The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-10
Che democratic Adrueate.
WESTMINSTER. MD.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1892.
Public Sentiment Condemned.

Public Sentiment Condemned.
President Harrison submitted his last
annual message to Congress on Tuesday
last. The document is of unusual length.
and much of it is taken up in resume of
the operations of the various br.. inches of
the government and in making 1t appear
that the Presidents administration has
been beneficial to the country.
In the very first paragraph the Presi-
dent says Il have great satisfaction in being
able to say that the general conditions ap-
pertaining to the commercial and industrial
interest ufthe United States are in the high
est degree favorable. \ comparison OF the
existing conditions with those Of more
favored periods show that so high degree
of prosperity and 50 general diffusion oil
the comforts of life were never before en-
ioyed by our people.
This statement is positively and en-
phatically untrue The great leading III
terests of the country are those of agrlcul-
ture. commerce and manufactures. While
the latter interest is especially favored by
existing aw-the Mckinley tarif-it Is
notorious that agriculture aud commerce
are crippled by the operation of that law
and that agriculture, especially, was never
nt a lower ebb than now, and the farmers
of the whole country were never more
straitened ana reduced than they are at
this time. The Presidents statement l.
entirely at variance with facts, as every
farmer especially knows and every other
citizen except those enriched,
Statistics are given to show the vast III
crease in wealth the past thirty years, and
then the President expresses the opinion
that the protective system which has con
tinuously prevailed since 1860 has been
mighty instrument for the development OF
our national wealth. and most powerful
agency in protecting the homes of work
ingmen from the invasion Of want
If the commercial and industrial inter
ests Of the country are in the highest de
gree favorable, and the protective system
has been such powerful agency for the
benefit of the people, it would be interest
inc 10 know how the President accounts
for the overwhelming defeat Of himself and
his party. Public sentiment Is not always
right. but no one will question public sell
timent when thrice expressed IN three sue
eessive elections The Mckinley bill and
the Force bill. the two measures upon
which President Harrison rested his claim
ia hubble favor. were condemned i'll 1880
by a political revolution unparalleled IN
American politics. \ Republican majority
of between twenty-five and thirty in the
House of Representatives was reversed and
a Democratic majority of one hundred and
forty substituted The elections of 1891
showed that the people were in earnest IN
their condemnation of the Harrison Ad-
miuistration. while the result of the recent
election was as emphatic as the two pre-
ceding popular verdicts. There was no
reaction, which usually follows political
revolutions. The tide of popular indigna-
ton that followed the passage of the Me
Kinley bill and the attempted passage Of
the Force bill did not rcccde after the cleo
ton Of 1890. 1t rose higher in 1891.
and still higher in 1892 The people
acted inteIligently aud with full knowledge
Of the meaning aud purposes of these
measures. They knew the times were
out of joint, and why. They knew
there was something wrong in system of
taxati on that was enriching the few at the
expense of the many. They priced home
rule. and feared partisan federal control of
elections.
Mr.. Harrison either has contempt for
public sentiment, or regards the American
people as fools If the people are enjoying
general prosperity and the protective sys-
TEN is so beneficial why the unrest Why
the political revolution Of 1890? Why
the verdict of 1891, aud why the third
consecutive condemnation of Mr.. Harrison
and protection in 1892?
Mr. Harrison has been trying to stem
the tide against him for two years. The
very statements he used in this message,
he promulgated two years ago and repeated
in his letter accepting the Republican nom
ination for reelection. Three successive
eondemnations would have caused an omis-
sion of them by one less conceited than
Mr.. Harrison, but his stock of self-eSteem
is boundless and he has not yet realized
that his policy has been thrice repudiated.
The vote in California is 81 close that if