The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1888-08-30
RULE OR RUIN.
Does the Republican Party Propose to
Either Rule or Ruin!
New York Herald,

The republican leaders must be
more careful or they will carry their
party over a precipice, They seem
just now to be maddened by despera-
tion and are making their cause weak
er every day. If they go on for three
months more as they have been going
on for the three months last past, their
own consistency-the solid business
men OF the party, as well as its rank
and file-will leave them in disgust.
The party OF great moral and polit-
ical ideas is in serious danger of be-
coming party Of paltry excuses for
its own inaction. 1t reverses the story
which Esop told, in which the ass put
on the lions skin-for the lion of 1861
is putting on the ass hide in 1888. If
it would save itself from the contumely
and contempt which a giant deserves
who loses bis head in fight and beats
the air with his big fists, it must pull
itself together at once or it will be too
late. .....
Look at some facts. In the plat
forms heretofore constructed the re-
publican party has loudly demanded q
reduction of the surplus and such in.
cisive and immediate tariff reform as
will put this country on sound fnan-
cial and industrial basis, 1t has echo.
ed the cry, "Keep the government
poor" and given as reason therefor
that overmuch money in the Treasury
Is national danger, since it breeds
jobbery, deals and all sorts of political
corruption. The whole country said
Amen, and looked to the republicans
to embody their convictions in neces.
sary legislation. Al @tat
The democrats talked in precisely
the same strain. There was one ques.
ton at least on which both parties
were fully agreed. So far il was an
era of good feeling and a slight per-
fume from the millennium filled the
air. The people looked on to see
which would jump into the breach
first, In the generous rivalry the re-
publicans urged their leaders to push
ahead and capture the renown OF a
successfully inaugurated reform, while
the democrats. spurred their repre-
sentatives to equal activity Every
body knew that theparty which struck
for lower taxes. wider market for our
manufactures, steadier work and good
wages for the laboring classes, would
receive the confidence of the country
and be placed in command OF the
government. ...--s .......
The democrats lost no time. They
introduced the Mills bill as a measure
OF immediate relief. tits conservative,
cautious, lowers the tariff only about
five per cent but will open every clos
ed woollen mill in the land, give a
new impetus to trade, place the neces-
saries OF life within reach OF the wage
Garner and show him that the admin
istration is his friend. CgLI
Then the republicans had their op-
portunity, but they ioolishly let it slip.
What chance that was! They could
have brought in another bill, far bet,
ter than that of Mills, making a more
radical reduction. The people would
have gladly accepted it.. The republi-
can leaders might have said, "If you
want reform, we'll teach you what re-
form means. We won't daily with this
subject, but handle it without gloves" "
They could have carried the election
on that issue. The democrats would
have been retired on the ground that
they were too timid and didn't dare to
fully meet the demand of the hour.
That was n glorious opportunity
The Herald took occasion to say so at
the time, and to urge the republicans
t--ior we are always with the party
that does the best work Ito start in
without delay, assuring them that
they could win on that line, and on nc
other .tf.
Well, they pursued the tactics oI
fatuous folly instead. They had an
attack OF -theXertigo, were dazed, and
came to-resembleaa woman on street
crossing whofnot knowing what to do
stands still and screams for fright o
being run over, They, too, will be rur
over and carried to the hospital for re
pairs unless they recover their senses
mighty soon .f.ytt @a
They now declare practically tha
there is no surplus. They mean BY
this that there is no more money il
the Treasury than they want to spend
That constitutes the pith of their ar
4 gument. They said nothing Of tha
kind in 1884, and they will have oaus,
to regret having said it in 1888. 1t i
paltry, silly, possibly something worse
There is no surplus? That is only an
other way of saying that they cal
spend faster than the tax gatherer cal
collect. They can slap seventy mill
} ions into the Blair Educational bill
can dig that hole of perdition, tn
Riynr o,,I u,,honL. 4