The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-11-23
PAW PAW, MICH, NOV. %, 1892.
An Extra Session.

The Republican is pleased to note
that the democratic demand for an ex-
ira session and the speedy repeal of the
Mckinley tariff is increasing in
strength, despite the fact that some re-
publican papers are rather favoring
the temporizing policy urged by fright
ened democrats, because, as they pro-
fess to believe, it will be less injurious
To business-a belief which we do not
share.
At the democratic national conven-
ton held in Chicago last June the COM
mittee on resolutions presented plank
declaring that the difference between
American and foreign wages should
measure the degree of protection
awarded to American manufacturers.
That declaration was deliberately
wiped out by the convention, and
plank was substituted declaring that a
tariff which afforded any protection
whatever was unconstitutional. Not
dollar of revenue must be raised which
was not absolutely necessary for the eX-
pense of government, economically
administered. 1t further declared pro-
lection and reciprocity to be frauds.
Upon this issue, fairly made, the
democrat and republican parties went
before the people, and the former was
indorsed by an overwhelming majority.
There is no installing this verdict. 1t
means that the people of the United
States are ready to try free trade, and
have taken the democratic party on its
promises. The democratic leaders
must call an axtra session of congress
and sweep away the Mckinley law, or
else they must acknowledge that they
are humbugs and falsiiers, who made
pledges they did not intend to fulfill.
But supposing this admission is made:
What them The democratic party
will be crushed, but it does not follow
that the republicans will get the pieces.
There Is another party in the field-a
party committed to free trade and free
silver The populite party is, in many
essential features, similar to the demo
cratic party, and readily fuses with it
against republicans. Should the demo
Gratis prove recreant to their promises
where will the free traders go? To
the republicans? Certainly not; for
they will find the republican party
standing, as it does to-day, upon the
principles of prtection and honest
money, which they have repudiated.
They will naturally unite with the pop
ulite party. Then the same issues will
be again presented, probably with the
same result, and thus the contest will
go on indefinitely, with business con-
stantly unsettled for the next eight
years.
These issues of free trade should be
settled at once. The people have de-
clared for them. 1t is evident that
nothing less will be accepted, and the
business interests of the country
demand that the experiment, if it must
be made, be started at the earliest
practicable moment. The republicans,
without exceptions, believe that it will
prove disastrous. If they are right,
the year 1896 will witness reaction
which will replace that party in power,
and keep it there for twenty years.
We could wish that the country might
be spared these evils, but do not deem
it possible. Disastrous diseases de-
mand heroic treatment at times. The
democratic party has raised this issue.
1t may not now avoid it, and is alone
responsible for the results. If it was
sincere in its declarations before the
election it cannot afford to prove false
to its convictions. Such a course must
cover it with disgrace. -LanSing Re
publican.