The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-06-30


THE part played by the Wisconsin
delegation with reference to the tariff
plank should be forgotten by democrats
as speedily as possible in view of the fact
that we are on the threshold of cam
paign which demands united effort But
it is just as well that those should bear
the stigma who have earned it, and any
attempt on the part of newspapers to re-
lieYe the guilty ones of responsibility in
the matter WILL be sure to keep the ques-
ton open. There is no democrat in Wis
consin who desires the success of his
party as a means of instituting reforms
which lie thinks are desirable, who is not
indignant at the attempt to commit the
party TO the policy of protection. When
people are in such frame of mind it is
no time to attempt to hold Col. Villas
blamelesS in the matter or to attempt to
show that responsibility does not rest
chiefly on him. The Lacrosse Chronicle
has been able, fearless and consistent in
its advocacy of tariff reform. It's SINGER
Ity has carried it to the brink of rupture
with the party should the latter adopt
policy inconsistent with the principles
1t professed. There is, perhaps, no state
IN the union in which the democracy is
more united in favor of tariff reform ADD
more pronounced against equivocal utter
ances on this issue than Wisconsin. The
Chronicle has on thi squestion faithfully
reflected the opinion of the democrats
while honestly EXPRESSING its own, and it
should not now faint its record by de-
Tense of any man who would deliberately
falsify the state in this important Issue
and apparently commit those he repre-
scented to policy they detest, because he
deemed the course expedient. The demo-
Gratis of Wisconsin are not recreaut to
principle and those who would thus
represent them are not entitled to the
plaudits of those they wrong.
Col. Villas agreed 20 the disgraceful
straddie in the meeting of the committee
and joined with the majority in reporting
1t. Did this look as if he favored the Neal
substitute? The majority of the commit
tee sought by parliamentary trickery 10
choke off the Neal substitute and force
tie '.monstrosity" on the convention.
Col. Villas acted with the majority IN this
matter. How does this compart with the
plea in his behalf that his defense of the
protection plankwas merely perfunctorv2
Put Col. Nllas's word that the Neal sinh.
sutuse was satisfactory to him against
his action IN the committee and his
championship of the majority report be-
fore the convention and it will be n diff
cult matter To trace a thread of consis
tency IN his course on which defence or
Justification might hang.
The injection OF the educational onas-
ton was no doubt his work. Its Ian
guage and that of the tariff plank mons
frosty winch the convention hapniIy
Killed are so stnklngly similar that no
difficulty Is encountered in traclng tban,
TO a common origin. They are welded
by the common purpose of the man wbo
gave them being, and both give evidapn,
of pinchheck order of statesnansb,r,
from which the conscience of the state
racoils.
Less than this The Pilot conld not say |
with Te'erencet to the attempt at debauc6- /
ing the sentiment in favor ftaritf reform, /
In tins state. More it does not chose In /
say, but cannot. refrain from hazarrIing
the advice that 1t is unwlse to make Lame
defences. Fortunately the party has a
tarif plank far better than it could hone
Tor If Subjected to the tendency toward +
compromise and the high tariff lnHCe1c.
of the committee. The tariff plank adont-
ed Is such that every tariff reform demo-
crat may heartily approve.