Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-08
NEWSPAPER OPINION.
Mr.. Harrison's Letter.


That all signs fail in dry minds is a
modification Of the traditional weather
saying which may be applied to Mr.. Har-
rison For some time past there have
been indications that the presidents in
tellect was broadening under the infu-
ence Of the responsibilities and oppor.
tunities Of his great Office, but his letter
of acceptance shows that when he takes
up national affairs as a candidate, he is
as narrow, as petty and as pettifogging as
he was on the stump in Indiana. His
letter is. from beginning to end, and
necessarily. defensive and apologize. 1t
was bound TO be that, for the firm and
aggressive tone of the opposition canvass,
carried on for the restoration of the
rights of American commerce, Ameri-
can manufactures and American work
ingmen in the shop and on the farm
compelled il. But Mr.. Harrison seems
60 think that II is at once cunning and
fair for want Of sufficient argument TO
make wry faces at the opposing counsel.
A couple of instances will suffice to show
his temper, and we refer our readers TO
the letter for the rest. He deliberately
talks about the alliance between the
Welsh producers and the Democratic
party for the destruction" Of the tin.
plate industry. He knows that such an
alliance does not exist. that il has
never been thought Of, and that il would
be impracticable. That does not prevent
his charging it upon the majority of his
ellow-citizens, who by every possible
test are as patriotic and incapable Of
plotting injury to their country, at least,
rs he is. In the second place, he accuses
the Democratic party of advocating the
repeal Of the tax on state bank
notes, with view" of causing
"a flood of local bank issues" Of the kind
that we had thirty-fve years ago. Mr.
Harrison knows very little about bank
ing, as he has sometimes confessed but
he can hardly be so densely ignorant as
to think that the bank issues of 1859 can
ever be revived in this country, and he
knows that their revival was never
within the view" of the Democratic
party. II is in this spirit that Mr. Har-
rison all through his long and confused
production labors TO put as fair face as
possible upon the Mckinley scheme Of
tariff favors. IL is needless to say that
he makes a poor showing. The only
industries 10 which Mr. Harrison ventures
TO refer are tin plate, pearl buttons, and
silver mining. Despite his moderate
facts and immoderate predictions, the
president cannot conceal the fact that.
after the enormous tribute levied on the
American people by the Mckinley tariff.
tin plate is not produced in commercial
quantities in the United States, and he
prudently avoids the remotest reference
10 the crushing weight of that tribute,
nor does he find IL wise to refer to the
fact that the tax on silver lead ores. that
so eXcites his admiration, has transferred
large part of the American smelling in
dustry TO Mexican soil He pays much
attention 20 the merits of reciprocity"
under the Mckinley bill, and introduces
the subject with grudging compliment
TO Mr. Blaine for pressing" what he
really invented Mr. Harrison does not
perceive, or if he does. he does not ac-
knowledge, that whatever reciprocity
has accomplished, be It much or little,
is the effect Of the partial adoption of
freedom of commerce and the proportion
ate abandonment of the policy of tariff
barriers TO foreign trade. And besides
this radical avoidance of the essential
fact as concerns the merits of the two
policies he again descends TO pettifogging
by accusing the Democrats Of wishing to
deprive the people OF the benefits of re-
ciprocity by repeating the law containing
the provision for il. That is an argu-
ment for rural jury, selected by strain
ing on all who can read newspapers; It
is not an argument for a rational and
self respecting political leader to address
to the great jury of his countrymen. 1t
is at once an insult to them and a dis
closure of Mr.. Harrison's calibre. Apart
from the labored and difficult apology for
McKinleyism, the only significant portions
of Mr. Harrison 'sletter are that in which
he tries in gingerly fashion TO shelve the
Force bill. and that in which with
supreme impotence he lodges the facts
as to his notorious violation of his civil
service reform pledges. As to the
Force bill, he takes refuge in the vague
recommendation of a mon partisan com
mission" of inquiry. He dares not re-
pudiate the platform Of his parry, and re
dares not say that he will not second and
support the plot of the party managers
TO provide series of Republican return
ing boards TO manipulate the election
returns of the South He swallows
whole the statements OF the
Alabama Alliance politicians as to the
treatment of their votes in that state:
he has not word about the elaborate
measures of Davenport and Lodge to
give their partisans authority TO do
worse than is even alleged for the votes
of all the Southern states. He would
gladly, if he could, lull the people TO u
sense Of false security by his pious COM
mission project, until his friends can get
the chance they are seeking to rob them
Of Nheir suffrage Happily, there is no
chance of his succeeding. As to civil
service reform his insolent claim is to be
read in the light Of his own and his
party's pledges. The verdict Is not
doubtful, but space does not permit us to
present the facts today.