The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-11-20
The Election Next Year.


Nothing Is more certain than that the next
political campaign will be fought entirely on
the tariff question. The election Of MeKin-
ley as Governor of Ohio win strengthen the
Republicans in their opposition to any re-
duction Of the tariff. Likewise the protect
ed industries which have dourished beyond
precedent by shutting out foreign competition,
thereby giving them monopoly of the home
market, may be expected to contribute freely
towards maintaining the present condition OF
affairs. On the other hand the people are be-
ing educated by argument and experience.
They are beginning to realize that tariff is
ajax and the higher the tariff the higher the
tax. No amount of sophistry or hypocriti-
cal appeals for protection to American work
men, can longer blind any one to the fact, for
instance, that sugar is cheaper because the
tariff tax on it is abolished. Binding Irvine
is also lower in price for the reason that the
duty heretofore imposed on the raw mater
ials Of which it is composed has also been
lessened. The difference in price il just about
the difference in the tariff. These results fol-
lowing reduction of tariff are arguments
against protection that cannot be gainsaid.
One of the arguments used in 1888 to induce
workmen in the protected industries to vote
for Harrison was the promise that higher
tariff would increase the manufacturers pro-
fits and enable them to pay higher wages to
their workmen. We have no doubt it ac-
complished the result first named. but we
have yet to hear of q single workman whose
wages have been increased by the Mckinley
tariff.
The result of the elections last year was Il
condemnation of the Mckinley tariff, of the
Force Bill and of the arbitrary course of
Speaker Reed. The elections this year were
no less emphatic as rebuke of these things.
Ohio, it is true, voted for Mckinley, but it
must be remembered that TO the Republicans
the contest in that State was almost life or
death struggle. His defeat would haye ami.
hilated the principle of q high tariff for the
benefit of favored classes. Therefore all the
power of the Republic administration was
exerted to save Mckinley and protection, for
without protection the Republican party
would not have leg TO stand on. Thou
sands of dollars were sent into that State and
the most brilliant and able Republican ora
tors went there to beguile the people with
the old deceit, wrapped in fresh phrases, of
protection to home industries. Notwith-
standing all these efforts Mckinley was elect
ed by margin 30 narrow that few thousand
votes the other way, in that large State,
would have elected his opponent.
Massachusetts too, for years the home of
Republicanism and protection, has reelected
8 Democratic Governor. The farmers of
Iowa, also, have awakened to the fact that
they are oppressed by tariff which has been
arranged solely to benefit Eastern capitalists
and manufacturers. With virgin soil, that
produces beautifully without the aid of arti-
fetal fertilizers, and with low rates of freight
to the seaboard, they find themselves encum-
bered with mortgages and with no prospect
of relief. Seeing that the Republican party
upholds system which taxes farmers un-
fairly for the benefit of other industries, they
revolted and wheeled their State into the
Democratic line.
All ofthese things point unerringly to the
issue upon which the great Presidential con-
test of 1892 will be fought.
In anticipation of the result both Republi-
can and Democratic journals are making up
tables predicting how the votes in the next
Electoral College will stand. The Billion
Dollar Congress added six new States, with
scant population bat with twenty electoral
votes, that are almost certain to be cast for
the Republican candidate, as an offset, as far
as possible, to the vote of New York. By the
addition of the new States the Electoral vote
will be 444 and 1913 will be necessary to a
choice. The Republicans claim 201 votes as
certain, including Iowa, Rhode Island and
New Hampshire, conceding to the Democrats
only the Southern States, Connecticut, Della
ware, Maryland and New Jersey, making a
total of 175. They include among the doubt
full States New York, Indiana, Montana and
Michigan.
The late election makes New York and
4OWo AAOAO NCA soiA Ava eAO 0ChAAOOLoto tudu lOE
the Republicans, especially if the Demo-
cratic ticket should include the name of Gov
ernor Boies, of Iowa. Massachusetts, Is more
likely to go Democratic than Republican, the
tariff reform idea having taken deep root
there. Indiana, although President Harri-
rison's own State, is oftener Democratic than
Republican. The Australian ballot is about
to be introduced there and this, it is believed,
will make Indiana Democratic.
From the Republican standpoint that party
must win New York, with its SO votes; or
failing in this Indiana with Is and Michigan
with Is votes.
The Democrats, from the same standpoint,
would have to carry Iowa, Massachusetts,
Indiana and Montana, or New York and In.
diana, Iowa or Massachusetts,. Weconclude,
therefore, that New York will be, as hereto
fore, the great battle ground. If the Demo-
cratic factions in that State can be brought
into harmonious action the result will not be
doubtful.
From present appearances 1t is not likely
that the Democrats will abandon their fight
against the robber tariff, but will press it
most vigorously and we doubt not successful
iy. z..