Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-08
SATURDAY. NOVEMBER s. 1896
Mr.. Blame "a q Truth-Tener.

When Mr.. BLAINE wrote TO Mr..
FRYE that the MCKINLEY bill would not
open another port to bushel OF wheat
or barrel of pork he stated the truth
with such precision that the coun-
try saw and appreciated it at once. Some
thing OF the effect is to be seen In the
results of the recent elections,
In his Philadelphia speech made last
Saturday night, Mr.. BLAINE declared
his solemn conviction that the defeat OF
DELAMATFR would mean q Democratic
President in 1892. Now he would like to
"withdraw the expression" but he Will
not be allowed. His judgment with re-
spect TO the tariff was SO good the people
will be inclined TO receive his conclusions
about the presidency also.
What q nuisance newspaper reporters
arc anyway But for them the pro-
ceedings of the Philadelphia meeting
might be revised 10y the man who edits
the Congressional Record, who Is often
good enough 10 make mans speech
read as II should have been delivered.
The newspaper people are more honest
or more cold-blooded. They print the
things said, and thus frequently occa-
sion the most tremendous wrigglng
among politicians and statesmen.
In this particular instance MIR. BLAINE
has hurt himself worse than anybody
else. Therefore the wound is tho more
painful He is the chief Republican
presidential possibility, and now the re-
cord relates that the Saturday before
the election he said that the election of
PATT1soS would be equivalent to the
election OF a Democratic President.
At present the hope Of the Republi-
cans is that as the Democrats have such
an enormous majority in the House We
will get to quarrelling, and between
blunders against ourselves and blunders
against them we will rive our organi "a
ton into factions and completely disgust
the country.
Ii is but reasonable that the Republi-
cans should indulge this hope. 1t Is
about all that they have to live for, and
il is lamentably true that IN times gone
we have Thrown the fat into the fire. -
But We trust tho Democrats have learn
ed something from experience. We
have paid dearly for it, aud should have
capitalized it into wisdom. We cannot
believe that the horrors OF the last ses-
zion of Congress viii be easily efaced,
and it is not imaginable that the people
will be satisfied until the MCKINLEY bill
is repealed or amended.
II Mr.. BLAINE could control congress
sional action no would change the law
in material particulars, but jealousy OF
his influence on the one hand and fear
of the monopolistic manufacturers who
always furnish campaign money on
The other will forbid his party making
any movement whatever. Alreadythe are
inyenting explanations that Will account
for their defeat without involving a re-
peal of the Mckinney bill, but are
very unsuccessful. 1t Is impossible for
the Republicans to frame a tariff that
will be popular. They are not the
peoples party, and If they attempted to
revise the McKISLEY bill the money
giycrs would dictate the changes.
The Republicans arc in prodicament
from which Democratic discussions alone
can extricate them, and We trust our
people will DO unwilling 10 render any
such service.
The first thing for US to do is to selec,
as Speaker some long-headed man OF ex
perience and capacity. The nextis to III
our Legislative course to the demands o
the people, not to the wishes OF an,
presidential aspirant, With these thing
done we think the way will DO clear TO
the election of our nominee.
Mr.. BLAlNE's condemnation OF the Nc
KISLry bill was prophetic of its fate, o
at loast of its party's fate. His declara
ton that the election OF PATrIsoS woul
mean Democratic President is enhtle,
70 acceptance as truth foretold.