New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-02
THO REpTBLIC5NS.


that Mr. Blaine had been restored to health, and
would in due time be found attending to bust
ness at Washington with his wonted vigCr. The
belated Democratic newspapers now have the
news, and it ast0nishes them SO much that they
are disposed to believe Mr.. Blaine has been
shamming sickness for some political purpose.
How these poor people do dread this terrible
man from Maine! They have killed him and
put him into his coffin about thirty times al
ready, and here he is alive again.
AS he is distinctly not dead, they next set
forth with great particularly that Mr.. Blaine is
one kind of Republican and President Harrison
is another Well, they have monopoly Of that
information, as of other news that is not true.
Republicans who know something about both
gentlemen have the impression that they are
voluntarily associated in the public service be-
cause they have the same convictions and pur-
poses. Mr.. Blaine was An ardent champion Of
the Protective policy many years ago, when the
average rae of duties upon imports was much
higher than it is now, but Democrats have dis
covered that he is in favor of what they are
pleased to call reasonable Protection" Presi
dent Harrison has for many years advocated full
and ample protection of industries as the only
sound American policy, but now Democrats dis
cover that he goes in for Reciprocity in order to
break the force of Protective opinions. Ore has
to 20 from home to learn the news.
President Harrison and Secretary Blaine are
both Republicans, and have thoroughly approved
the latest embodiment of Protective principles
in the Mckinley Tariff. BY this it is not meant,
as some Republicans imagine, that either of them
=; al, ,,,,l tho tattG oh
ject of worship, a diviney inspired and abso-
lutey inerrant instrument, which it would be
sin to modify. THE TRIBUNE pointed out faults
in this measure when it was passed, and it as
sulnes that either Secretary Blaine or President
Harrison could mention 10 DIVISIONS of it which
he would deem it wise to have modified but il
is coming to be the deliberate judgment of those
who favor Protection at all that this measure is
on the whole the wiSest and best ever adopted
and that conviction both President Harrison and
Secretary Blaine have helped to form by their
public declarations
If either of these Republican statesmen should
be clothed with the veto power at the time of
the passage by Democratic Congress Of any
such Tariff bill as Mr.. Mills or Mr.. Carlisle or
Mr.. Springer would vote fer every Republican
in the country would expect veto of the meas
ure. About details these two Republicans might
differ; THE TRIBUNE does not pretend to know
whether they do or not. But it knows that both
are in favor of Protection, and irreconcilably OPP
posed to the species of legislation for the benefit
Of foreign countries which Democratic leaders
and journals call tariff reform. Both would UNI
hestatingly affirm that the tariff should be mod
fled from time to time as experience Of its work.
ings might dictate, but both would maintain that
the work of correcting any mistakes which may
appear, or making any change which circum-
stances may render advisable, cannot be per-
formed except by those who uphold its main
principles and purposes
These being the facts, it will not be easy to
make the public believe that these two leaders
represent hostile opinions about the tariff. They
are both Republicans, and between them and
the Democratic or Aiugwump enemies of Pro-
lection there is great gulf fixed. 1t is equally
absurd 30 represent that either regards the pres
ent tariff as an infallible revelation of all eco
nomic wisdom, which nobody can propose to
modify without species of sacriloge. 1t is an
infinitely better tariff than Democrats have ever
framed or are ever likely to frame, and that is
enough for present purposes.