Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-06-11
TRIUMPH OF LYING.
The Democrat Victory of Last No
vember was not a Victory
for Free Trade.
Party Managers Greatly Alarmed
at the Reckless Declara-
tons Of the Organs.
D. B. Hill Gives the Cue to The
Followers, but Apparently
Too Late.

Lie 0lGCUIOu Oh Idsb NON6InDGT Was nOU d
victory for free trade, as such. 1t was 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.
The victory was so overwhelming on the
side of the foes of protection, that in the
exuberance of their great joy, they forgot
that it was victory for free trade only be-
cause 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 to-
day as they ever were. Mugwumps and
other theorists may construe the victory
as an endorsement of Cobdenism, but the
shrewd. practical politicians, who are in
touch with the peple and have accurately
gagged popular sentiment on the tariff,
know better.
The democratic party managers realize
how hopeless must be their fight if made
on an openly avowed free-trade platform
They are therefore alarmed at the holiness
of the party organs since last November
III claiming the victory for free-trade, and
openly advocating its principles. Already
the note of warning has been sounded by
that shrewdest of politicians, Governor d.
b. Hill of New York He was invited to
attend the free-trade mass meeting recent
ly held in New York City, but declined
the Invitation on the ground that he had
no sympathy with the proposed meeting.
Il am no advocate of free-trade," he
said, 'and never have been" They
lya ,art 40
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:
''As democrat ! must respectfully de-
cline to support any movement, no matter
by whom instigated or championed, hav
ing for its purpose the adoption of any
such suicidal policy as is sought to be pro-
noted by the meeting to which you invite
me. In my opinion such movements only
embarrass and endanger the cause of tariff
reform
Governor Hill knows how fondly hun
dreds of thousands of democrats cling to
the protectionist sentiments oe Jefferson
and jackson. He simply voiced the senti-
ment of the northern democracy in repu-
dating free trade. But unfortunately.
the policy of his party is dictated by men
who are bound by tradition to the
free trade doctrine OF Calhoun; the Millses
and the Carlisles and the Breckenridges
were the real authors of Mr.. Cleveland
free trade message. Its issue was the
price he paid the nominating solid south
for a denomination The most they would
concede to the northern democrats was
that the real aim IF the message should be
concealed under the lying label of tariff
reform" Since The endorsement of that
message and It's author by the democracy,
the free trade wing Of the party has been
In control. They have pushed forward
their radical tariff policy with so much
arder 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.
As time went on, free-trade leaders
gradually lost the caution which had tor
merly characterized their tariff utterances.
Leading party organs assumed an attitude
of host 'ity to protective tariffs of any
kind, and met protectionist arguments by
the baldest free trade theorizing. Pro-
tectionist democrats of the Randall school
nave grown more anu more TSSULNe uDUbE
the arrogant rule of their free trade lead
ers, and even in the south there has set in,
consequent on the development of her
great mineral resources, a revulsion
againt the ella fogy free-trade ideas whose
enactment into law must prove fatal to the
south s new born industries. moreover, the
politicians have observed the growing pop
ularity of the Mckinley bill. They note
the new tin plate mills, the new wooden
mills, the linen rllIlls, the plush mills and
the revlvication of many other branches of
industry, which is Enthusiastically 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 cheaper 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 democratic
hests, who are almost fanatical in their
enthusiasm for freetrade From present
indications they will pass Governor Hill s
danger signal with averted eyes and bitter
experience must come to teach them how
wise his warning was.
Whatever the outcome. protectionist
democrats cannot be accused of disloyalty
to democracy if they refuse to support
tariff policy opposed to the teachings of
their most revered lerders of the past
When the battle is on we will welcome
them into the protectIonst ranks, and as
protectionists, not as republicans, we will
teach politicians of every stripe that no
party can win by fighting under the ban
ner of the Golden club. We will leave
the lesson as SIGN post for posteritv, so
that those who come after us may know
that the American policy of protection is
sacred institution