The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-25
GM ~Gmtd6qemen
The Republican Party and Protection.
Surveying the field OF battle and cast
ing an eve to the future tho st. Louis

The Republican Party and Protection
Surveying the field OF battle and cast
ing an eye to the future tho st. Louis
Globe Democrat remarks:
II the Republican party Is TO win any victories
the future 1t must drop McKlnieyism inllle.
dlately aud permanently aud send all the men
who cling 10 1t 10 the rear. The party must, OF
course adhere 10 the protective policy, but II
must DO protection Of the rational kind-the
protection which keeps. the interests oi con
sumers as vol as those OF producers in view"
This depends. There is need OF
some definitions. What is Mckinley
ism? What is protection Of the national
kind? What is the kind and what is
the degree of protection which keeps
the interest of the consumer as well as
those of producers in view? We have
heard much OF this sort of talk from
DemocratsSwh call themselves protec-
tionists and vote the Democratic ticket
no matter what that party's tariff plank
may be, no matter what sort OF tariff
measures it supports in Congress.
If a protective tariff policy is to be
supported effectively it must be by
men who will vote for it. 1t is not
enough to profess a belief in the theo-
ry and vote against the practice.
There is no such ism as McKinleyism.
The act which bears the name Of Nc.
Kinley, because he. was at the time of
the passage chairman Of the ways and
Q committee. was passed by a Re-
publican Congress and signed by a Re-
publican President. Good or bad. it is
Republicanism. 1t was believed to EN-.
body protection OF the rational kind.
Judged by its effect IN the business
OF the country, the employment it has
given and the volume Of wages under
it, it is the very best tariff act, the most
rational measure of protection the
country has ever had. 1t sought to en-
courage the domestic production OF
everything we can make in this u
try, and it is Republican doctrine that
the chcapness that results from this
policy of home development is the only
cheapness that is profitable to a nation.
1t must be borne in mind that the
Democratic party has triumphedo on the
declaration that a protective duty is
unconstitutional. This is very different
from winning on a platform OF moder.
ate protection or rational protection.
The Republican party was pledged to a
protection that will protect.
The Democratic party said that pro-
lection is a frauu and unconstitutional.
The people have decided that for the
present they will have the Democratic
party to make tariff laws for them IN
the basis Of its platform doctrine. II
the people understand what they want,
any measure of protection would be
offensive to them, and nothing would
be gained for the Republican party by
retiring n set of Republicans and
bringing forward another set less ad.
vanced on the line of protection.
There is therefore no encouragement
for the Republican party to hedge on
the question of protection, even though
it we're willing to sacrifice principle for
power. Since Republicans do not live
for the Offices, they can afford to stand
by their coIors. push the fighting and
calmly await developments.
The country will return to its senses.
Tho Democratic party will help to
arouse it to intelligent consciousness.