New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-22
TIE SAD "REFORMER."

The wall of the Free Traders fills the air.
Their pet issue has been pitched into the waste
basket. Mr.. Mills has been virtually excluded
from the WAYS and Means Committee, and MI.
Cleveland is no longer the one and only Presl-
DENTAL candidate of his party. All these things
cause unreasonable sorrow in the Free-Irade
camn and the tariff refOrmer thinks the country
is going to the dogs.
Rut let him take heart There is coming
happier day for him and his cause. 1t is going
to be beaten, but it is going to be heard. Inc
Democratic party runs away from the tarl1f ISSUE
to-day, but it is exceedingly likely to run away
from the silver isshe next summer. Al the pres
emit moment Democratic members are peculiarly
anxious to placate the voters of the Farmers
Alliance at the South. Unless something Is done
on the money question 30 please them, these
voters threaten to run separate tickets IN ooutn-
ern States. and thus to throw the Democratic
PARTY into minority in several OF them' Dut
the Alliance is not destined to live long When
il vanishes the Democrats will gravitate back to
New-Y orS as their only hope OF Presidential sue
cess and then will be as anxious to hlde thelf
purposes in regard to silver coinage as they are
now to display them. 1t is not particularly
| creditable thing, this attempt to shift Naaonai
| issues and policies according to the supposed
| chances of success in particular States. But II
will be of no service.
The country does not need new evidence OF
Democratic purposes. That party has not ma
terially changed in character in constituent ele-
ments, or in prevailing opinions, since it voted
for free coinage in Congress last year. or OPP
| posed and denounced the Protective Tariff and
/ n,, p,aIn
attitude of the Democratic party is already so
we'll known to voters that any attempted de-
ception will be futile There are other matters
on which the intentions of the party have been
less clearly shown, and action in Congress on
these matters will have an important influence
on the voting next year. 1t will be interesting,
for example, to see the Democratic members vote
on the Sub-Treasury scheme, or on the proposal
| 10 take railroads and telegaphs into Government
ownership and control. But on the tariff ques-
ton and the silver question the intentions OF the
party are as well known as they could be after
any number of votes.
| II is pure folly for Democratic managers to
suppose that they can put either OF these issues
out of the contest next year, or deprive either
of influence and weight. The Republicans will
not suffer either to be forgotten. But even If
they were silent, there are millions OF voters
who would nevertheless act upon their convic-
tons regarding the purposes and policy OF the
Democratic party, knowing right well that the
success of that party will mean abandonment OF
Protection and the unlimited coinage Of silver.
| The tariff reformer may rest assured that he
will get hearing next year, perhaps more than
he will want But he may aEo rest assured that
he will not be able to crowd the silver question
out Of sight for the people will take that into
| account also when they consider whether it is
safe to ntrust the National Government to the
| Democratic party.