, 1890-12-24


needless of discouragenent or defeat.
Day by day and hour by hour
expediency and time. serving were
thrown to the winds. Traitors were
sileneed. camp followers fell away or
ioined the scuryY band Of foaters, while
the sturdy Democratic host confidently
pressed on, bearing aloft the banner of
tariff reform, If any have wondered in
the past at the tenacity and indestructi-
bility of our party their wonder should
cease when in the light of the last three
years. 1t Is seen how gloriously it springs
to the front at the call OF its duty to the
people and 10 obedience to the summons
Of party loyalty and Obligation.
l am afraid, however. that if this task
may be considered a step in the campaign
OF education, the word education, as
applied to those who were to be affected,
must be construed as meaning the instll-
lation of such fear and terror in the minds
of un regenerate men as leads them to flee
from the wrath to come.
But even in this uupromisinE field we
are able to report progress No one who
remembers the hilarity with which the
leaders of the Republican party greeted
the message of tariff reform, and the con-
fdence with which they preDared to meet
and crush the issue presented, can tail To
see how useful a lesson has been taught
them in our campaign Of education
Within twenty-four hours alter the
submission to congress of the question of
tariff reform, sundry senators aud repre-
sestatives belonging 10 the Republican
party we're reported to have j~aunuly
ventilated their partisan exulation in the
public press.
Ii it be true that a senator from Ne
braska said ut is a big card for the
Republicans, this big card cannot appear
remarkably useful to him now, for his
state today contains a big curiosity in the
shape of a Democratic governor-Olect
II the Junior senator from New York
declared that his party would carry this
state by the largest majority ever known
if they could be given the platform pro-
posed, the reply will come when in a few
days a Democratic colleague is placed by
his side.
If a senator from Maine declared Its
a good enough platform for the Repnbli
cans-we want nothing better" how is it
that he is now so diligently endsavorinG
to find out the meaning OF the word
reciprocity
Ha New HamD'hire senator believed
that the Republicans want nothing bet
Ter with which to sweep the country"
the trouble his s,ate Is giving him TODAY
must lead him TO suspect there is a mis-
take somewhere.
If a senator from Wisconsin gleefully
said he was glad to see us show our
hand" he cannot fail to be convinced.
yhen he soon gives place TO a real good,
.ound Democrat, that there was. after all.
uore in the hand than he cared to see.
If the present speaker OF the house sar
-astically said 1T only shows what fools
al the other presidents shave been" he
maj well be excused, since he has lately
50 thoroughly learned that in the sight of
The people Instability is not an attribute
always to be found in the speakers char.
Ii the representative from Ohio whose
name is associated with a bill which has
given his party considerable trouble of
late, said, "lfthe Democratic party had
h red Burehard to write a stump speech
It could not have suited us better. !" it
must be that circumstances leading to his
approaching retirement from public life
have suggested a modification of his
As cur campaign has proceeded other
unusual symptoms have been apparent
among those prominent in directing the
opposition. Some of them have become
insubordinate and disconnected, and at
tunes actually disobedient to party orders.
Some have left the old ship. One shrewd
and Weather-wise navigator has clambered
off. and, IN a frail bark, with the word
Reciprocity" painted on its stern, was
last seen lowering near, prepared to climb
aboard again, or sail away. as wind and
wave would appear to make most
safe. At the present stage of the cam
palgn the unwieldy party hulk of
Bourbon Republicanism is still afoat, but
damaged and badly leaking On board
some are still working at the pump,
against the awful odds of opening
seams; manY. muIinous and disconnected,
short of provisions and of grog, are
loudly and a%nRrily disputinR as TO whether
bad seamanship Or overlooking is the
cause of their wretehed plight. while ac-
cusations of guilty responsibility are
heard on every side. If. from this turbu-
lence, there shall emerge any who. actually
pricked 10 conscience, desire a better life,
they shall be gladly welcomed. | cannot,
however. keep out of my mind the story
OF the pious deacon who, having in his
efforts to convert a bad sinner, became so
excited by his incorrigibihty that he gave
him a thorough %drubbiug. afterwards ex-
planned and justified his course BY de-
%claring hat he believed he had ''walloped
saving grace into an i~mpeniteut soul"
OF course, we do not overlook the fact
that before their present predicament was
reached, aud in their first battle with us.
the enemy gained a victory over tariff re-
form. This is confessed, aud we may
here only refer to methods by which that
victory was gained for the purpose of say
ing that we thoroughly understand them,
and that if the beneiciaries Of those
methods are satisfied with the condition