Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-09-12
AN INSIDE, VIEW.
Some Of the Scheming Of the Domi-
nant Party.

luck of the Republicans that their two
political schemes of legislation have
received stunning blows from the two
foremost men in the party. Mr.
Blaine nearly killed the Mckinley bill,
and the general sentiment is that
Senator Quay has completely de-
stroyed the elections bill. The New
York Tribune tries to make people
think that it knows more OF what
Kansas Republicans think OF 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 imposes on no one; the mis-
chief has been done. AS to the Nc
Kinley bill, Mr.. Blaine has done what
no one outside of the party could pos
sibly do; he has made it possible for a
man to oppose the bill without for
feiting his standing as a Republican
and proteciionist. Mr.. Quay has
made it entirely respectable and popu-
lar for Republican in good and regu-
lar standing to regard the election bill
as impracticable and at present un-
necessary. Mr.. Quay is the head of
the Republican machine, and proba-
bly, no six other Republicans acting in
could have struck the
elections bill so severe a blow as he
did.
Mr.. Blaine's successful career is due
to the closeness of his contact and the
activity OF his sympathies with the
great masses of the people. As mat
ter of dry, commercial fact, there isn't
great deal in his reciprocity 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 ex-
tensively export. But there is vast
amount of political fact in this re.
ciprocity project. Mr.. 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
approaching 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 oil
reaching men, and the political tenden'
cies of men in the mass. Mr.. Quay was
enough OF a practical politician to see
that there was no popular demand for
or interest in the elections bill; that it
was drawing some attacks upon the
party; that it would bring it no votes
in the approaching congressional elec-
tions, but ON the contrary would cost
it a few, therefore he wants it dropped.
1t is said that he and other Repub.
lican Senators who oppose the elec-
tions bill have large Investments in
the South which they do not want en-
dangered by negro ascendency. I do
not attach q great deal of Importance
to this, for l think Mr.. Quay knows
how futile the bill would be even if it
were law. 1t is also said that he
sacrifices the elections bill in order to
get the tariff bill passed. This, 1 think,
is his own explanation of his action. 1t
may be the true one, for if he is try
ing to squeeze money out of the man.
a tariff bill pending, with
its fate indirectly involved in the con-
gressional elections, would be worth
more to him than a tariff bill enacted
into q law, and put into operation
next month. think Senator Quay
has found his road in Pennsylvania a
little rocky, and has simply decided
that tho party had better carry no
more weight than necessary.
Blaine and Quay are infinitely bet
ter qualified 10 measure public senti-
ment than Reed, Mckinley, Burrows
and Lodge. Burrows may understand
the people of his district, but he GER
tainly never has established himself as
a national politician. Lodge has prob
ably less in common with the masse s
of the people than any other promi-
nent member OF the house. He
doesn't believe in the election bill
himself, but having an over-developed
political ambition it seemed to him a
judicious thing to identify himself
with the most aggressive and radical
wing OF his party.
Doe: praise delight yOus Choose some ultra
A sure old recipe. and often tried.'
Mckinley is o man of one idea-the
he draws all his inspira-
ton from little knot OF Ohio flock
masters, who do not represent the peo-
pie OF the United States at all. AS for
Reed, he is an intellectual athlete; he
has quick and comprehensive mind
and q keen wit; he is man of many
ideas. But he has few friends: he
has no personal following; he doesn't
come in personal contact with the
people even of the first congressional
district of Maine, and he has no con
ception of politics except as a game te
be played for large stakes. And so in
spite OF all their political prominence
and their years in Congress, these foul
men are not much better qualified t.
measure and weigh the political feel
iuss of the great bulk of the people
than four country pastors, or the NOR
historical tailors OF Tooley street