New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-03
~ 4 OEfNDfRI.


Two Democrats were talking on ferrybo
Nobody was near except an old fogy who was
absorbed in his newspaper The burning topic
was up. and in answer to a question, one sad
"Yes: am Free Trader but ] don't think
we can afford to nominate Cleveland When
he was elected before, smith Weed was going
around assuring manufacturers that Cleveland
was as good a Protcctonist as anybody. We
nut him in because people did not know about
him. The next time they knew, and he was
badly beaten He just suits me, but no man
known to be of his opinion or nine has been
elected President for forty years
Il want man who stands for something,
don't you?"
"Of course; but it is no good to put up
man TO be beaten ! tell You, the men who
wortt in the shops and factories don't trust a
Free Trader Then this BANKED Mckinney bllI
has added lot of works. one in my town that
employs fifty hands. About all used to be
Democrats, and now | reckon We can't get inc
votes of a half dozen Of them"
This Democrat wanted to take somebody
"whose opinions were not 50 well known, cork
his mouth up and let folks find out about him
after election But the notion of this one
man is not foreign to the thinking OF great
many Democrats, who are constantly compelled
to ask themselves whether Ohio and Rhode
Island meant victory on the tariff issue There
WIS an acre of land in Woonsockct X. l.. that
produced wear ago n ton of hay 10 the aero.
Now il produces a ton Of yarn to the square
foot. The men who make the yarn know more
about Protection than they did year ago.
There are thirty plate works already IN
operation or building. some small, but others
very large, and they have host OF men AT
work, whether complete or incomplete. 10"
many of these would vote for n Free Tradcr ?
Other establishments In all parts OF the conn-
try. so numerous that a census Of the Mckinley
| factories already fills many pages IN The
American Economist" are employing multi
tudes who were formerly Democrats. Nobody
will have to ask these men not Ia vote the
bread out Of their own mouths.
II is not in sure Republican or sure Demo
cratic States that this change hurts most. But
the States that were called doubtful or prob
ably Democratic two years ago have Their full
share Of the effects. Ncw-Yorll has lis scores
Of new works New-Jerscv and the close New
England States. Ohio and Indiana all have very
MANY. Minnesota has lis new linen mills. and
south Dakota ono about to start MAY l. en-
blowing 200 hands Ncw-JcrScy Nebraska
and Iowa have prarl-button works forced hithcr
from Austria and West Virginia new iron
works and woollcn mill expected 10 open this
week Every one Of these changes votes in a
| State that was thought debatablc. Besides.
| every one has demonstrated 10 thousands who
Hive near 10 farmers and mechanics and rail
road men and merchants. that the new tariff
| actually builds up things. creates new indus
tries and makes labor in greater demand.
Every Mckinley mill or shop is a schoohousc.
Under these circumstances, Democrats have
| not a little reason TO hesitate. II there were
a little more time t. spare, if that unhappy
| election Of 1890 had not forced upon them an
unwicldy and frightfully large majority in the
| House, they might possibly try to change front
even now. Yet they have gone ia; in recent
years that a man can hardly he found. suGi-
cicntly prominent and popular TO be AT all avail
able as Democratic candidate. who has not
committed himself thoroughly to the crusade
against the new tariff. A half Prot"ctiOniSt
would be cut by the Free Traders 4 trick>tcr
| like Hill would be cut by all sides. Ii has
probably come 70 be the fact that the open and
honest course, though desperate in the last
degree, is about safe for the party as any
other. Cleveland will be a heavy man TO
carry, but he at least has some positive adj
herents, and who would run better?