Arizona republican., 1891-07-22


 a.'triumph of lying" The primal, funda: mental lie was the idea instilled into the popular mind that tariff .'reform" is not Free-trade. The approximate lie to which the result of the November election was immediately due was the Mckinley prices humbug. R3 Fs v FE N~F The victory was so overwhelming on the side of the foes of Protection that in theexuberance of their great joy they for got that it was victory for Free trade only because the people did not know that they were voting for that policy. A triumph for Free-trade as such at the polls is an event unheard of in American politics, and the people are just as far from it today as they ever were. Mug - wumps and other theorists may construe the victory as an indorsement of Golden ism, but the shrewd, practical politicians, who are in touch with the people and have accurately gauged popular senti- ment on the tariff, know better.
 The Democratic party managers realize how hopeless must be their fight, If made on an openly avowed Free-trade plat form. They are therefore alarmed at the boldhess of the party organs since last November in claiming the victory for Free-trade and openly advocating its principles Already the note of warning has been sounded by that shrewdest of practical politicians, Governor D. B, Hill, of New York. He was invited to attend the Free-trade mass meeting recently held in New York city, but declined the invitation on the ground that he had no sympathy with the proposed meeting 1 am no advocate of Free-trade," he said, 'and never have been." "They greatly mistake public sentiment" he continues, "who assume to construe the revolution last autumn at the polls as a popular manifestation in favor of radical tariff legislation" The following para graph closes the letter: |s<s VI .
 "As Democrat l must respectfully decline to support any movement, no matter by whom instigated or cham pioned, having for it's purpose the adop- ton of any such suicidal policy as is sought to be promoted by the meeting to which you invite me. In my opinion such movements only embarrass and en- danger the cause of tariff reform"
 Governor Hill knows how fondly hun dreds of thousands of Democrats cling to the Protectionist sentiments of Jeffer- son and Jackson. He simply voiced the sentiment of the northern Democracy in repudiating Free-trade. But, unfortu- nately, the policy of his sparty is dictated by men who are bound by tradition to the Free trade doctrines of Calhoun. The Millses. and the Carlisles, and the Breckinridges were the real authors of NIT. Cleveland's Free-trade message. Its issue was the price he paid the nominat- ing solid south for a renomination. The most they would concede to the north- ern Democracy was that the real aim of the message should be concealed under the lying label of tariff reform" Since the indorsement of that message and it's author by the Democracy the Free trade wing of the party has beenin com trol They have pushed forward their radical tariff policy with so much ardor that the Protectionists in the party could find no hearing, but were forced to drift with the Free-trade current, trying to ease their consciences in the meantime with the assurance that the policy for which they strove was only harmless reform" of the tariff. 3ii f1li'"4ss Z
 As time went on the Free-trade lead CTS gradually lost the caution which had formerly characterized their tariff utter ances. Leading party organs assumed an attitude of hostility to Protective tariffs of any kind, and met Protection ist arguments by the baldest Free-trade theorizing. Protectionist Democrats of the Randall school have grown more and more restive under the arrogant rule of their Free-trade leaders, and even in the south there has set in, consequent on the development of her great mineral re- sources, a revulsion against the old fogy Free-trade ideas whose enactment into law must prove fatal to the south's new born industries. Moreover, the poh- ticians have observed the growing popu- larity of the Mckinley bill. They note the new tin plate mills, the new wooden mills, the linen mills, the plush mills and the revivication of many other branches of industry, which is unmis. takably due to the Mckinley bill In the wake of the campaign cry about "McKinley prices" they have seen nearly all kinds of family supplies selling cheap CT under the new than under the old tariff. They realize what the outcome ~ of the revulsion against the campaign lies must be unless the party, "hedges'' on the tariff. Hence Governor Hills letter.
 But we fear that it is too ,late, Free traders are in command of the Demo- cratic hosts, who are almost fanatical il, their enthusiasm for Free-trade. From present indications they will pass Gov ernor Hills danger signal with averted i eyes, and bitter experience must come to teach them how wise his warning was.
 Whatever the outcome, Protectionist Democrats cannot be accused of dis loyalty to Democracy if they refuse to support tariff policy opposed to the teachings of their most revered leader; of the past. When the battle is on wa will welcome them into the Protectionisi ranks, and as Protectionists, not as Re. publicans, we will teach politicians ol every stripe that no party can win by fighting under the banner of the Golden club. We will leave the lesson as Q sign post for posterity, so that those whccome after us may know that the American