The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-02-13
wAnuNoroY, D. @, TrunuAnY l3, 1891.
Brernrn McKINLry should alwaws re.

bltIHEit NlihlNlth SuOlllu ulNuNS
member, when tempted to speak or write
for publication, that he has somehow
acquired a reputation which he can hardly
augment, but which he may easily de-
preciate by doing either. Just how he
got this greatness il is difficult to imagine,
but no one who critically reads his Toledo
speech will be at any loss to see how he
may lose it. Mr.. Mckinney reminds us
of the man who once made a great name
as n marksman by a chance shot at pic
mic, and who, not shrcwd enough to stand
on that, proceeded to chip away his fame
by shooting badly ever after. The Toledo
speech Is neither better nor worse than
any of its predecessors. II is simply one
more bit of testimony TO the pinchbeck
character Of McKISLEY's glory-a fresh
spur to ones curiosity rs to how such OBJ
vious oroide ever came to be regarded as
real gold.
II isn't worth while to quote largely
from MCKINLEY. What he says once he
says always. He lacks variety, and, there
fore, he seeks safety in changing his audi
ences. The followin: sentiment, which
occurred in his speech of yesterday has
occurred in all other speeches made by
him on that subject. II sets forth his
philosophy, If such nonsense can be called
by such q name, and IL measures with
dreadful precision the intelligence which
Mckinney has brought to bear on the
subject of the tariff;
There must be something for the Ameri-
can citizen more than cheap clothes. There
must be some higher incentive than a
cheap coat and bare subsistence. The
farmers products must bring him fair re-
turns for his toll and investment. The
workingmen's wages must be governed by
his work and worth, and not by what he
ran barely live upon. He must have
wages that bring hope and heart and am
bition, which give promise of future
shall promote his comfort and independ-
.nce, and which shall stimulate him TO n
higher and better and more intelligent
citizenship.
If this is not drivel beneath the con-
tempt of a sophomore, then it is drivel
beneath the contempt Of freshman.
Yet it is the measure of McKrNLrY's ap-
prehension of the great question before
the Countrywide circumference and the
diameter of his conception of the tariff
issue.
But Mr.. MCKINLEY would have left
himself in better plight had he stopped
with that. Only the most fatal infatua-
tion could have prompted him to descend
into the deeper mire of such a speech as
this.
The gentleman who is now so insistant
for cheap necessaries Of life while in office
and clothed with authority was unwilling
that sugar, an article of prime necessity
to every household, should come untaxed
TO the American people, when it was
known that IL was an annual burden upon
them Of SG0,000,OO0. He stood then as
the uncompromising friend of dear sugar
for the masses.
KiyLEY despises cheap coat, and yet HI
rails at Mr.. CLEVELAND for having (as h,
says despised cheap sugar. He declare
that the sugar tariff imposed an annua
burden of sG0000,0O0 upon the American
people, and yet he halls the tariff OF
coats, blankets, tinware, food and fuel a
heavenly boon which is TO make thu
American workman happy and lift him
into pearly empyreans too ecstatic fo
mortal words!
We begin to fear for MCKINLEY. II,
still holds his place among men, still
wears bis right hand in the bosom of hi
pre- Albert coat and looks like NAPo
LION, but how much further can he trave
ON this road before we have him playinl
in corner with straw in his hair and be
lieying that he Is NAPOLEON?