The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1892-10-06

diced observer the pOilt1cal campaign is
curious one. The absence of flags and
banners and brass bands on the one
hand, and careful, intelligent study of
the issues of the campaign on the other,
signalize this as an unusual political
contest A prominent western politician
recently here, who has been in a good
many states east and west in the past
fortnight, said in talking Of this sub
ject: ''This is campaign of thought. It
reminds me of the campaign of 1854,
when the people became alive to the
situation and discarded appeals to par
tisanship for intelligent action upon the
living issues"
Intelligent Study of the Issues.
This seems to be the situation today.
Appeals to partisan feelings and senti-
ment appear valueless. There is no
hurrah, and when it is attempted it is
unsuccessful; but the demand for infor-
nation upon the leading issues of the
campaign is very great. President Har-
rison's dignified letter, in which he dis
cussed the issues between the two par
ties fully and ably, seems to have
strengthened this desire for thorough
investigation of the various features
which mark the lines between the two
parties. The demand for information
as to the effect of the tariff policy of the
Republican party and the prospective
effects of free trade, free banking and
free manipulations of the ballot box as
proposed by the Democrats is very great.
Valuable Information ON Tariff Results.
In the matter of obtaining informa-
ton touching the effect of the present
tariff law the inquirers have been singu-
larly fortunate. 1t happens that mass
of information has just come to the sur
face showing the effects of the tariff and
reciprocity both at home and abroad
Curiously, too. this information comes
through Democratic and free trade
sources, and nobody therefore can COM
plain of it if its tendency is favorable to
the Republican tariff system. And it
happens curiously that all the informa-
ton which has been brought to the sur
face in this way proves striking testi-
monial to the present tariff law
Not only has the report of Labor Com
missioner Peck proven extremely i'm
portant in this particular, but the reports
of other Democratic officials of the state
of New York show a marked increase in
the savings of the working people of the
state during the first full year under the
Mckinley law.
British Hate Reciprocity and Protection.
But that is not all. Information from
free trade sources abroad is of such a
striking character and in such positive
terms that the people who are studying
the effects of reciprocity and the new
tariff are irresistibly brought to the
conclusion that it cannot be other than
advantageous to the people of the United
States. English papers devoted to the
interests Of the manufacturers and mer-
chants of Great Britain come loaded
with statements showing the depression
to manufacturing and commerce of
Great Britain, which they openly say is
due to the Mckinley tariff and reciproc-
ity. They make no attempt at con-
cealment Of this condition or of
its cause. They say openly that
manufactures are i'll depressed
COuultlOu SO1uluCiS0 6ti1l WOl 30.
They particularly call attention to
the fact that the commerce of
Great Britain, which formerly supplied
nearly all the wants of Central and
South American countries, is being rap
idly and almost completely excluded
from those countries by the advantages
which the manufactures and products
of the United States get over them by
reason of reciprocity. They show that
British commerce is subjected to tariff
of from 40 to 20 per cent. in the coun-
tries with which the United States has
now reciprocity treaties, while the same
class of goods from the United States
enters those markets free of duty. That
this is absolutely driving their goods out
of South American markets and slowly
compelling the manufacturers to trans
fer their establishments to the United
States is admitted by these journals,
which are devoted to the interests Of
British manufacturers and British COM
merce.
AS to State Bank Currency.
Another subject which the inquiring
minds find full of interest is that relat-
ing to the proposed change in the cur
rency of the country. The proposition
Of the Democratic platform to remove
the tax on the currency of state banks
and thus return to the old system of
state bank notes which prevailed before
the war is being discussed with a great
deal OF interest. An investigation into
the operations of the state banks and the
losses under them when they were in OPP
Grafton as banks of issue brings re-
markable comparison when placed along
side OF the present satisfactory system
OF currency behind which stands the
government Of the United States.
The investigators find that the losses
in single year under this old state
banking system were more than in all
the thirty years since the present system
was established. The masses, particu-
larly the farmers, who remember their
suferings and their losses under the old
state bank currency, are speaking out
plainly against this proposition. Presi-
dent Livingston, of the Farmers Ali
ance Of New York, has written strong
letter in opposition to the proposition.
II A Campaign of Thought.
Thus this remarkable campaign "a
campaign OF thought-is progressing in
way that promises to make it re-
markable one in the history of the pol
tics of the country. And not the least
Of the incentives to this careful and in
telligent study Of the subject has been
President Harrison's able, intelligent
snd patriotic letter of acceptance which
| Ia being read and reread with interes.
| by men of all parties.
TIE col DEM pIuc