Los Angeles herald., 1890-10-22
IS 1T HARMONY.

The Republicans are so used to rule
and to denouncing those who oppose
them, that they do not, when under
high party pressure, give much heed to
criticism even when it comes from
within their own ranks.
1t is the common practice for the party
organ to call every Democrat who op-
poses high tariff legislation freetrader.
The organ knows it is lying when it says
this, but it is paid for saying it, and
there ends its responsibility. And the
party leaders and managers generally
do not exercise ordinary civility as to
men who question their acts. They rely
upon the patronage of the capitalists
who have approved late Republican
methods, and the party itself has fallen
into the grooves made for it by the eau
Gus managers. 1t even cries out in a
note of exultation over its latest achieve
ment, the Mckinley bill, as if it were
indeed the supreme accomplishment OF
q united and strong party, whose only
critics are it's old enemies, the Demo
Gratis.
Let us see: Three leading senators
declared their belief that some of its
features were wholly unconstitutional,
but ieit compelled to supper. supper. the Meas
ure under the dictation OF the caucus.
Three brayer senators refused to be die
tated to by caucus, and stood out to the
end. ALI these were Republicans. One
of the latter, Senator Plumb, in recent
interview says that every day brings
him scores of letters from Republicans
all over the country, approving and APP
plauding his course. Not less than ten
leading Republican papers of the country
have declared against the wisdom OF this
measure, while private conversation
everywhere among the rank and file of
the party discloses disappointment at
| the schedules that are the outcome of
all this prolonged and bitter strife.
Commenting on these outcroppings of
opinions staunch old eastern news
paperasks:
"What does all this imply? Simply
that, in spite of the bold and united ex-
terror which the party presents on this
subject, there is behind and under
meath this surface appearance a de-
cided want of harmony, belief on the
part of considerable number of Re
publican congressman that in passing
the Mckinley bill their party has not
only committed great wrong, but has
violated the spirit Of the pledge that it
gave to the people in 1883, that it would
10 rsF ~, of
ducing taxes. Taking these facts into
account-and, SO far as silent and sup
pressed Republican dissentis concerned.
it is fact-what would be the effect of
popular vote throughout the country
which should practically repudiate the
Mckinley bill?
Ours, in spite of recent perversions. is
a popular government, and if the SEN
ators and representatives were con-
vinced that an uprising of the people
had taken place which would shake of
the authority of the moneyed classes
that has lately dominated congress, a
number of Republican senators and rep
resentatives would see their duty in re-
| spect to tariff measures in an entirely
different light from that in which they
have viewed it during the last six
months. They would then find that
political expediency compelled them to
speak out their minds and vote accord
ing to their convictions, in which event
the number of Republicans in the pres
ent congress who would have the assur-
ance to vote against measure repeating
the tariff law that has just been enacted
might not be even majority of the con-
gressional representatives of that party.
We feel sure that the workings of the
new legislation will be understood early
enough to enlist the intelligent atten-
ton of the voters of this country at the
coming election, and that Republicans
themselves will prove that there is
tremendous lack of harmony in their
ranks.