The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-16
Mr.. HARRISON MESSAGE.

The Pres den, has forgotten little and
harmed Z thing. He meets the Congress
N which his party provoked defea, on
its re Assem- ling, with a tedlously urgent
sThor alton to remedy none of the mis-
akes already made, to press forward in
the same line. and t.ust to that Providence
which the French say watches over
HAmerieans and fools"
One subject Mr.. Harrison was bound to
tscuSs-tLe tariff; = second he has chosen
again to bring fprward-the Force bill
On neither h. he a ything new to sag,
the only element Of novelty n his treat
nent Q: them being the complete change
IN the declared sentiment Of the people
InCe he last addressed himself to Con
reSs. He warns Congress not to touch
the tariff law before it has had fair
tiaL" II this means anything, it means
that when the law has beer Ing enough
hOperation the people will discover that
idOes not do what it was Intended to do
@d Rhat it has already done. A political
leader who deliberately stakes the well
fare Of his party upon such an expecta-
ton as this cannot be reasoned with. He
has not reached MS conclusions by reason
ing; no reasoning viii change the motives
that induce him to advance such a cOnClu-
iOn. Il is simply the Olild persistence
Of narrow and obstinate man, who ear
not bring himself to acknowledge that he
gin error, no matter how overwhelming
nay be the evidence.
Mr.. Harrison, moreover, sadly mistakes
the action Of the people at the polls in
November if he thinks that it was
prompted only by resentment at the need
less increase in the cost of living caused
By the Mckinley Tariff act That that
was one powerful incentive is true, and
the people whose money was thus use
ASSly taken from them will not change
their feeling because Mr. Harrison tells
then that they don't know their own
daily affairs. But in addition to this mo
I'VE there was one far more potent
Indignation at the ~treachery Of the party
IN power, a. it's violation of its own
pledges, at the cynical impudence with
Which It promised to reduce taxation and
tnen enormously advanced it. And this
Indignation was rendered Iotter and
more enduring by the fact thai this viola
9on Of faith was made IL the interest of
ne few at the cost Of the many, for the
Pfodt OF the monopolists and the trusts at
ue expense of the mass Of the people,
ano especially of those who have to de-
pended on their Gaily labor for their daily
IVlng. 1t was the outrageous favoritism,
NE OBVIOUS and almost avowed corruption,
uat dictated the action of The Republican
managers that aroused such a tremendous
revolt against them. Mr.. Harrison's
"uPld adherence to he policy of his
party leaders will only convince the
country more completely that the party
y Iac31lnery is hopele Ssly under the control
" t1e rich and powerful interests that
uctated he Mckinley bill.
As to the Force bill, we are bound to
Ieult Mr. Harrison with more sincerity
Ian we can find any evidence of in his
IIeaIment Of the tariff. What he SAYS of
NC elections and the mode of dealing
S ~ them seems like the expression Of
y. o"n thoughts. 1t is very unreason-
tro 80 Tar as his own or his party's in
.So%S 90, 1t Is exceedingly foolish; it
fsot' d complete misrepresentation Of the
S;ot, d TO al failure to understand the
ta 0sSry OF the last decade, or to grasp the
va ~ OF the forces that have been
faIIy clearly at work. But it has not the
r se33 ring OF his talk about the tariff and
SSSiipfoel. and the subsidies to American
woprEPiang' 1t appears to be the genuine
onoa4: nS 81 a limited intelligence upon a
sboDJi55O ina arouses strong feeling. We
T TOolo say that on this subject Mr.. Har
and aJO u Is honestly deceived as to the facts
6s,e s2e principles, He really thinks that
AMOS Is IN the elections in the South an
LeoiDIaa.t: OF injustice and oppression that
s5 SE1GSIoR can punish and ultimately
ba de does not sse that such evils
6stu g 5 We're are steadily disappearing, or
rts We proposed legislation would aggra-
opiDio 5at5e; than remedy them, O that
&st ti Ian N his own party does not sustain
Con oeglSlatlon, or that, if the m ,iority in
po5 9i57SS sho lid enact such legislation, it
~" cost hi partv MANY times moro