The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-11-23
Friday. Nov. 23, 1855.
The Great Political Battle and the
Great Defeat.

Great Defeat.
Since the smoke has cleared away
(me,aphorically speaking) the result
of the late Presidential contest is
seen to be much more disastrous to
the Democratic party, and mu,h
farther reaching in its consequences
than either party comprchended or
anticipated while in the beat of the
campaign. In fact it is apparently
an irreparable defeat to the Demo
cratic party. The battle has left no
issue to divide on, any more than the
surrender at Appomattox left Con
federacy to contend for.
Although not intended to be so,
the contest was square fight be.
tween Free Trade and Protection.
The Mills bill was intended to avoid
this issue which was sure to be beat
en-, but when Cleveland had captured
the tariff revision position from the
Republicans and set the forces in
battle array his corps commanders
made such a mess Of it, that they al
lowed the Republicans to completely
flank them out of it, and drive the
Democratic forces out on the plains
of free trade, where the Republicans
enfiladed their enemy's ranks from
their Protection batteries, driving
them to self defense and to utter de
feat.
In place of combining themselves to
the protective features of their tariff
bill they left them to follow up the
feints which the skillful Republicans
made upon them, and did little else
than inveigh against robber protec
tive tariffs which taxed the people
for every thing they used, ate or
wore from hat to shoes, while their
own Mills bill proposed to continue
the same policy of taxing the ''labor
ing mans necessaries of life," pol.
icy they were combating.
In losing the President they have
lost the House also, and with the new
ly elect President, come into power
the Republicans in both houses of
Congress. Protection is the one
grand "policy" which the country, it
is claimed, has endorsed, and the
Democratic party must "accept the
situation" The Republican party
having control in both branches will
modify the tariff to conform to what
they claim is the demand of public
sentiment, pass the bill and presto !!
the tariff is laid away till the people
forget all about it Four new north
western States will be admitted, ad-
ding eight u. S. Senators to the Re.
publican column in that branch and
four to six representatives. most of
whom will be Republicans. The
party will keep the tariff up on wool
and the wool basons of the plains
will see to it that the Republican vote
is kept right in the new territories.
A new readjustment will be made
during kHarrison's administration
and the congressional representation
in the northwestern states will be
increased, while in the old states, par
ticularly of the south, it will be de
creased, and the ''solid south' which
has succeeded in making a north SO
solid that it tumbles the Democratic
party, neck and heels, out of power
so unceremoniously as to make even
the strongest heads in the party
swim, has proven that party's great.
est weakness. The "solid south" has
led the Democratic party up to its
second death. The party fondly be.
lieved that it had been placed in
power by the people to remain TWEEN.
ty years at least. but it is hustled
out without decent notice, at the
end of one short term, leaving not a
trace of any thing which the public
will be moved to regard with much
interest.
Pretty nearly all the money kings
are on the Republican side, and the
monopolies look to the party to be
pot very bard on their peculiar ways