit of having a clean war
and political record. If Judge Gresham
were nominated it would undoubtedly
unite all wings of the Republicans, a
condition which could not be attained
with either Sherman or Blaine on the
ticket.
But the Republicans do not go into
the next campaign upon any broadly
defined policy except protection. The
defeat of Morrison, and the narrow ma
jOrity by which Carlisle got elected,
show that the tariff is a great factor in
national politics. The Democratic party
has not faced this issue squarely. 1t
has played with the tariff and now must
either come out honestly in favor of
tariff reform or 60 under completely.
This point was put with great force by
Henry Watterson of the Louisville
"COurier-Journal," in an interview pub
lished in the New York Herald" upon
his recent return from Europe. He was
asked: ''Who was to fix the tarif?''
He replied:
The Democrats of the West and South
are in earnest about revenue reform. They
are not free traders in the sense that the
Republicans charge them with being, and
they are tired of having to hold their peace
in the face of misrepresentation that they
feel themselves able to meet. The expert
ence they have had with the present Adj
ministration admonishes them that there
is no longer any reason why they should
sing low to Eastern influences, and in the
next National Democratic Convention
they will not be ripe for compromises. But
they are ready now, or always, to agree
upon a measure of tariff legislation which
and not platform platitudes! - shall
clearly define the position of the party and
the party law. The Administration should
(and hope it WILLY put itself at the head
OF the West and South in framing such
measure; and if we go down upon it-as
l think We shall MOTT will leave us a
party united upon something, whereas we
have been a party united upon nothing
that was worth lighting for. For the time
being the ebb tide may seem to be with the
protectionists, but the flood tide is with
the free traders, and if we take it in time
we shall ride upon it 1888.
This has the ring of craftsmanship
about it, and as Mr.. Watterson is a man
of great influence in his party, and is the
recognized journalistic leader Of the
Southern Democracy, it may be &C
cepted as outlining in a way Democratic