St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-17
A CANDID OPINION.
Congressman Mac i3onald's Speaks
Out for Lower Taxes.

out lVE HOW CF ldAcS.
In reply to the GLOBES inquiry as to
the status of tariff reduction and re-
form since Harrison's election, Con-
gresham John l.. Macdonald says:
IL answer your questions as follows:
l believe protection, and not tariff re-
reform, triumphed in the election of
President-elect Harrison. The Repub-
lict national platform is all emphatic
declaration i'll favor OF protection for
protectors SAKE, and Mr.. HarI1son7s
letter of acceptance aud all his utter
anceS on the subject since his nomin-
alton. are as pronounced in favor Of pro-
lection as il is possible for him to word
them. Blaine, in his advocacy of pro-
tective tariff, has no been more so. Not
only this, but we have been de-
feated by the lavish expenditure of
money manifestiy furnished by the
tariff protected mon0polies. l know
this to be SO with reference to the Dem
ecratic members of congress in this
state, and am confident this was the
case in every district where the tariff
monopolists thought there was any hope
10 defeat the Democrat who advocated
taritf-tax reduction and tariff reform. l
see that in Tuesdays issue you attrib-
ute my defeat, in part, to local causes.
This is mistake. The ill feeling en-
gendered against Scott county by the
action OF our delegation to the judicial
convention lost me few votes in Car
yer county, but nothing to affect
the result; and the disgrace
full attempts to injure me by
defamation failed ignominiously
as all similar former efforts
did. The official vote will show that |
ran ahead of President Cleveland in
great majority of the election precincts.
and that although | had lost votes in
one or two places, like South ST. Paul,
where monopoly rules and employees
age numerous; and by appeals to bigotry
in other places; my aggregate vote will
be as great as MIR. Cleveland's, or
greater. The vote shows that it was a
general defeat of the party he. e, as else
where; and my advices from all lOcali-
ties are that ..'boodle' drought in and
distributed within the last three OF four
days completed the work and carried
the day. You hit the nail squarely on
the head when you said that in the First
aud Third districts the money and paid
speakers OF the Eastern protective
tariff leagues were as conspicuous as
honey upon the slopes of HymettuS.' l
think you should have included the
Fourth and Fifth districts. This will
show why [ regard the election of Har-
rison as victory for protection.
Il do not think the pending senate
bill will be passed by the present con-
greSs, or even by the present senate.
believe it will be left for the new Re-
publican congress to frame a new bill
and pass it. The present house will not
pass any bill that the senate will pass,
for the senate will pass only such bill
as will be i'm the interest OF the tariff
protected monopolies. L think the
whole question of revenue reform and
tariff-taX reduction should be now left
to the Republicans. Mr.. Harrison hav-
ing been selected, am satisfied to see
the Republicans secure working ma
iority in the house and the full respon-
sibilty placed upon them. For this rea-
son l am perfectly willing to suffer de-
feat with the party. | am anxious to
see what our opponents will do upon
the tariff, and await the result with un-
diminished confidence in the correct
ness Of our position.
mo. sir. The election of Mr.. Harri-
son does not mean "a cessation OF the
work of tariff reform as inaugurated by
President Cleveland and the Mills BILL
The presidents message was right in
principle, and the time is not far distant
when the great majority of the Amer
lean people will so declare it; and if
they would cease to be partisanS, and
recognize that the Southern states are
no longer conquered provinces, but en-
titled to consideration as states, or equal
with those Of the North, the Mills bill
(although but the result of compromise
of conflicting interests) will be found to
be much more meritorious measure
than, partisan prejudice and sectional
hatred will now permit it to be cOnsid-
cred by many. The farmer and work
ingman will soon learn that the tri-
umph OF protection does not mean an
increase in the price of farm products
and wages. and that their only hope of
improving their condition will be in
securing reduction in the price of
what they have to purchase. When
they awaken to this fact tas they soon
must) there will not be enough Doodle
to defeat their will. Our present defeat
is but history repeating itself. The
battle has just begun. Truth, crushed
to earth, shall rise again. Very re-
spectfully, j. l.. MACDONALD"