Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-10-27
THE POLITICAL TWINS.
The issues between the Two old Parties

Mr.. Blaine IN his recent letter, gives
as the three issues which he thinks the
Republicans should press to the front,
a., the Mckinley bill, 90 reciprocity,
81 national banks versus State banks.
The Democrats are adding to these,
especially in the Southern States, the
Federal Elections bills, known as the
Force bill. The Peoples party is press
inc free coinage of silver anil owner
ship Of railroads to the front. And the
Prohibitionists, while ignoring none of
the issues OF the day, are laying special
stress on the suppression of the drink
traffic.
The Mckinley Tariff bill is. of course,
a Republican measure. Next to Nc
Kinley himself, Senator Aldrich Is the
leading champion Of this measure. In
his speech In the Senate few weeks
ago. In which he gave the results OF the
investigation By the Senate Finance
Committee, he made the claim that the
Mckinley bill had increased the wages
OF working men on an average three
fourths of one per cent. That is, a man
who earned 81 day before now earns
thrce-fourths OF a cent q day more !?
The man who earned 81 a day now
earns, because Of the beneficent Nc
Kinley bill, one and one-half cents a
day more The man who earned 81 Il
day now earns s403 day. This claim
is disputed; but conceding all that
Senator Alrich claims, this Is the sum
total Of the increase in wages that has
been effected by the Mckinley Tariff
bill for protection. And it Is over this
three-fourths Of one per cent. that a
great national party is now filling the
nation with clamor, and over which
millions of voters will soon be march
ing with brass bands and banners to
save the country
there has been n saving to the people
Of the country by a decline in the price
of commodities of a per cent since
the Mckinley bill was passed, and add
ing together the sum so saved and the
increase Of wages, he claims that the
Mckinley bill has made the people
s325, 100000 year better off. Senator
Aldrich seems to infer, or to leave his
hearers to infer, that every cent Of this
is due to the Mckinley bill. We think
it is very obvious that he juggles with
the figures, and it is certain that Mr.
Mckinley had no idea that his bill
would cheaper commodities. In re-
porting the bill before Congress he
said:
1--WE have not believed that our people already
suffering from low prices, can will be satisfied
with legislation which will result in lower
prices
But if, in spite of this, the entire sum
Of the 1926, 100000 be credited to the
Mckinley bill, it indicates the finan-
cial size Of the issue according to the
Republican claim. Senator Carlisle,
speaking in reply to Senator Aldrich,
denies that there has been any de-
crease In the price of commodities due
to the Mckinley bill, and by compar-
ison Of figures claims to show that the
price OF commodities has been increas-
ed by the bill, and the amount of in
crease he estimates as 1888, 100000 in d
months, or s144, $4,000 a year. We
think it is obvious to an unbiased
reader that Senator Carlisle has also
juggled with the figures; but accepting
his view of the case, we have the mon
entary value of this issue, according
to Democratic claims, as less than $50
100000 per year. Accepting the Re-
publican estimate, the monetary value
OF the issue for which that party is
contending is about one-fourth the size
of the annual drink bill. According
to Democratic claims the monetary
value of the issue for which they are
contending is about one-eighth the size
Of the annual drink bill.
Reciprocity is not an issue between
the two old parties, except that each is
contending vigorously for all the credit
that is to be found in it, Mr.. Blaine
himself admits that the first support
for it came from the Democrats, but
claims that the Republicans finally
came to its support and passed the
reciprocity clause as at present in
force. There is no issue between the
two old parties at this point on any
principle whatever. Republicans Wig
orously contend that it is part of the
scheme of tariff for protection, tariff
reformers claim that it is a part of the
scheme Of tariff reform, and free-trad-
ers claim it as part of the scheme of
free trade.
The Democratic National platform
declares for tariff 'for purposes of
revenue only" This means that the
tariff is to be adjusted with sole refer
ence to the raising of revenue. Dem
ocrats denounce the tariff as tax paid
by the consumer, but they propose to
continue the tax. 1t is very obvious
that tariff levied solely with view
to raising revenue must be levied on
those articles that are imported in the
| largest quantities. But the articles