The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-12-09
ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1891.
BLAINE AND M'KlNLEY.
Republican Tumbitrs Juggling with Pub
lie Opinion. 30 ''-'',=' -

BLAINE AND MKiNLEY. ~
Republican Tra,bitrs Juggling wish Pub
lie Opinion. 'e VI
If it were not forbidden to us to at
tribute even the possibility Of a jocose
view Of politics to the serious-minded
republicans of Kansas, we should say.
that their "boomn for Blaine and Me-
.Klnley as the ticket for 1892 was in.
spired solely by sense of humor.
And we should be confirmed in this
Judgment by the explanation that this
combination appeals to the Kansas
mind because it represents the two
cardinal principles of republicanism,
l'eciprocity and protection. 1t would
add to the grim fun Of the suggestion,
were we permitted to take it as fun at.
all, that the. friends of Mckinley, who
wished to have his name lead the
ticket, are cheerfully reminded by the
friends of Mr.. Blaine that the latter is
likely to die before the end of the four
years term, and SO the high ambitions
OF two great men can be equally and
severally satisfied in one election. But,
as we have intimated, tits not perm is
sible to interpret the. ideas Of Kansas
. republicans by the light Of humor.
They are dead in. earnest. and when
they suggest Blaine and Mckinley,
reciprocity and protection, an invalid
statesman and lusty politician, as
their conception of what will win in
the next election, they mean what they
say, every word of it, and mean it with
a, sincerity not without touch Of
pathos. 49,. .a-. 900 @
ssFor, to the observer who is as sooer-
minded as the Kansas republican him
self, and who is, moreover, wide-awake
TO the significance of recent events,
this proposition is curiously in accord
with the condition both of the party
mind and, the party prospects. 1t is
really o rude, simple, half-grotesque,
half-pitiful attempt at a correct inter
probation of the situation. These Kan
sas people know that protection was
beaten, and badly beaten, in New orls,
in Massachuse it's, and in Iowa, and
that it appeared to win in Ohio and in
Pennsylvania. To the rebellious re-
pnblicans Of the first group Of states
they offer Blaine and reciprocity; to
| the faithful of the latter group of states
they offer protection and Mckinley.
And since the great body of the party
Still stick to protection, they give to
them the assurance that, though they
ore to be represented only in the Sec
end place on the ticket, their candidate
may fairly hope, in the course of ma
turc, to. succeed, the actual candidate
for the presidency in the performance
Of the functions of that office. And
this is the juggling with public opinion,
the effort to cheat the conscience and
intellect of the American people, which
really seems to these men likely to be
successful. It is nothing to them that,
so far as this combination would work
at all, it would be trick, that Mr..
Blaine's reciprocity is in reality the
essential opposite of Mr. McKinley's
protection and vice versa, and that'if
these plans were carried out, the ticket
elected, and Mckinley were to become
president by the death in due time of
Mr.. Blaine, every man who voted for
Mr.. Blaine would be deceived; Ali that
they think of, all that they care for,
honest souls and narrow as they are,
is that the republican party shall sue
coed, the dreadful democrats be de-
feated, and the saints inherit the post
Offices -
1t is not unfair to say that this is. in
accord with the condition of, mind of
the republicans, nor that it fairly
represents the means by which their
leaders hope to win in the next presi-
Dental contest. The Kansas arrange
ment corresponds very closely to the
Mckinley bill with the reciprocity at
tachment, and certainly it. is perfe city
well known that one and the other,
and each alternately have. been
worked for all they were WORTH" &C.
cording to the varying ATTITUDES If it
were possible to hold the old-time re-
publicaus to the ticket by the McKin-
ley form of protection, and at the same
time hold the dissatisfied by the Blaine
device of reciprocity, no scruple of
conscience would prevent. Happily, it
is not possible. The process of enligl1t-
eminent has gone too far in the public
mind. The old-time republicans will,
| indeed, continue to vote the ticket, as
| they did in Pennsylvania, whoever is
on it, and whatever he may represent.
But the men whom Mr.. Blaine hoped
to catch with reciprocity will no longer
rise to that bait. They know what it
really is ana what it conceals, and they
will have none of It. This Mr.. Blaine
himself sees plainly enough. Could he
have his way to-day he would not stop
Mt the illusory reciprocity of the Nc
Kinley bill. He would give the coun-
try real reciprocity; that is to say, he
would as he has tr ed to do in the case
of Canada. give the country freer
trade, which is as different from pro.
lection as heat from cold. But tits
doubtful if even that would now check
| the tide of dissatisfaction with the
| whole protection policy and idea. The
republican leaders made their fatal err
ror in the last congress. Then they
had chance to take the work of the
revision and reduction of the tariff in
their own hands, and had they done so
| they would have been left to finish the
task. Instead they make the burden
OF the tariff heavier; and now, unless
all signs fail, Che country has deter
mined to be done, in due time, with it
| and with them.-N. Y. Times 2 p