Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-21
PITTsBURG. TUESDAY, OCT. q, 1890
CAMPAIGN FLAPDooDLE.


The very severe straits to which the
Republican managers in this State are
reduced for political arguments have been
remarkably illustrated in their recent at
teInpts to manufacture campaign ammuni-
sion. With all due allowance for their
hard case, however, it is necessary to warn
them that they hurt their cause more than
they help it, when they laboriously assert
that the national policy of the Republican
party is built upon such a foundation OF
sand, and tue national Legislators OF the
Republican stamp are such weathercocks,
that Pennsylvania cannot be permitted to
vote for the sorI of local administration it
wants. anG Tor tie supremacy OF her Consti-
tutiou aud laws, in strictly State matters.
This is the practical assertion made by
tome CAMPAIGN productions published in
The Delanater papers last week, with all
the emphasis of magniiied type and scare
heads. Ii is asserted there that Fifteen or
twenty Republican Senators" are restless;
that theY look upon the contest in Pennsyl-
vania as a test, and therefore, it is declared
10y this eminent political authority that if
Pattisou is elected, the tariff bill is endan-
Fered, and is likely to be repealed. The
unique representation that Western Sena-
tors are going to govern their action by the
result in Penn sylvania, and not by the re-
salt in their cwn States does not interfere
Wit the promulgation of this bugbear. The
spectacle which it holds up OF twelve to
fifteen Republican Senators repeating"
the tariG and presumably leaving the
country without any revenue at all. affords
no obstacle to its circulation. The resort to
The plea that perfected piece of legislation
IS going 10 tumble into pieces before it has
fairly got into operation, if Pennsylvania
decides q State election on State issues, is
also remarkable evidence of the dreadful
condition to whicL the State managers are
reduced. But the most striking aspect of
ali, which this bugaboo presents, is the ter
rible arraiGnmcut of the Republican ma
tiOnaI policy by the Republican leaders
themselves.
y tariff bill, like other national legisla-
ton, is enacted Tor the benefit of the whole
nation. 1t IS the result of careful prepara-
tion, long investigation and hard-fought
compromises. When such a measure is en-
acted II is certain to last for years, not only
because that is necessary for fair expert
ment, but because the work of preparing
another tariff to take its place always re-
quircs year or two of preliminary dis
cussion and an entire session of actual work
Yet here stand the Republican authorities
o. this State, acting under the direction of
the National Chairman, and declare that
the one measure by which the Republican
Congress is to be judged, is so fimsily put
together, and has so little foundation in the
real needs of the people, that it cannot stand
on its own merits through the blasts of
single election. If the people of Pennsyl-
vania disregard party dictation sufficiently
TO vote for honesty and the supremacy of the
Constitution, the tariff will go to ruin. If
that is so, what crazy and imbecile piece
OF work this triumph of Republican policy
must be, according to its own supporters.
If anything could surpass this Republican
Characterization of Republican policy, it is
the allegations which are made concerning
the twelve or fifteen Republican Senators
representing that great section of the coun-
try whence Republicanism has always
drawn its most reliable popular support
1t is declared that these national statesmen
were not satisfied with the tariff bill, but
party pressure was SO strong that thev
were obliged to go along with the tide -
In other words, the allegation is made on
behalf of the Republicans that one-third of
the Republican Senators are so entirely
without wills of their own that they could
not, on matter Of purely fiscal legislation,
vote their own minds and secure the fram-
Ing of stable tariff policy, but had ''to 90
along with the tide.'' After drawing that
picture of utterly nerveless and purposeless
Republican Senators it is astonishing to OBJ
serve what power and vigor is to be inspired
in them by the distant spectacle of a little
independent voting in PENNSYLVANIA.
These twelve or fifteen Senators are going
TO advertise their past votes as worthless;
and, when they do So, they will show more
power than all the rest of the Government
put together by repeating the tariff and
leaving the Government without revenue,
while the coordinate branches, the House
Of Representatives and the President, are
sitting in amazement and letting them |
do it,
There are some particulars in which criti- |
cism of the Republican national policy is |
possible, but it is by no means as rickety or |
unworthy as the Republican managers Of !
Pennsylvania are trying to make the people |
believe. The Mckinley bill may not be a |
perfect measure, but it has more stability |
than to fall to pieces within sixty davs of its |
passage because Pennsylvania elects a |
Governor who cannot make or unmake a |
single vote in Congress on the tariff. Our
Republican friends do not really mean to |
bring such charges against their own party. |
1t is only a sign that they are SO much at |
their wits end to meet the popular demand |
that the Constitution and laws of the State |
shall be supreme over the corporations and |
the politicians, when they fall to declaring |
that the great Republican tariff measure |
cannot stand single breath OF independ-
ence; that one-third the Republican Senators
are weather cocks and do not know their |
own minds; and that the Republican House |
of Representatives and President are so
stupid that they would let twelve or fifteen
Senators smash the tariff all to little bits,
while they are wrineing their hands and
asking what they shall do ahcut it,
FRIGID FOR ICENIEN.
When summer comes around again, as we