The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-11-11

chsstened and humbled party is now con-
Tossing its sins and acknowledging the
justice of the punishment. Pretty soon it
will be asking what it shall do next.
II Mr.. BLAINE were to give his real
opinion of the reason of the Republican
defeat he would probably say that stress
enough vas not laid upon the reciprocity
question. His successor to the portfolio OF
state, Mr.. FOSTER, declares with much
candor and truth that it is attributable to
the tariff. 1.-THE party" he says, ''chal-
lenged the Judgment of the country on the
MCKINLEY bill, and the verdict must be
accepted as the will of the peo-
pie that a different policy shall
be adopted" And Mr.. WHITELAw
REID, the vice-presidential candidate
remarks: "Evidently the whole Of the
Republican party does not approve Of the
protection policy" The party organs all
recognize that the chief offense that pro-
voked the wrath of the people was the
MCKINLEY bill. They admit now things
they denied again and again Z the canvass,
and some of them are admitting every
thing that was said against the bill from
the Democratic side of the debates in Con-
gress.
Had the event of Tuesday been tbs first
trial of the protection policy, the Republic
cans might have claimed the result was a
mere ebullition, but the fact is the mana
gors staked the very existence of their
party upon q second appeal to the country.
The nomination of HARRISON, the sending
forth of MCKINLEY IN all directions as the
high tariff champion, the character of the
documents put out as campaign ednca-
tional literature-indeed everything indi-
Gated the placing OF the party's life upon
this one ISSUE Some Incidental depression
was attempted here and there, but without
avail.
II is not probable the Eastern Republican
leaders will ever again try TO stamp out the
peoples defiance. The HARRISON admins
tration and it's congressional supporters
having been repudiated, the protectionists
can no longer range themselves behind the
bresstworks of Federal power. AS Secre-
tary FOSTER says, Tuesdays verdict must
be accepted" THE HERALD believes it will
stand long time, probably until profigacy
and corruption shall usurp the high places
and produce another popular revolut ton.
What the issues will then be, other than
the one of honest government, it is impos-
sible TO foretell. If the country could rely
upon the expectation that men like CLEvE-
LAND would be at the helm of state, long
lease of power could be safely predicted for
the Democracy.
What, indeed, is there for the Republic
can party, with high tariff abandoned, on
which TO rally their defeated and
scattering forest 1t cannot take up
free silver coinage for its leaders are
committed against that, and besides free
silver has more friends among Democrats
than Repu blicans, and the issue cannot be
nationalized. Financial problems will be
settled in connection with the tariff, trade
relations with other nations, monetary
congresses, or national legislation at home,
before another Presidential election. There
is nothing in common between the Farm
ers' Alliance and the Republicans. as the
late election shows. Indeed, wherever the
Alliance has co-operated with any party it
has been the Democratic. The Prohibi
tionists and the Republicans have some
elements OF adhesiveness, but the cona Gina
ton would not be formidable, and besides
in some states the Republican party is
dominated by the Germans, who hate pro-
hibition worse than anything else.
So the Republicans must henceforth re-
main waiting party, party of observa-
ton and opposition, ready to take adyan
tage of any mistakes in the administration
of affairs by the great organization which
will in few months enter upon it's new
duties. .