St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-07
Reputation Of MeKinleyism
by the Pioneer Two
Years Ago.
The People Demanded Lower
and Not Higher Tariff
Duties.
"Protection Run Mad" Re.
buked by Indignant and
Over-TaXed People.
What the Pioneer Press
Thought of Kiefer Two
Years Ago.

1t has been repeatedly asserted by
Democrats during this campaign that
the Republican party of Minnesota
exists only for the purpose of securing
the offices at stake and remaining in
power.
The assertion is based upon the fact
that the Republican party two years ago
was tariff reform party, and that it is
now pronounced Mckinley bill party.
For many years prior to the present
campaign it was tariff reform party.
and all its orators and its leading news
papers constantly urged that the in
terests of the country, and especially
those of Minnesota and the North west,
demanded tariff reform.
Two years ago when the country spoke
its views of the Mckinley bill by elect
ing an overwhelming majority of Demo
Gratis to the lower house of congress,
the editor of the Pioneer Press. in a
powerful editorial, laid the blame for
the result of the congressional election
where it in the main belOnged-to the
Mckinley bill. He has since been
whipped into line by the Eastern end of
the Republican party, which exists for
the protection of the great monopolies
which abound there. MIR. Wheelock's
editorial was published in the Pioneer
Press Nov. 6, 1890. After reciting that
the Democratic majority in the house
would be about 125. and specifying that
the great losses were in the Middle and
Western states, the editorial proceeds as
follows:
1t Was McMinleyisn.
1t is fortunate for the cause Of polit-
ical education that we are not left in
doubt. We do not have to go hunting
among conflicting theories for an ex-
PLANTATION of Republican defeat.
For that defeat is no more pronounced
than is the issue upon which 1t was ac-
complished.
The Republicans who assumed leader
ship in congress assumed leadership
also Oh the field.
They made up the issue, and they re-
fused to SO much as consider any other.
The campaign which ended last Tues
day was fought, as far as the leaders
could compel it. upon the sole issue of
the Mckinley bill.
Many things were done at the last
session of congress besides passing the
Mckinley bill. The majority has long
list of measures to its credit, upon which
1t might have made an appeal to the
voter. Aud the wiser heads of the
party were in favor of giving them at
least their due prominence. But Nc
Kinleyism seemed to have beWitched
everybody who came within its intiu-
ence. C
Mr.. Reed and Mr.. Mckinley declared
hot hi I>n sLnfr, m
paign, and that its aggreSSiveneSS must
consist in challenging the opinion of
the country on this one particular meas
ure of raising duties which the
People Wanted Reduced.
They carried their fanatical devotion
to the prohibitory tariff idea from coli
greSS TO the stump. They dragOoned
the party in the field into support of
them, just as they had dragooned the
party in congress into voting for their
heart and soul of the campaign. And
if we could collect in volume all the
speeches made by them in the last four
weeks, we should find ten times as
much space devoted to eulogy of the
Mckinley bill as to all other questions
combined. They were determined that
| the nation should vote on this issue of
theirs, and they have had their will.
We trust that they are satisfied with
themselves and with the destruction
which they have wrought.
At any rate, there is this much salts
| faction to be had out of it; we know just
| what the country thinks about the Nc
| Kinley programme. This defeat is not
| the result of apathy. 1t was not caused
| by the stay-at-h0me vote. 1t is a DELHI
crate rebuke from the people who be-
| lieve in protection, but not In protection
| run mad. The Republicans won on a
| protective platform in 1888. But there
platform which breathed a hint of
higher duties. Such a thing the cOun-
| try never dreamed of until the bill now
law was proposed for passage. And
The Country Repudiates 1t,
root and branch. This is chastisement
by Republican hands. 1t is flagelIa-
| ton by: men whose belief in the pro-
tcctiye system is as strong as it ever
was. But they will not permit unre-
| buked wanton increase of taxes and of
| prices, not for protection, but for the
purpose of destroying foreign trade.
Doubtfully, reluctantly, almost de-
spairingly, they have chosen rather to
| send a majority of Democrats to Wash
| ington than to ratify the suicidal work
| which Reed and Mckinley accom-
plished. Will the party heed the les
| sou.
This election decides nothing for 1892
| The Republican party has it in its pow
| er to win back all and more than it has
| lost. The nation believes in protection,
| and it will support reasonable protec-
| tive policy against Democratic free
| trade. But we must have an end of the
| present leadership. The party must
| prepare to fulfil its long-Standing PROM
lse, to revise and reduce tariff in the in
| terest of reform. 1t must put aside the
odious thing known as Mckinleyism !;
which was never truly Republican
policy, and which is hostile to the ira
ditions of the party and TO the utter
ances of the most distinguished men.
| 1t must get rid of the Quays, who have
| cast it into bad odor. 1t need sacrifice
| nothing OF bOldneSS in gaining discre-
| ton.
What it Cost
| The Mckinley bill has cost us ma
iority in congress. The Lodge elections
bill. if it's passage is insisted upon, is
more than likely TO cost us the presi-
dency. There is plenty Of time to re-
pair what damage has been done. But
the party needs to take need to It's bear
ings, and to refuse to follow two or three
| ambitious and reckless men into new
and umpalatable policies. The Repub-
Iiean protest against the Mckinley bill
before its passage was loud ard earnest.
| If that protest had been needed, we
should not have had the great reverse of
Tuesday. The question now is, will the
| party leaders take to heart this painful
and costly lesson, and bring the party
policy into harmony with its past, before
a worse thing comes upon them and
upon the mighty organization whose
fortunes they have so wofully mis-
managed? Il
And yet the Pioneer Press, after
| speaking the brave and true words
| quoted above, is now supporting Nc
Kinleyism.
Is it telling the truth now, or did it in
the issue of Nov. 6, 1902
The people of Minnesota two to one
| believe that the truth came out after
that great defeat.