The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-06-07
Reviewing the Fight.

1t is now nearly six months since the
presidents message forced upon congress
and the country the issue OF Tariff Reform.
General debate in the house upon the
Mills bill, framed in response to that mes.
sage. closed recently. What has been
gained within this halfy year, and what is
the present outlook for the presidents
policy?
1. 1t has been demonstrated that the
cry OF Free Trade no longer alarms the
country. The Mills Bill has been persist.
emily called Free Trade measure"
Workingmen have been told that high
wages depend upon high taxes. Capital
And yet it isa striking factthat the old ap.
peal, formerly 80 effective, has
fallen fiat. Not even in New York, the
greatest of manufacturing cities, could
significant meeting be drummed up to pro.
test against tariff reduction. Outside OF
politics there has been no demonstration
OF popular disapproyal. The Republican
appeal to the fears Of the workingmen has
been complete failure.
2. The President has united his party
upon this issue as 1t has not been united
upon any great question since the close of
the war. Mr.. Cleveland did not carry his
party with him on Civil-Ssrvice Reform.
He failed to secure it's symp athy in his sill.
yer scare. But upon Tariff Reform he has
n united Democracy at his back and the
party thus united will give the President q
unanimous denomination. chiefly because
he stands al the cha ampion OF Tax Reduc.
tion and Tariff Reform. 1t is a gain polit.
ically to have the party thus united upon
a policy and a leader.
3. The educative effect of the discussion
has been considerable. Some ignorance
has been enlightened, some prejudice has
been removed and public attention has
been aroused to the danger of an enormous
surplus and the injustice of unnecessary
taxation. Not In many years before has
there been SO able Il debate in Congress or
such widespread discussion in in the
press of a governmental policy as that
which the Presidents message inv oked.
4. In spite OF all this, the late OF the Mills
Bill is in doubt. even in the Democratic
House. Though horn OF the Presidents
message, embodying the Democratic policy
and presenting clearly the issue upon
which the Presidential campaign must
be fought, it's passage by the House
depends upon whether dozen
protectionist Democrats vote as their
inclinations dictate, or vote with
their party for the sake OF cohesion. Doubt
oh this point was increased by the refusal
OF the Democratic Convention in New York
to indOrse the Mills Bill. This laundering
timidity encourages hesitating members to
consult their own interests rather than the
interests OF their party. For u failure to
pass the Mills Bill will inevitably injure the
party. 1t will leave twelve.year- old pledges
still unredeemed. 1t will demonstrate for
the third time Democratic inability to leg.
islate on the most important question be.
fore the GoVernment.
8. Whatever NAV h, the fata of Tho
Mills Bill. the issue is joined, and there is
no escape fro NJ it. II grows out OF a new.
ittepressible conflict between two antagon.
isfic IDEAS Tariff Reform against a Tariff
fot Sdrpfus-a Freer Trade against Over.
Protection. On this issue the Presidential
campaign must be and will be fought.-N.
Y. World. ~