The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-07-20
NO COMPROMISE WITH TRAITORS

There is no such thing as stopping In
the middle of battle to change plans
and adopt new ones. The rule applies
10 political as well as to military en-
gagements.
The democratic party may have
made u mistake in striking only for
tariff reform instead CT free ira; ,, but
it carefully made its election, laid down
the gage OF battle, and tue fight is now
on.
The position taken has this in its fs-
! vor, that it is in line with the entire
history of the party, and therefore safer
ground. Before free trade, pure and
simple, shall come, and, as General
Garfield said, it will come, several i'm
portant steps must be taken. These i,
il not now necessary to discuss-the
question before us is tariff reform, q
reduction of the rate of taxation to
reasonable proportions.
This issue the democratic party has
made. 1t cannot recede from it il i,
would, and it would not if it could.
To attempt TO do so would be coward
ly, and cowardice does not win in pol
itics. Beside, it would be a fearful
blunder to recede in the least from Mr..
Cleveland's message. g
Republicans who are masquerading
as democrats, such as Dana and Randall,
will say, shut you lost on that issue
before" The assertion is not true in
the first place, and If true would be no
reason for abandoning a correct policy
for an incorrect
We were not beaten on the issue,
because an overwhelming majority OF
the American people voted against the
high tariff delusion. We were no.
beaten on it, because where we we're
beaten it was on the bloody shirt
mania, which Mr.. Cleveland's honest,
in vetoing pension steals had aroused.
No doubt it would have been better to
condone these small thefts, rather than
to have permitted the success OF the
republican party. which means uhlimi-
tied robbery by crazy men like Tanner,
but Mr.. Cleveland is a thoroughly hon
est man, and he could not append his
name to bills that he knew were dis
honest. Demagogues turned his vetoes
against him, and he vas defeated, but
not on the tariff, nor with the loss OF
his self respect, nor that of the intelli-
| gence of the country.
The Randalls and the Danas may az
well be warned soon as late, the demo
cratic party proposes TO take no step
backward on tbs tariff question, and il
is quite up to the feeling that the best
service it can DO it's own cause is to
fay into the open all OF its traitors and
trimmers, andto deal with them sum-
marily, once for all.
Mr.. Washington, the French embas-
sador 10 England, gave a banquet last
Saturday evening TO prominent mem
bers of the French colony in London.
In q speech after the banquet he de.
claimed against BoulaDgism. He as.
serted that the BOulangist programme
had no parallel in America because iD
America the president was protected,
not by universe! suffrage, but by del
egates of the state. Moreover, in
America there was no standing army
and q coup d'etat was therefore i'm
possible. The triumph of Boulanger
would end In disaster for France. He
himself did not believe that Boulanger
would succeed, but nevertheless he
considered it the duty of his country
men to rally around President Carnot
in defense of the republic. Mr.. Wad-
dington Is a man of sense, and his con
illusions are correct. B%oulanger is a
menace to the peace of France, and
that far q to constitutional
government or the continent.
The meeting OF the state ex-confed-
crate association at HigginsviIIe, An
gust q and %, promises to be well
attended. Arrangements are being
ilade 10 secure reduced rates on all the
railroads, and tents will be provided
for as many as come, 30 that living al
the camp will be comfortable and