Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-01-14
The Whole Case, So Far.

w ISH MI. SIcFclduu Sout Ills Ldfll
message to Congress, thereby forcing
that issue to the front, he gave mortal
otfense to the Plutocratic party in both
parties, who had protested against his
action, and who then and there black
listed him as effectually as if he had
been section-hand on one of their rail-
roads. They saw that he had so endear-
ed himself to the popular heart that it
would be impossible to defeat him in
the convention: but it was possible to
defeat him at the election, and it was
done. No fact is better settled than
that Harrison owes his election to re-
calcitrant Democrats. This accomlish-
ed, the Mckinley bill and the repeal of
the Bland act followed as matters of
course. With these inquities placed
securely upon the statute book, they
feel reasonably safe for the next ten
years, for the Republican party is as
much their property as their bonds and
stocks. and its leaders will obey their
orders as promptly as any foreman in
one of their factories, or any superin-
tendent on one of their railroads.
The danger to their interests lies in
the Democratic party. They have never
been able to place its machinery en-
tirely under their own control. This
has resulted from the the nature of it's
constitution, for it was organized to re-
sist class legislation. 1t has been the
great conservator of freedom in this ma
ton. All its victories have been won
on the broad platform of freedom for all
and special privileges to none; and
when it has stepped down from this
high plane, defeat has followed. So
far, they have only been able to cast an
anchor to windward in its organization
heavy enough, they hope, to impede it's
progress when it aims to real reform,
or to destroy the organization if it per-
sists in course calculated to injure
their interests. How artfully they have
played their game thus far When
Mr.. Cleveland lost New York in 1888,
Mr.. Hill ". elected its Governor on
the Democratic ticket. Cleveland stood
for progress; Hill stood for reaction.
When it was discovered that the West
and South were nearly a unit for free
coinage of silver, pressure was placed
upon Mr.. Cleveland to make him de-
clare himself upon that question, which
he did with his usual directness, there
by placing himself in antagonism to the
West and South on an issue as dear to
them as the tariff. Then some myster-
ious influence was brought to bear on
Governor Campbell that caused him to
get off the platform made for him by
his party, and make his race across the
country. The same influence caused
Roger Q. Mills to make his unfortunate
Ohio speeches-perhaps in the hope of
securing Eastern influence in his fight
for the Speakership. The defeat of
Mr.. Campbell disposed of a pawn on
the political chess board that might
have become a dangerous Presidential
possibility, and Mr.. Mills Ohio speeches
were used to keep him out of the Speak
nI.i
ished no reason why he should not be
retained as chairman of the Committee
on Ways and Means, but he was grimly
set aside for one who it was thought
would not be so troublesome to class
interests; and this was done, too, be-
fore the country could file it's protest,
with the idea that good Democrats, for
fear of hurting the party, would accept
a situation which they could not change.
Mr.. Bland has been made chairman
of the Committee on Coinage, Weights
and Measures, and given the right of
way in his committee, so that Free
Coinage measure will probably be pass
ed through both houses of Congress
early in the session. But then there is
the man at the other end of the avenue,
with his veto, and the friends of the
Free Coinage cannot get their measure
beyond that. 1t is hoped, by this
means, to place the coinage issue be-
fore the people so prominently that the
tariff question can be conveniently
smothered, and then means can be found
to dispose as etfectually of the silver
question. The Democratic party is not
a child to be amused with rattle while
a leech is being applied to draw from
it its life-blood. Nor is it to be scared
from its policy of Tariff and financial
reform by the ghost of the Force Bill,
which is now being sheeted for use.
The man who pulls the string will find
himself in the possession of the contents
of a shotgun.
As matters now stand, there are men
protesting to be Democrats who would
rather have Mckinley President than
any man with Western IDEAS The
true Third Party is the Plutocratic par
ty, and it pervades both the old par
ties. The salvation of the Democratic