The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-08-18
Would be Glad to Change the Issue.

paign. They have just found out
that the intelligent wage-earners
were fairly represented by the thous-
ands of enthusiastic supporters of
Harrison, Morton and Protection
whose notices and banners in the
great Republican parade last Thurs
day showed such clear unders tand-
ing of the great issue of this cam
paign, which is mainly one between
high and low, American and foreign
wages. An army with such banners
may well be terrible to the Demo-
cratic managers, who had been I'M
duly elated by the immensely of their
campaign fund, between the S2j0, 900
promised by the "Sugar Trust" for
special favors granted by Mr.. Mills
and his co parceEers, the much larger
amount certain to come from. the
"Whiskey Trust" and the immense
contributions also sure to come from
the banded liquor interests.
But if intelligent labor has discov-
cred the real issue and is mastering
unintelllgent labor on the American
high wages platform, of what avail
will be all the promised campaign
funds for the election of Mr.. Cleve-
land on his own Free Trade issue :?
That is the query which has taken
life and hope out of the able man
ayers of the campaign for Free Trade.
1t is the evident and general I'D.
rising Of labor in behalf of the sys.
tenn OF Protection, in this section,
that has moved the practical Chair
man of the Democratic National
Executive Committee to talk freely
for publication to a correspondent of
the Cincinnati Enquirer, Mr.. w. e..
Mcbride, and in a tone indicating
tine desperation he feels unless the
issue is changed. In the course of
this conversation. In response to a
suggestion as to the passage of Sem
ate Tariff bill, Col. Brice showed the
extremity of his desire for a change
of the issue on which his campaign
is already failure, when he replied
that sin that case there is but one
thing for the Democrats of the House
to do, and that is to pass the Senate
bill. no matter what it may be. This
would put the Democracy in the po-
sition of having made an honest ELI
deavor to revise the Tariff and reduce
the surplus of revenues. 1t would
put the Republicans of the Senate in
the position of having failed to APP
preciate its duty. But if the Demo.
Gratis accept even the Senate bill. it
will show a disposition on their part
to take half loaf rather than get
nothing at all. Further, it will shift
the responsibility upon the Republi-
cans, and relieve the Democrats.
Such proceeding as have outlined
; would change the phase of the cam
, vass with respect to the Tariff"
9 This is a most important revela.
ton. In abiding to this interview
| the Sun suggests that the conyersa-
ton reported was supposed to have
| been confidential, but that, even if it
, was, the correspondent was justified
, in giving to the public the confes'
, sions of Col. Brice and Col. w. l..
Brown, as to the hopelessness of a
: Democratic campaign. with the Mills
bill as the main issue, on account oil
"the service he"-Mr. Mcbride
"renders to the party by calling at.
tention to the state of affairs and
thus awakening Democrats from the
, illusions of Sunderland"
, Those who know best the real sen
, timents of the most practical and
| abIest of the managers of the Demo.
f cratic campaign need not to be in
' formed that the latter would jumI
at any chance for changing or modi.
I. flying the Tariff issue, as it is now
understood by the ablest of the rep
resentatives of protected labor. But
will Mr.. Cleveland or will Mr.. MillI
encourage any sort of change of from
in the face of a Republican party thai
is united. full of fight and vigor anC
gaining new recruits by the thous
: and every hour
In fact, at the close of the inter
view, which is exciting such inter
est. Col. Brice is reported as telling
' Mr.. John G, New that his party hat
. an advantage over the Democrats il
that "you have a candidate whit
. helps HIMSELF" remarkable anC
sincere compliment from an enemy
which Gen. Harrison's tact, sagacity
and boldness in leading his own cam
paign has amply justified. 1t was
also, and more especially, back
handed blow at the obstinacy and
obtuseness of Col. Brice's candidate
who seems determined to fight out
the campajpn in his own Way and on