The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-06-02
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE
TARIFF QUESTION
From the Ealias News.l


| Whatever usefulness the republican
party may once have had as a political
agency, the worse than usglossncss of
It's continued existence becomes more
anu more apparent. Its incorri4iblc
ihappllcabIilly To current problems of
craftsmanship is at this moment equally
| hagrant and pernicious. II finds Itself
on the eve OF the most important presi.
dental campaign in quarter of Il
century absolutely without a burmese,
except to perpetuate legislative iniqui-
ties of its own creation, aud must enter
the contest with opposition TO demo-
cratic propositions az its platform, and
denunciatiDn of Mr.. Cleveland and
Mr.. Mills as its battle cry. Such tactics
have been successful in the past, when
the people wer' more or less ignorant
as well as apprehensiye OF what the
effect would De were the democratic
party placed IN power. But tie cX-
perience OF the last four wears has
wrought change, and the republican
party TO win must put its claims to
general confidence and support i'll a
stronger form than predetermined up.
position 10 eyeryIhing that is proposed
by the democratic party. Mr.. C!evc-
land, III his message, threw down the
gauntlet and the republican leaGers
gladly seized upon the tariff question
as the real issue in the campaign. But
now they find TO their sorrow that
they biundered in doing So There has
not been that hearty response on The
part OF the masses OF their own party
which was usually given on snch occa-
sions in the past. Already there are
Indications of serious discomfort ia
more than one republican, stronghold
The tariff question becomes more aud
more troublesome and embarrassing 10
the republicans every day, while the.
democrats gain ground constantly.
The best indication of this is found in
the debate now going on in congress
over the Mills bill. With the exception
of one or two quasi republican demo-
Gratis OF the Randai. stripe, the demo
cratic members are united in their de-
nunciation OF the present system and in
their Iema.:ds that proper reductions
be made, ahd Is. ,his they represent the
Hlll and desire OF their constituents.
Not SO with the republicans. The
eastern men find themselves arrayed
against those OF the west. The eastern
republicans have fair sailing. but the
western men find IL hard 10 keep in
line with their party associates and
please their constituents at home at the
same time. They are conscious that
the people of the west will not be sat
istied with mere opposition to all leg
islation TO reduce the surplus and TO
reform the burdensome tariff laws, but
that those people demand that the
republican party shall keep its promises
and do exactly what the democrats are
trying to do. The republican politi-
clans have been caught in trap by Mr..
Cleveland, and, like rats in a similar
position, are inclined to rend each
other to pieces in their desperation.
The president not being elected by
popular vote, it is unreasonable to sup
pose that the tariff questionkis gong 20
have more than limited effect Oh the
result in the presidential campaign, but
the prospect is that it will have great
effect on the political complexion of
the next congress, and that spch
changes will be greatly in the interest
OF the democratic party. In fact il is
scarcely a hazardous assertion that
after its next defeat the Republican
party, as such, will cease to exist at all.