The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1890-10-17
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. 9, '9(

plain how it is that if the Mckinley tar
if bill is so destructive to American in
terests the Maine and Idaho cleo
tions have all gone Republican and the
only people who are bowling at the new
tariff are the English and other foreign
manufacturers. These facts are to them
p~uzzlers, and seem to loosen their grip
on the dead sure thing they had on the
next Democratic" House of Repre-
sentatives. In fact, they are not so con-
ident as they were of electing the next
speaker, and hence this prize has lost
much of its attractiveness for the lead
ers. The Republicans, on the other
hand, are steadily pegglng away in the
endeavor to make disreputable gerry
manders improbable and to make nom
est elections possible in the South, and
with much hope of success, for as the
days go by the chances of Republican
victory appear to those at headquarters
as brighter. This of course is due pri-
marily to the hard ticks the party man.
ayers have been putting in during the
last few weeks, but really to the awak-
ening of the people under such inspira-
ton.
The feeling at Republican headquar-
tiers is that the party has given the
country such unmistakable evidence of
its ability to successfully handle legisla-
ton of all kinds that no ''tough cheek"
is involved in asking it's continuance in
power. Such a position, it is also claim
ed, cannot be claimed by Democrats,
who have ever made a failure of their
legislation, notably SO in the last Con-
gress when they worried through the
longest ever held and after all accom-
plished nothing. To cut this short, it
can be said that a change has come over
both the Republican and Democratic
dream within the last three weeks.
Now the Republicans have all the conf
dence of success; are, in truth. on top,
and the Democrats, who a few weeks
ago were doing all the Growing, show
signs of having lost a few feathers and
are now in evident distress. They are,
in short, or the run, and when you get
a Democrat started on the back track
the devil himself can't stop him.
Secretary Blaine is not a little elated
over the prospects of his reciprocity
project. l do not mean by this that be
goes around in public congratulating
himself or rubbing his hands in glee,
but as an ambitious man, willing and
anxious to do something for his coun-
trymen, he feels that the opportunity
is now ripe and if he does net pluck the
fruit it will not be for want of skillful
endeavor. The Secretary thinks that
when such countries as European Aus
tria would like to do a little of this re-
clprocal trading business with the Uni
ted States that much apprehension
should not exist as to the disposition of
the South American Republics. Indeed
Spain, in the interests of her West Indi-
an possessions, already seems to have
"got a move' on her, and it will not be
surprising if before long representa-
tons from each South American nation
will be at our doors, clamoriDg to be the
first in at the feast. The beauty, too, of
the rumored proposition of Spain for
reciprocity so far as Cuban products are
concerned, the.largest of sugar countries,
is that the Southern Republics will of
necessity be much affected because first,
they are of Spanish origin, speak the
language, and have a hearty respect for
Spanish political probity, but in addition
the necessities of trade would force
them to seek the same concessions guar
anteed by the United States to the
mother country. If you call the old cat
the kittens will come, as everybody
knows; keep your weather eye on broth.
er Blaine, therefore, and see if reciproc-
ity is a failure.
There is one thing that the party man
ayers hail with good feeling and this is
the impending disruption of the Demo-
cratic party in South Carolina, the hot
bed of secession, originator Of the shot
gun pOllCy, .duu th0 pldCO WucIc ulOTt
political crime has terminated than in all
the rest of the country put together.
The fight of the Democrats against the
Alliance is therefore of much interest.
Not that any immediate political advan-
tage will be secured, for no matter
which faction prevails the negro vote will
likely be counted out, or rather not
counted at all, but, as is known, when
thieves, in politics or otherwise, fall
out honest men sometimes get their
dues. South Carolina is a Republican
state by a large majority, and perhaps
in time, if Democrats keep at each 9TH
ers Threats, it will be governed as it
votes.
President Harrison has gone on a
western trip, partly of pleasure and
partly to meet some promised engage
ments with the people. The time was
and only a few years ago, too, when if
the president left town Washington was
considered dead, or at least in a torpor,
but such is not the case now. This gov
eminent is a machine like the heart, it
keeps on without cessation until the