New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-27
DEMOCRATS IN LESS HASTE
NOT so EAGER NOW As THEY WERE TO ATTACK
THE M'KINLEY BILL.

THE MKINLEY BILL.
TO the Editor Of The tribune
Sir: Those In control Of the Congressional ao,'o" VI
the Democratic party at Washington seem W w ~
yolved In doubts TO the proper policy 10 pu's" m
winter in regard 10 tariff legislation There can be no
question hnt that until within few months 1t was
their Man boldly TO denounce what they call the
a,nou;fous Mckinley BILL with its humbus RECIPROCITY
clauses and to formulate bill OF their OWL ciosey
allied TO the Cleveland NILS BILL with It's Tree .'a.o ~
wool and other products that our country Is wen a'p
ed to produce and then TO go into the Presideh,ia o
test of 1892 with the hope that comparison De'"oe'
tbe two bills would be favorable to Democratic Vcofy
gut recent whlsperings indicate change OF pro
oramme that suggests that Democratic friends are
in tpidaon over the matter, and hardly dare venture
in he light OF recent revelations to institute tne eo
parison they would naturally make II they hau t"e co
age OF their convictions They see that their proPo
cies and predictions OF financial disaster and ruin are
all falsfed that their visions OF high prices OF manu-
featured goods arc only the distorted imagnngs Oh
unsound theorists and to their great surprise, they
bebold the emphatic evidences In their incipency Oh
that thrift and prosperity that sure TO follow In the
footsteps of that wise Republican tariff egslanon en-
bodied in the Mckinley BILL They see old industries
reviving and new springing into life under tne
fostering care Of judicous protection while foreign
ports are opening their gates In kindly DISCRIMINATION
in favor of American products at the gentle persuasion
reciprocity.
Confronted by these conditions, II Is no wonder that
Democracy is dazed, and hestates to formulate bill
of antagonsms that feels will prove It's pohcs
suicide Hence we hear IL intimated that those In con-
troll of the party inclined to abandon the bold ana
manly attack contemplated at earlier date ana 70
adopt the tactics that public confession OF weak
ness and to engage in a sort Of guerilla warfare, by
attacking what they suppose to be vulnerable features
NJ the present tariff law, where they can avail them
selves II possible OF the aid Of local prejudiced In
terests.
This OF course is a very humilating attitude for
powerful and aggressive political party that claims TO DC
the father Of great economic principles essential IN their
application to the welfare of the people, yet such seems
TO be the Democratic situation at present In pursu-
ance of this pan It Is said that Of the first moves
will be to attack binding Irvine aud to place 1t on the
free list expecting thereby greatly to strengthen the
Democratic lines in the Northwest But contrary 10
expectations, the poters are confronted at the very
outset with powerful opposition from Nebraska, Kansas
and Minnesota where large manufactures OF binding
Irvine have been and are being built up under the nu
ence of the Mckinley BILL that promise within year or
two to sell the Irvine at less than present prices One
plant at Fremont NeB. gives notice that 1t expects to
manufacture during the year 100000 pounds from
hemp grown in the Platte River Valley If the farmers
OF the Northwest grow the fibre on their own
SOIL and have manufactured at their DOORS they can
we'll be satisfied. II doesn't look at present though
the party would gain much by fooling with binding
twinc which, however, is matter of minor National
Importance.
Now / would suggest to our Democratic friends In
this guerilla warfare that 1t will be much more manly
and to their credit to attack vital point In the con
troversy, feature OF National Importance that will
command general attenton-one In which the masses
Interested, as for instance, the sugar question as
settled by the Mckinley BILL which they fought with as
foaftI NJ hat
law II they have the courage Of their convictions Jet
them attempt TO restore the duty sugar, and thus
to levy a direct tax Of about S5O000.00O upon tho
people Of all classes Here Is subject that interests
every and IL test Of principle Is TO be made upon
a single article, it Is only fair and manly that one
should be taken Of general interest and commanding
importance. Or, II they haven't The courage TO face
tIfs issue, then let them undertake to remove tho
bounty on American sugar feature OF the Mckinley
bill they bitterly detest And II they dare not at
tack either Of these leading features of that Republican
law To which they have exhibited such deadly hos
tlty, the public will be justified in characerizng the
mouders OF Democratic legislative action political
poltroOns. J. II. POWELL.
Old Chatham, N. Y, Dec "a, 1901.