The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-04-24
w hat Republicans Must Do.

w AdU OO.
New York Press.
The strength of the Republican party
since its first accession to federal power
/ IN 1860 has been based on it's absolute ii
deity to its pledges to the people. This
is not platitude, but an eternal truth.
During its existence it has maintained
the protective tariff principle as the root
and foundation of all our gigantic pro
gress, our enormous national wealth
and our boundless thrift, we'll being and
prosperity
Whatever evils the Republican party
has encountered in this period have been
! from within rather than from without.
1t has easily withstood antagonists who
planted themselves on opposing princi-
pies, until an opposing faction from
within subjected it to narrow defeat in
1884, and then recovered itself upon the
issue OF the vital principle of protection.
1t has suffered at times from the selfish
ness of diverse interests, which could
not agree upon it's application of princi-
pie, and it has suffered from the conflict
ing ambition Of men, But it has never
suffered from adherence to the protec-
ton principle itself.
There is danger for the Republican
party at the present time from the pos
| sible failure of its representative mem
bers to reconcile their differences of
| opinion about the application of protec-
| ton, and therefore need of advice to
them to come together on first princi
pies.
The Republican party above all things
is the embodiment and the exponent ar
the essence of protection as a govern
mental principle. The platform upon
which it was returned to power in every
branch of the government in 1888 de-
clared it to be ''uncompromisingly in IA
vor of the American system of protec-
ton, and protested against the destruc-
ton of that system by President Cleve-
land and his party. Here are the ring
ing sentences from the platform pre-
sented at Chicago by Major Mckinley
and adopted without dissenting voice ::
We accept the issue and confidently
appeal to the people for their Judgment.
The protective system must be main
tanned. Its abandonment has always
been followed by general disaster to all
interests except those of the usurer and
the sheriff.
With this solemn pledge the Republi-
can party went to the country and was
Endorsed by majorities that placed every
branch of the government in it's con-
troll. With that control has come re-
sponsibility which cannot be evaded.
The party must redeem its plighted
faith on the one great and overwhel-
ming issue of the hour or break it's re-
cord, and SO dissolve There are clash
ing ambitions among the leaders of the
ter to each other, there are contrary
opinions as how to apply the protective
principle so as to give the greatest bene-
fit to the greatest number, which is the
prime object of popular government.
But there is no difference upon the great
principle itself.
The averting of Republican danger
lies in that fact. The timorousness in
business circles to-day is because of anx-
iety about the tariff bill. 1t is the over
shsdUvlingrio fr.zl4 t,eiliIla saaivla ti.y.
cyclone may come to sweep desolation Or
the sun burst out to gladden. the earth.
In such critical juncture personal am
billions must be thrust aside and differ
ing opinions must be reconciled. Re-
publicans in Congress must me ct the
promise of the Republican convention
at Chicago; they must agree upon a
tariff bill on the principle of protection.
they must pass it and they must "get
together" to that end. The country is
looking at them, and it is an issue of do
or de-
The Press has spoken thus plainly, so
that the prepl asentatives of the Repub-
lican party in Washington, with whom
the sole responsibility rests, may under
stand the feeling of the people and act
accordingly. They must ,:.get togeth
er'-and at once.