The Lafayette gazette., 1893-06-10
KEEPING UP THE FIGHT.
Ths harrison and Mckinley Combinatass
9tlu Hoping.


still Hoping.
Two eminent advocates Of republican,
isra aud high tariff are reported by the
republican papers as having recently
made stirring appeals to their followers
One of them is the late president of tho
United States, Mr.. Benjamin Harrison,
whose views are said to have been
packed into tho single phrase: Keep
on fghting." The other is the late
chairman of the ways and means COM
mittee of the house of representatives,
and the responsible author ofthe present
tariff law. Gov. Mckinley, of Ohio. He
is reported to have used language sim
gularly that of Mr.. Harrison. borrow
ing Mr.. Lincoln's famous declaration:
''This fight must go on" These asser-
tfons we accept with qualification.
They indicate a spirit that is not only
creditable to their authors and consis-
tent with the known courage and reso-
luton of these gentlemen and states
men, but one that is also essential to
the evolution of q sound policy of gov
ern ment for free people under repre-
sentative institutions. Both Mr.. Har-
rison and Mr.. Mckinley have within
the past year gone through experiences
that might well chill their fervor and
deaden any personal ambition by which
they were animated.
Mr.. Harrison, after four years in the
chief executive Office, and after a vic
tory over powerful rivals in the nonni-
mating convention of his party, was de-
eated in the election by the democratic
candidate whom he had defeated four
Years before, and this in a manner SO
decisive that it might well have dis
couraged him as to the possibility of his
party's return to power in this genera
ton. Mr.. Mckinley, during the ses-
sion of congress in which t60ktariff law
that bears his name was debated and
passed, enjoyed prominence and exer-
by any representative. He became the
logical candidate Of his party sue
cessor to Mr.. Harrison, and when he al
lowed his name to be presented to the
convention it was natural that he
should have expected to see it accepted
by the majority of that body. He was
disappointed in that expectation. He
then gave his utmost efforts to secure
the election of the successful nominee,
feeling that the real issue in the cam
vass had been made by him and that
his standing with the country was as
directly involved as that of Mr.. Harri-
son, if not more so. The crushing de-
feat that followed at the polls fell with
peculiar weight upon him. But now,
it seems, he is not less ready than his
party and rival to continue the strug-
gle. We trust that both of them are
very much in earnest and that they will
do everything in their power to bring
the contest to a result that will be en-
tirely satisfactory to them.
But they must not forget what the
''fght' really is or what they will have
to do to accomplish their ends. 1t may
be said at the outset that the one thing
they must do is to convince the ma jority
of the American people that the deci-
sion OF last year was an error. So far as
concerned the decision was very simple.
They asked the people to leave the
framing and enforcing of tariff laws in
their hands, with the avowed undertake
ing that tariff taxation should not be
reduced, but should rather be increased.
That was the burden of all their pro-
fessions in the late canvass. There was
no admission by them of any serious
faults or vices in the tariff, of any un-
just advantages conferred on favored
interests, or uni just impositions upon
the great body of consumers. There
was no intimation that trusts had
been fostered by the tariff, or that the
party in power had been denoralized
by its independence on the money made
from special privileges granted to mo-
nopolleS. There was no suggestion of re-
lief to manufacturers by the decrease of
duties on materials or of help for the
laboring classes by an increased for
clSh NSIidHl lot inc pTOuucIS OF
their labor. Now, if Messrs Harrison
and Mckinley and their party friends
really intend to keep on fighting'
the lines of last years struggle, the
people will only be more and more en-
likhtened as to the real nature aud ef-
feet of their fiscal and political policies
That is a desirable result, and we hope
that they will not abate a jot of heart
or hope in pursuing it in their own way.
Probably, however, this would not be
the line these gentlemen would pursue.
They would be more likely to fall back
on general or specific criticism of the
party that has replaced their own in
power. That also will be heartily well
come. We have seen how pitifully the
republican party was first misled, then
weakened and finally debauched by un-
checked prosperity. We do not pretend
that the democratic party can be
trusted forever with power. We shall
be heartily glad to see it subjected to
the most searching examination of its
conduct and its motives. If it deserves
con tinued success, it will bear such ex-
animation. If it cannot bear it, the
people will know how to take care of it.
BY all means ''<eep on fighting. IN. Y.
Times.
Pension Reform.
Mr.. Cleveland has at last chosen a
commissioner of pensions He has been
deliberate about filling this important
office, partly, we presume, that he
might not make Harrison's mistake of
appointing Tanner in haste and re-
penting at leisure, and partly, no