St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-18
THE NEW PARTY.

the machine politicians. 1t is move
ment that will not be sneered down nor
diSorganized during the existence of the
grave abuses which have produced this
wonderful revolution. AS long as the
Minnesota farmers are overShadoWed
by the supreme court decision in the
milk case and are perpetually menaced
with the MCKINLEY tariff bill, there can
be 10 let-up in this movement for free
dom from the tyranny of Republican
politics.
1t is downright peryersion of both
truth and history to compare this move
ment to ''a growth of nOXiOuS weeds
and brambles. "as the Pioneer Press puts
it; and it is equally misleading to say
that the personal and political popular
ity of Gov. MERRIAM is sufficient to
overcome this or any other movement
that may be started among the farmers
and laboring classes. Their is nothing
to Justify either assertion. t he GLOBE
has no personal quarrel with Gov. MER-
RAM nor do we propose to pick one.
But we do intend to vindlcate the truth
ofhistory whenever occasion requires it.
The expediency dodge adopted by
Gov. MERRIAM and his personal organ,
the Pioneer Press, in pretending to adj
vocate tariff reform, has not deceived
the Intelligent masses. The only effect
has been to excite disgust for those
who, while enjoying the honOrs con-
ferred by party, are unfaithful to the
tenets of that party. The Republican
party has but one side of the tariff queS-
ton, and that is the protection side.
The Chicago platform. which was sup
ported by Gov. MERRIAM and the Pho
neer Press two years ago, was drafted
by Maj. WILLIAM MCKINLEY. who is
also the author of the tariff billrecently
passed by the house of representa-
tives. Maj. McKINLEY's bill is merely
an elaboration of mis- tariff plank
in the Chicago platform, which
was accepted by the Republican
party as an authoritative expression
of Republican tariff doctrine. There
can be no possible misunderstanding
about this. Hence, the position taken
by Gov. MERRIAM In his speech before
the Farmers alliance last winter places
him in the position of either being I'M
faithful to his party or Of being unfaith-
full to himself. He can take either horn
of the dilemma he prefers. Ii he
chooses the former, he is not worthy OF
the Republican nomination. If he takes
the latter, he is not worthy of the NOM
ination of any party.
We have but little doubt that the con-
Iention which Gov. MERRIAM has called
to renominate himself will put a plank in
the platform clamoring for tariff reform,
just as the Republican state convention
did four years ago. And the same re-
suits will follow. AS soon as the cleo
ton is over the expediency tariff re-
formers will return to their wallowing
| in protection mire, and two years hence
will be as clamorouS in support of the
| MCKINLEY idea as they now profess to
be against it.
As class the farmers of Minnesota
are too intelligent to he forever de-
ceived by the tricks of the politicians
who imagine that they were born,
booted and spurred to ride the masses.
1t is matter of but little consequence
in the ultimate settlement Of this tariff
question whether the governor of Min
nesota is for or against tariff reform.
His influence in determining. the issue
| is of no more consequence than that of
any other Individual citizen. The rela-
lions of his office have no bearing upon
| the tariff, either directly or indirectly,
except that he might have the naming
| of senator to fill short vacancy.
| ASlong as Gov. MERRIAM is Repub-
lican, and is the acknowledged head of
| his party in the state, he is in honor bound
to sustain the principles of his party.
| He may talk to the farmers about his
tariff reform views, and all that sort of
thing, but if he were in congress he
wo uld do just as the other Minnesota
congressman have done-vote for the
MCKINLEY bill. His allegiance to party
would require it of him.
No amount of sophistry will glaze
over the fact that the Republican party
is irrevocably committed to the protec-
ton doctrine. 1t is likewise true that the
Republican party is owned, body and
soul, by the corporations. How, then,
are the farmers to obtain relief as long
as the Republican party is in state and
national ascendency? The wrongs that
have been Inflicted upon our Western
farmers are not imaginary, as the Pho
neer Press teaches. Good crops with
| fair prices will not remove the clouds
| that lower upon the home of the
farmer. Good crops will notremove the
war taxes, nor will they nullify that de-
cision of the supreme court which
bIghted the last prospect the farmers
had left.
The GLOBE is not in the Independent
movement, nor of it. Yet we are not so
blinded by prejudice as to fail to see
facts that are as plain as the nose on a
mans face. Not being an organ, but a
newspaper, we are in better position to
take an impartial view Of current polit-
zeal events, and for that reason have
given due recognition of the Importance
| of the alliance movement. 1t cannot be
sneered down; and, as President HALL
and Secretary LATHRoP have the repu-
tation of being courageously honest, we
do not believe it can be bought off.