Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-11-08
ho Daily Intelligencer,
I-eekIng for the Cause.

A0okbuS IOI tuo Obuse.
Although Chairman Brice prudently
1te1lnes TO yield New York until the
lcial count is In, there does not seem TO
8 ~ much room for doubt that 1t has been
xIed bya small plurality for the Re-
1h1ican national ticket and the Demo-
4 1910 state ticket. Indiana is also
Dorently Republican. The president, TO
SeWspsper reporter, expresses his belief
St the election is against him, and
lido Thurman declares the same; and
E So may settle down now to this opinion.
The president said to the reporter that
< y not his defeat, but the defeat Of the
uinciples Of the party that he repre-
nnted; and this is true but that party
4 w under his leadership, and that 1t met
s ~ defeat because of misconception the
%ioWs which he impressed upon Its stand
ned viii hardly bs questioned.
Mr.. Cleveland came up TO the meeting
4 g Congress one year ago with solid
s feountry and solid party behind him,
Ind with an opposition that had no
i SsraIlying cry or policy. 1t was unarmed
md helpless. He gave them arms and
Il n issue. lie made the tariff question
3 fho issue, upon which the national
Uaection would be decided, just eleven
h months before that election was to take
& place. The courage OF this movement
Nas unquestioned; its policy was greatly
aoubted.
It seemed unnecessary to start this new
1ssne, upon which to fight the impending
residential battle, when the Democratic
& forces were in good condition for the
contest and needed no new weapon.
But It was said that, though it might be
more prudent political policy to avoid
y = new issue, there was absolute necessity
for finding remedy for the gorged state
I Of the treasury and that arecommenda-
IS ton Of tariff amendment was incumbent
Z upon the president.
With his duty manifest, Mr.. Cleve.
land was not the man to quail before 1t ;
and the responsibility for introducing
the issue of the tariff into the campaign
Hes upon the situation rather than upon
n him. The only mistake that he can be
4 charged with making was in the manner
81 of the introduction. What was needed
was tariff reduction and if this had been
recommended so as to show that
the object was simply, to reduce
the redundant 1evcn1e and dc
EWay with unnecessary taxation
without dwelling upon the abstract
benefits of the policy Of free trade, which
n . condition to which the nation Is con
4 fessedly not adapted, it is not likely tha
tbs recommendation would have betl
atsended with political disaster.
The mistake made was wholly in tn
manner In which the necessary tariff re
duction was introduced to the peopl
md the opportunity given to the aler
political opponent to misrepresent it as
Nh policy OF free trade. That was the frs
n dmpression given of the new Democrati
's. policy; and the efforts Of our congress
men, our newspapers and our orators
enforced by presidential Interpretation
have since been assiduously given to CO
rectingthis first impression and to convin
ing the voters that the Democratic polio
n not one of absurd free trade, but I
ample protection. There is nothing tina
u the sense of the country rejects more d.
cidedly and properly than the policy
free trade, and it was great calamit
Il that the Democratic party came undt
suspicion Of 1t through the president
seeming approval of theory, which l
rejected in favor of a " condition"
There never was any reason to dou'
that this would be political injury
& the Democratic party in the East; but Il
conident expectation has been that
might profit it In the agricultural We
and Northwest. This theory seems to ha'
been delusion. The West does not see
.s TO have gravitated toward the Democrac
nor the East to have gone strong
against 1t. A condition Of political para
IL ysis seems to have ruled and to ha,
kept the parties in pretty much the plaG
they held four years ago. The chang
has not been great; which has been
Democratic calamity ,as the party shoul
being In power, have greatly increase
IT. strength throughout the coul
|S try. II seems TO have stood still
the natural gravitation of votes towards
} has been stopped; and the decision of
great national contest has been aga
made by a handful of voters in sing
pfate a majority undoubtedly bought,
For 1t Is another feature of this cor
4, toGt that immense sums of money ha,
bean spent in it. Money and manag
uaent decided it. 1t is Quay's victor
The parties were brought close enoug
by the doubt Of the Democracy's goo
faith In its declaration in favor of prote
ton to industry, to enable the Rspubl
can chairman to buy q victory wit
money that the tariff scare enabled hil
70 fry abundantly out of manufacturer
x pockets.
Our view, w,sucsinctly stated is that su
pdoi0n of free trade tendency, based upc
the description In the president IS messaj
q the injury of high protection al
& supported by the crazy applause of fr
trade by democratic Wattersons, came
- check the strong tide which had s
"a among the intelligent voters of Il
country, especially in the Eastern state
toward the Democratic party, by reas'
Of the clean and capable admir-
1ssration given to the affairs
f55t<f Tia rnuptru hv ifs yraat prouidopi