Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-05-28
NUMBER 9.
WASHINGTON LETTER.


complain that he does not express him
self on the silver question every day IN
the week. Mr. Cleveland's opinions on
this question are thoroughly understood
by both friends and foes, so that their
frequent repetition merely to aceomo-
date the latter is wholly unnecessary.
The tariff organs are quoting the
March statistics to show that exporta-
tons have increased materially under
the Mckinley tariff, as compared with
those of March, 1890. Evidently ths
foreigners, who can buy American plows
and things more cheaply than can
American farmers, don't stop TO think
that cheap pillow makes a cheap ploSs
man. Evidently, also, the talk about
ship subsidies being essential to an a-
creased export trade has already been
discredited out of the mouths Of the
shriekers themselves.
1t is impossible and unnecessary to
predict the immediate effect of the new
party. Like the original greenback and
other allied movements it is likely
enough to tempt both of the two great
parties into bids for its support, OF q
may become no more than so much
political merchandise. But as far as it
goes If indicates that the revolution
which gave the new congress to the
democrats has not yet spent its forces
and the element which it represents is a
factor that must be reckoned In the CAB
culation for 1897.
There is still much talk about Harri-
SON and Blaine and the nomination
prospects. Blaine's many followers
say that he was never so popular as he
is now. and they complain that Harri-
son is making use for himself of all the
alleged glory the secretary of state is
supposed to be winning. 1t is limited
that the assurances of Blaine's loyalty.
and his refusal of nomination, which
Russell Harrison printed in Frank
Leslie's, were inspired by his father.
the president. One thing is certain-if
Blaine finds the republican party doom
ed, he will support Harrison, but if
there are prospects of its returning the
president, he will submit to nomination.
xxx
President Harrison for obvious rea-
sons is taking an active interest in the
financial condition of the treasury and
has directed that he be furnished with an
estimate of the probable revenue from
all sources for the next fiscal year,
based on the changes made by the last
congress In the customs and internal
revenue laws. The result of the
changes are now becoming apparent in
the daily receipts of the treasury de-
partment. The custom receipts show
| continual falling off; the receipts from
this source by a statement of the treas
ury, issued yesterday, for the first
twenty days in May. being less at tbe
port of New York by SI,6oo,o34 than
they were for the corresponding period
of last May. The same ratio of de-
crease is reported at other ports. In
ternal revenue receipts also show de-
crease, but not so marked.
Observers In Cincinnati were struck
with the slight attendance of southern
delegates to the third party conventioas
The reasons for this are not far to seek.
The southern farmers see In this move
ment a menance TO the harmony that
prevails among them upon vital political
questions. especially in regard to tariff
reform. They have experienced some
thing of this already in South Carolina
and Georgia. In the south a third
party would naturally become a rival
| of the democrats and an ally of the re-
publicans. The southern farmers have
! no grievance against the democratic
party. and hence they look with distrust
upon everything that threatens to divide
it. A divided democratic party to theIn
would mean obstruction and delay of
tariff reform in congress, and danger to
the orderly administration of their Local
affairs. The new political organization
of western farmers is manifestation
of their profound discomfort with the
legislation of the republican party q
similar movement of southern farmers
against the democratic party would be
illogical and absurd, fraught with
mischief. 1t is a strong political in
stinct therefore which kept the intelh
gent farmers of the south from the Gin
cinati convention.