The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-07-05
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
The Rock on Which the Democratic Pa
Is Bound to Founder.

The Rock on Which the Democratic Party
Is Bound to Founder.
The meeting of the National Demo-
cratic Committee in New York to elect
a chairman to succeed the late w. H.
Barnum seems to have stirred the
press of that party to unwonted activ-
ity in its discussion of the tariff as a
political factor. Evidently there is a
powerful movements concerted action.
having for its purpose the suppression
of the Watterson- Carlisle faction and
the ascendency of the Dana-kandall
faction. One member of the National
Committee declared at the meeting re-
ferred to that he knitted Cleveland in
1888, and all on account of the tariff
plank. Whether this Democratic mug.
wump was a regular member or only
held a proxy does not appear. We
notice that BRAD" Smalley, of YER
mont. who was suspected of knowing
more about the Morey letter than he
would care to proclaim from the house,
top. held proxy for Illinois. But
whether his rights in the committee
were permanent Or temporary this
mans open avowal of mugwumpery is
significant. 1t does not appear that
he was thrust out or sat down upon in
any way for his confession of party
infidelity. 1t is not at all improbable
that in 1892 the Democracy will go
back to the platform Of 1884, rather
than the one of 1888, for on the former
the party achieved victory, on the lat
ter experienced defeat 1t took all the
pressure of patronage to bring the Ma
tional convention of last year to the
adoption of platform that could not
be construed either way with
equal facility. That pressure can not
be duplicated, nor is there any substi-
tute for it. Cleveland. Hill and Palmer
are the candidates now in the field,
with neither side of the triangle in any
condition. now or prospectively. to
dictate the platform There is q fight
ing chance" for both factions, and I'M
doubtedly the controversy will continue
to the end. the end being q contest in
the convention itself
The Republican party has passed
through that ordeal. and no longer
furnishes battlefield for that kind Of
a conflict. Gradually the protective
element, always in the aseendency.
gained strength and the free-trade
doctriaaires lost ground until in 1888
there was hardly any thing left of the
free-trade faction except the senile
editor of the ''senior organ" The rest
of them had mugwumped and. as the
event proved. left the party for tho
party's good. II the Congress elected
last fall does its duty by carrying out
the principles of the platform on which
President Harrison was elected there
will be no trouble on that score.
Tariff legislation may be expected.
but in strict conformity with the prin-
ciple OF protection. Not single men,
Der of Congress was elected on the
Republican ticket who is not clearly
and unequivocally obligated to con-
form to that principle in any revision
of duties which he may favor. With
this unity in the majority party and
the minority party divided into war;
ring factions the prospect of any dis
turbance of our industrial system by
unfriendly legislation is happily too
to be a menace Chicago Inter
Ocean.