San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-05
The Dai1Y Eight.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1892.
The "Force Bill" Blind.

Globe Democrat Rep.
1t is entirely safe to say that no
sensible Democrat anywhere In this
broad land believes the stories about
the danger of the passage of a force
bill in the event of Republican sue
cess this year which Democratic pa
pers are industrously circulating.
Every reasonable person knows that
no demand for such legislation is be-
ing made by Republicans anywhere
In the country. A few years ago a
large section of the Republican party
did flvor a law of this sort, but 1t new
er commanded the approval of the
majority of the party, and the scheme
is growing weaker and weaker every
year. Many men who advocated it in
the beginning quickly perceived that
il could not accomplish the end de-
signed, and have ever since been OPP
posed to it. When the bill was up
last il was defeated by republican
votes. If it should be proposed in the
next congress 1t would be within
reasonable bounds to predict that the
measure could not get third OF
the republican vote i'll either
vi COuIsC, IL suOh AVS
lstion were actually had it could not
produce tenth of the ills or embsr-
easements which democratic blather-
sixties pretend would come with 1t.
AS it would bear on the entire country
alike a law with such consequences
could never be enforced, and would
be dead letter on the statute book
until repealed. But let the law be
harmful or harmless, the republican
party does not want it, is not asking
Tor it, and would fight against it in
cor gress, no matter by whom intro
duced or suggested.
1t Is easy to understand that all
this force bill alarm is merely blind
to conceal the fatal weakness of the
democratic platform. The free trade
section of the Chicago deltverance
puts the democracy on the defensive
from the beginning, and renders de-
feat for that party certain unless this
blunder can be concealed. This is
the cause of the frantic attempt
OF that party to inject a
new and false issue into the
canvass. By the help of the pretend
ed force bill conspiracy" the demo-
Gratis hope to raise enough dust TO
hide this free trade folly from the
eyes of the people. In the tariff plank
of their platform they went farther, in
the direction of absolute free
trade than they ever dared to do be.
fore. and further than they now
realize to be safe. They want to
retreat from this position, and thus
they are tying to bring forward
a question which has no hearing on
the canvass, and which will not be
affected in any way by republican
victory or defeat. This is why there
is so much bowling over the possibili
ty of the passage of q force bill if the
republicans win. There is not much
chance of success for the democrats
in this program Of duplicity. The
cou0iTy sees through this device with
UOlerable clearness. This Year issues
are the tariff and reciprocity, and
there is possibility that democratic
laundering in the house may make d
silver issue for the campaign, which
would still further brightea republi-
can prospects. The questions which
are involved in the campaign will
receive q thorough and fearless dis.
cussion by the republicans, an the
democratic attempt to hide behind q
bOgy which it has itself coDjured up
will be exposed and defeated.