The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-09-30
Reasoner Does Some REASONING

Reasoner Does Some Reasoning.
The following article appeared in
the Cumberland Daily Ne'cs of Mon
day:
Fair minded Republicans are not
disposed to charge the Democratic
party with an entire lack of judg.
ment, character and patriotism, but
certainly it is in the habit of doing
grave things so enormously that it
is difficult to understand the reasons
or motives. The party in the pres
ent campaign seems to loose sight of
even party eXpedlency and pru-
lence, causing their case before the
people to be weaker than it need
to be.
Their enunciations in the Chicago
platform are not only strange, but
out Of all harmony with former
similar deliverances. 1t denounces
the present tariff law as a fraud, +"
md proclaims that a protective tar
If Is unconstitutional Now every
one knows that an act done, or =.
law enacted in fraud is null and
void. Therefore. according to logic
and reason, the Mckinley tariff law
instead Of being a living measure Of
great blessing to our people, is sim
ply dead letter on the national
statue book. Ii is true, the great
party law giycrs at Chicago do not
IN so many terms say the present
law is unconstitutional, but they
did not only say, but denounced
any protective tariff as without con-
stitutional authority. Now the law
IN question was enacted by q Re
publican Congress Us a distinctive
protective measure, and it is not
only held bat denounced by the
whole Democratic party as such.
SO there is no controversy about
that fact. Therefore, can there be
any doubt that the Democracy holds
the protective tariff law to be uncon.
stitutional and void.
Mr.. Cleveland on accepting his
nomination under these solemn
party adjucations must approve of
them fully in mind and conscience.
Suppose such an unlikely thing
should happen as his election to the
Presidency, He must take a high
oath to support not only the Con-
stitution, but the laws of tn, land,
tariff laws and all. Now he grayely
believes the Mckinley tariff aw to
be void, for the reason stated. How
can he in his conscience enforce it?
If this act be as the Democratic
party contend, then all acts done
and the revenue collected under it
are illegal and trespasses. 1t does
not require much of lawyer or
statesman to know that all acts
done under a void law are simply
legal wrongs. Perhaps some Of the
leaders may yet take steps to get up
a test case before the Federal courts
to show how little the Fifty-frst
Congress knew of the Constitution
of the United States. Such a pro-
ceeding would at least be consistent
and candid. No doubt Democrats
will exclaim that these suggestions
are farfetched and beyond contem-
plation. They are at any rate lcgi-
cal, whether forseen or not by the
Democracy. Its not for that party
to dispute just conclusions from
their own deliberated premises.
Upon fundamental government
questions, the two great parties are
of opposite opinions and consciences.
The Republican party has always
found the constitution a helpful
convenience and guide in all great
national measures for the good of
the people. The constitution as
understood and interpreted by its
patriotic authors is at all times au-
thoritv and a light to Republican
minds to encourage them to contend
for the maintenance of tariff that
shall protect and give employment
to 1merjcan labor and enterprise,
as against European labor and en-
terprlSc. But to Democratic minds
this is a palpable violation of the
constitution. Democratic free trade
is positive protection or encourage
ment to foreign labor and capital,
and foreigners so understand and
appreciate it, but Republicans do
not resist this baneful policy upon
constitutional bubbles, but upon
its merits, or rather dement's. The
constitution. though it embodies
the sum of the wisdom of our patri-
otto ancestors, has often been found
to be a stumbling block to the De-
mocracy. ltwas lamentably soin our
late war for national existence. We
are aware it is hardly considered or
derby at this late date to refer to
what happened among us in 1861
65, but it Is to be remembered the
Democracy profess to have per-