Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-13
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH.
p1TrsBURG. THURSDAY. NOV. Is, 1890
TESTING THE NrkINLEY BILL.

There is a good deal of loose talk going
around, ana much advice being showered
upon the Republican leaders, as to what
they should do when they pull themselves
together as a party to face the Democratic
majority In the House; and also as to the
line they should take through the coming
winter session, while they will still hold the
reins in the National Legislature.
Some of this advice proceeds from petu-
lance within the party produced by the late
reverses; some from honest, but not sound,
Judgment Much of the poorest of it drifts
in the direction OF telling the leaders to
abandon several features of the Mckinley
bill and try and tinker the law anew with a
view to catering to what has been repre-
sented as a popular prejudice against the
Mckinley bill.
When the Republican party leaders act
as unit upon policy clearly defined as the
best result of the experience of the country
and acceptable to the whole party, they are
strong, and have on the whole proven them
selves abundantly able to hold their own
against the Democratic leaders. When
flushed with success and power they pro-
ceed to extreme partisan ends, as In the
force bill, and the upsetting of parliament
ary precedents, and are also afflicted with
The dissensions that spring from the distri-
button OF patronage, they suffer reverses
1t is doubtless true that gross misrepresenta-
tions and manufactured prejudices against
the Mckinley bill increased the reverses
This fall But if there is any one policy
upon which the party has consistently won
1t is that OF protection to home industries.
The Mckinley bill was passed after the
most careful and intelligent thought and
labor as the best measure which the intelll-
gence of the party could produce. The part
of wisdom now is for the Republican lead
ers to stand by it firmly until it is tried.
They know that the clamor against the bill
proceeds either from Democratic sources or
from those VINO have been prejudiced by
prices which were raised before the bill got
into actual operation. To condemn without
trial tomorrow a measure which yesterday
they honestly approved, when they can
insure three years actual trial of the bill,
would be an instance of weak folly into
which they will assuredly not be led.
The Mckinley bill may not be per-
feet in all its details. No tariff bill
ever can be. Every alteration of the
tariff must necessarily be in the nature of a
business experiment. But the Republican
leaders know that as whole their tariff
policy has been for the best interests of the
country, and by the country approved time
and again. BY that policy, if by anything
in the later history OF the party, they can
stand with confidence. Should the opera
ton of the Mckinley bill bring continued
and increased prosperity, a conviction to
which their votes are already pledged, they
will occupy an impregnable position in
1892 If the tariff had any considerable part
in the general defeat of last week, it was not
because ot intelligen: judgment; for the
Mckinley bill has not yet been tried.
When the Republican leaders get out of
the shadow of widespread temporary disap-
pointments which are now seen darklv, they
will assuredly not suffer themselves to be
sIampeded by a mere clamor about the
tariff, when they have the chance to give
their own measure a fair three years trial.
This the Mckinley bill will get. Aided by
the possibilities of Mr.. Blaine's reciprocity
measures it may, and there is as much
reason as ever to think will, yet prove the
strong staff of the party when other devices in.
tended transparently for mere partisan sue.
cess have utterly failed and been cast be.