The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-04-13

W idiSS uaJOiluI, luouIluR Jue re-
turn of Senator Aldrch to the United
States senate. The situation in Rhode
Island was set forth in the last issue of
the WATCuMAN. National issues were
raised and sharpened to razor edge by
the presence of their foremost national
opponents. Ex-President Cleveland
was called in to add the weight of his
name, his prestige, his speech, TO the
cause of the democracy. Elk Governor
Campbell came from Ohio, and the
very flower of the orators of the de-
mocracy in congress was turned loose
upon the state. The ex-president made
the cause in Rhode Island his own.
Against the giants of the democracy the
republicans pitted Mckinley, Reed and
Horr, dis,inctively the national repre-
sentatives of the most clearly defined
principles of the party. 1t was a splen-
did debate, an appeal to the reason
rather than to the passions and preju-
dices of men.
The democratic orators were dumb
as oysters on the one question which
their party had made the foremost issue
in the national house of representa-
tives-the free coinage of silver. 1t
was dangerous subject to discuss in
any Eastern community, and in respect
to it the democratic speakers employed
the tactics of the ostrich. They hid
their heads in the political sands of the
little state, but the index finger of the
republicans pointed to the ridiculous
array of tail feathers fluttering in the
April breezes. The ruse did not sue
coed. The republicans forced the fight
ing along the entire line of national
questions. In what is almost exclu-
sively manufacturing community, the
theories of the ex.president in the mat
ter of the tariff should certainly prevail,
if they could find acceptance any
where in this nation. The opportu-
nifty to score strong point for tariff re-
form and to exalt Cleveland was a
golden one. Confident in his ability to
win victory for himself, and Incl
dentally for his principles, the ex-
president plunged into the contest with
out reserve. The result would seem to
be disaster overwhelming and ire
trievable to the prophet and his cause.
Can any convention of rational men
nominate this man after this exhibition
of his weakness, expecting that the
voters of the country will elect him pres
ident? And when the prophet of
"tariff reform" is discarded by his
own chosen people, what community
shall give his reform" asylum? In its
first trial at the polls, in a common
wealth that should eagerly espouse
tariff reform" as expounded by Mr..
Cleveland, if there is anything in it to
commend it TO rational people, the
reform is spurned. The republican
theory of protection with reciprocity, as
exemplified by its greatest exponent
in person, Governor Mckinley, is
adopted-and under circumstances that
render its adoption as significant as the
emphatic rejection of the opposing doc
trine is fatal to its preacher and to his
party.
The hope of the national democracy
must now rest on free coinage, or Hill
ism, and in this harborage or that re-
publicans are content to see their oppo-
nents anchored. In the first test of the
strength of their political principles in
the campaign of 1892 the victory is with
the republicans, and all the circum-
stances of the triumph impart to sue
cess the highest significance. 1t will
be an inspiration to republicans all
over the land. Vermont will give the
ball set in motion by Rhode Island
new impetus and new significance,
and protection, reciprocity and sound
money will score ten-strike in No
vember. So mote it he.