The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-31
Luck OF REPUBLICANS.
Their Two Pet Schemes Of Legisla-
ton Receive Stunning Blows
From Friends.
Mr.. Blaine Has Almost Effectively
Killed the Mckinley Tariff
Bill.

Bill
the Force Election Bill in the
Senate.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23-t is the curious
luck Of the republicans that their two polit
ical schemes Of legislation have received
stunning blows from the two foremost mer
in the party. Mr.. Blaine nearly killed the
Mckinley bill, and the general sentiment u
that Senator Quay has completely destroyed
the elections bill. The New York Tribune
tries to make people think that it know
more Of what Kansas republicans think q
the tariff than Senator Plumb does, and
more about what Pennsylvanians think
about election bills than Senator Quay does
but it is evidently hard work, and it i'm
poses on no one; the mischief has been
done. As to the Mckinley bill. Mr..
Blaine has done what no one
outside of the party could possibly do; he
has made it possible for q man to oppose
the bill without FORGETTING his standing as a
republican and protectionist. Mr.. Quay
has made it entirely respectable and popu.
lar for republican in good and regular
standing to regard the election bill az
impracticable and at present unnecessary
Mr.. Quay is the head of the republican
machine. and probably no six other
republicans acting in combination
could have struck the elections
bill so severe blow as he did.
Mr.. Blaine's successful career is due to
the oloseness of his contact and the activ-
ity Of his sympathies with the great masses
of the people. As matter of dry, CONNER
cial fact, there isn't great deal in his re-
ciprooity scheme, for the reason that our
exports are mostly articles of food and the
raw materials of manufacture. For those
things there is little demand in South
America. These countries south of us
AFFORD great market for manufactured
goods, but those we do not very extern
sively export. But there is vast amount
Of political'fact in this reciprocity project.
MI: Blaine knows the people we'll enough
to know that there are limits beyond which
the protective system cannot be carried
here, and that the Mckinley bill was ap-
preaching perilously close to the dead-line.
Mr.. Quay's success has come wholly from
his quick comprehension of the motives
that move men, the ways of reaching men,
mass. Mr.. Quay was enough of practical
politician to see that there was no popular
demand for or interest in the election bill:
that it was drawing some attacks upon the
party; that it would bring 1t no votes in
the approaching congressional elections
but on the contrary would cost it a few,
therefore he wants it dropped.
IL is said that he and other republican
senators who oppose the elections bill have
large Investments in the south which they
do not want endangered by ne
gro gro.t sso lend DO not attach
for I think Mr.. Quay knows how futile the
bill would be even if it were law. It is
also said that he sacrifices the elections bill
in order to get the tariff bill passed. This,
think, is his own explanation of his ac-
ton. ltaanay be the true one, but if he is
trying to squeeze money out of the manu-
indirectly involved in the congressional
elections, would be worth more to him than
a tariff bill enacted into law, and put into
operation next month. I think Senator
Quay has found his road in Pennsylvania
little rocky, and has simply decided that
the party had better carry no more weight
than necessary.
Blaine and Quay are infinitely better
qualified to measure public sentiment than
Reed, Mckinley, Burrows and Lodge are.
Burrows may understand the people of his
district, but he certainly never has estab-
lished himself as national politician.
Lodge has probably less in common with
the masses of the people than any other
prominent member of the house. He doesn't
believe in the election bill himself, but hav-
ing an overdeveloped political ambition it
seemed to him judicious thing to identify |
himself with the most aggressive and radi-
cal wing of his party.
Does praise delight you? Choose some ultra
4 sure old recipe, and often tried.
Mckinley is a man of one idea-the tar
f-and he draws all his inspiration from a |
10 not represent the people of the United |
States at all. As for Reed. he is an intel |
ectual athlete; he has quick and compre-
hensive mind and keen wit; he is a man
Of many ideas. But he has few friends; he
has no personal following; he doesn't come
The First Congressional district Of Maine,
and he has no conception of politics except
as game to be played for large
stakes And SO in spite of all
their political prominence and their
years in congress, these four men are not
much better qualified to measure and weigh
he political feelings of the great bulk of |
5he people than four country pastors, or
'he more historical tailors Of Tooley
ltreet. They committed their party. 90 far
Is in them lay, to radicaI-an almost
:evolutionsry-extension of the protective
arif at the very moment when in New
England. Kansas and Minnesota protec
ionism showed signs of having been under
mined, and to revival of that federal in
erference in the south which the public
sentiment of the north compelled the
party to abandon twelve or fifteen
1ears ago and has never asked the re-estab-
ishment of. To a handful of men
n Washington parlor, who looked on pol
tics as game Of chess, and the voters Of
he country merely as pawns, this pro-
,ramme might easily have seemed like a
bold and promising dash for the stakes on
he table, but the most popular republican
n the country, and the most skillful re-
publican manager in the country, have had
% interpose to rescue the party from the
little coterie in the house that has been at
tempting to direct operations.
FRED PERRY POWERS
Currled . Bear.
A stalwart Hungarian. who had been in