The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-10-12
THE DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL.
Farcical Proceedings of the Ways and
 Means Committee.


 few days ago. It is no discourtesy to
 the majority of the con .mittee to say
 that these hearings were permitted | only in deference to public opinion, and
 that they were never intended to in- 1 fluencc the action of the majority ad-
 versely to its party policy. Reeogniz-
 ing this, great proportion of the man.
 ufacturcrs have made no effort to be
 heard. It has saved them from per
 sonal insult, or the scarcely less gall
 ing contempt and indifference of the
 committee, and from much question | ing which has often seemed to have no other motive than to force manufac- turers to disclose their private affairs to competitors, or else to subject them- | selves to the imputation of making ex-
 orbitant profits It has spared them a
 waste of time and money. If the in-
 formation they could have given would
 have been instructive to the public,
 manufacturers in the great depart
 ments have the natural feeling that, if
 the experience of thirty years has not
 taught voters anything. single state
 ment which no democratic newspaper
 would fairly print could never break
 mp deeply-rooted prejudice or pene-
 trate fathomless depths of ignorance.
 There are many other manufacturers
 yyho have themselves been convinced
 by experience under the Mckinley
 tariff that their previous hostility to its principles was mistaken. They have learned the folly of the clamor for free raw materials They have been taught that prosperous and well-paid millions can buy vastly more than ill-paid workers, and thus furnish the only
 basis upon which manufacturing pros- perity can rest. They have seen won derful progress within three years in methods of manufacture, in kinds of goods produced, in economy of manu- facture and in wages of labor. Thou sands of such men, although democrats in theory, have insensibly come to be- lieve that their party must protect home industry as thoroughly as the republican party has done or it will not deserve support. Their anxiety has led them to seek representation be- fore the committee. An unusual pro- poi hiNbi oi tlC lNhI Ildo come from democrats who appealed with passionate earnestness to their party friends not to destroy at once their industries and their af- lection for their party. If these appeals have been in vain they may at least help to complete the enlighten- ment of these democrats regarding the character of their party. Many new in- dustries, or new developments in old | industries, have sought a hearing, in ! the hope that the democrats of the | committee would see the unwisdom of | a backward step. These gentlemen | perhaps do not understand that the | great majority of democratic congress- men are bound hand and foot by the | pledges they have given to constitu- | ents. They do not desire light, because they know they cannot overcome the prejudices they have so long fostered | and used, and they do not dare to try. evidence were more convincing than proofs of Holy Writ, these mem- bers would have to rush furiously down a steep place into the sea. The force behind them, which they have labored for many years to increase, has become for then. irresistible To go with it or be trampled under foot is their only al- formative.
 It has not seemed a desirable thing that the house committee should report a weak dilution of democracy The principles and purposes of the demo- cratic party have been declared with sufficient distinctness But the millions do not readily translate abstract prin- ciples into concrete changes. It was desirable that the bill to be presented and discussed should represent the real meaning of democratic declarations, and put at least an appreciable part of democratic principles into definite changes of duty, so that each man could see for himself how it would af- feet him. The day for shabby tricks and low dodges, it has been hoped, ended with the democratic victory of 1892. The country wants to know Tn exact terms what that party considers a proper and constitutional tariff for revenue only, and then voters can determine how they like it If such tariff cannot be passed, the party will stand convicted of deliberate falsehood. It has the votes, all elected upon the same ex- plicit declaration of principle. 1t has the strongest possible motive for exhib- iting some of the positive and construc- tive qualities which it has not shown for more than thirty years. Failure or to square its action to its pledges will ent. the matter. If the country is going to have protective tariff, it will decide to have that tariff framed by pro- The democrats in con- gress may rest assured that dodging and triclkery will cost them something. Any compromise or horizontal tariff would be so gross an anachronism, so plain confession of incapacity to meet the needs of this age of the world. that 1t would deserve to be indignantly spurned by honest men of all parties. If democratic pledges and theories mean anything, let the country see what they mean. If they mean noth- ing, let the next election turn upon that