The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-09
courageous way in which Van Buren, met

courageous way in which Van Buren, met
the terrible crash Of 1897 he was beaten
worse than Adams. The American peo-
pie are mercurial, restless public; the
age of romance is over and cur civilization
is everywhere controlled in politics by
utilitarian forces rather than by the IN
vocation of patriotic memories or spiritual
appeals. Such civilization by its limisa-
tions inevitably deteriorates in time, and
its deterioration is seen in the popular
indifference to the sterling side of Mr..
Harrison's character and its iii-concealed
hostility to his repellant qualities.
A man Of superior public ability and
unblemished moral worth, Mr. Harrison
not only is not picturesque. en-
gazing personality but be lacks one
great quality Of successful leader
ship: viz, the power TO multiply
friends and create an enthusiastic follow
ing. Van Buren, was cold, but he was q
man of uroane, polished manners; while
Mr.. Harrison has the intellectual robust
ness and incisiveness of John Quincy
Adams joined to something of Mr..
Adams incapacity to win troops Of
friends. A just man must make enemies,
buta great leader needs to make and hold
the allegiance of troops OF friends.
Unfortunately for Mr.. Harrison's success
the free silver craze did not become the
leading issue of the campaign. The coun-
try was with US on the tariff. but at
the same time the country knew that the
Mckinley tariff would not be repealed, so
long as the Republicans held the senate,
and it knew, too. that the Democracy dare
not enact free trade" under q tariff for
revenue only, however much they may
howl about it in congress.
The quickness with which Hill and
Cleveland both threw the Chicago tariff
plank overheard shows that they both
perceived that the country was not ready
to abandon entirely the policy Of
protection. Hill declared himself a protec-
zionist and Cleveland halted at Stree raw
Materials" The country knew, too. that
while Cleveland is big, arrogant.
ponderous. self-satisied man, an exceed
ingiy corpulent Political charlatan, he is
not dangerous. He is set against 'free
silver" ard he cannot hurt the tariff I'M
til the senate becomes Democratic. When
ever congress passes q tariff bill that places
raw material on the free list Cleveland will
be obliged 10 sign ii in order to keep faith
With the rich importers and manufacture
ers. Then will come a revolt Of the pro-
ducers which will never end.until We have
full free trade in both raw materials and
finished goods or go back to full protection
for both producer and manufacturer.
The fight between the parties over the
tariff must go on; Cleveland will not be
permitted to stop with ''free raw mater
ials," for the producers of the West will
either force the enactment of full free
trade or force return to full protective
tariff instead of free trade in raw materials
and protection to finished goods, which is
Cleveland's policy" or, rather, bride of
tariff reform. The Republican party will
suffer nothing of permanent injury by this
defeat: it will not disintegrate. for it is
morally certain that the tariff battle so far
from being over has only just begun. The
moment the Democracy once enact the
Mills bill with free raw materials and pro-
lection to finished goods. . tariff battle
trebly laundering will swell the gale. and
we shall 60 on to full free trade or revert
to full protection.