The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-11-16

Now that the smoke of battle has cleared
away. calm reflection and inquiry may be Civ
en- As ID what caused the great upheaval, re-
sulting In the utter routing and discontinue OF
the Republican hosts.
First and primarily it was brought about by
the issue presented four years ago by Mr.
Cleveland. Four years study and reflection
has resulted in enlightening the masses upon
the question, in the contest Sloriously, closed.
Tariff reform has come to stay The obnox
ious force bill did its share in bringing aboul
the defeat OF its advocates. Class legislation, as
ths outgro~th of protection. awakened the peo
pie to its dangerous tendencies. and the AFRO
gance of wealth in seeking only to add to ii
already fabulous surfeit. received merited re
buke. There can be no question as to tn.
meaning of this Overwhelming verdict agains
the longer ruling the Republican party. Tn,
people are no longer frightened by protection
alarmlsts- They have notified the favored
scions of protection that they will no longer
pay them tribute And it is pleasing to note
that our Republican opponents who were SO
lavish in predictions of disaster, in the event OF
Democratic rule and supremacy before tht
election. ale disposed. professedly. at least, to
lay aside partisan bigouy and calmly await the
result of trial of the Democratic tariff policy
The following from the Cleveland Leader is
in strong contrast with its labored and energetic
predictions of financial disaster if Cleveland
was PLACED at the helm of government, before
the battle:
LET THE CHANGE COME.
What did ita" and what will be the re
suli2'' are and will continue to be for some time
to come. subjects of earnest public discussion
All the Mugwumps. the majority of the Demo
cratic leaders. the free trade professors ano
some prominent Republicans think the prime
cause of the recent popular verdict dlssat-
isfaction with the Republican policy of proiec
ton. 1t is not impossible that this opinion is
the correct one. If the victors so construe the
verdict OF last Tuesday it will be their plain
duty TO adopt policy directly opposite to the
one now in operation. The people of the Uni
ted States have right to adopt any fnancia
or economic system they please. and it is al
ways the duty of the party in power to conform
to the expressed wishes of the people who
placed it there.
BY the time the new administration can have
tariff bill ready FIR the executive signature
the Republican policy for protection will have
been in operation in this country contnuousl.
for about third of century. The American
people may well congratulate themselves tina
they have so long enjoyed its good fruits |
it had not been beneficial to Americans it woulc
not nave been so persistently assailed by tht
nations of Europe that wanted to sell us thel
pro ucts. But the verdict of last Tuesday i
interpreted to mean that protection is wrong
and must go. There can be no appeal from
that decision and it must be accepted without Z
murmur. No policy can endure permanently
It is believed by the victors of last Tuesday
that our industries do not need protection. l
is possibly so. They may he wiser than the
Republicans upon this point. That can onll
be determined by trial and the sooner tha
comes the earlier the people will know whether
they have gained or lost by their rejection o
protection.
Whether it be for the country's good. time
will tell. Republicans will calmly await tbs
trial of any new policy the Democracy may in
troduce. Let it come