The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-11-13
Monday. November Ii. 1893.
Prospective TARIFF LEGISLATION.

PROsPECTIvE TARIFF LEGISLATION.
Though the oracles of the Democratic
party are 10th to admit. either verbally
or through the press. that the leading
cause uf the Democratic overthrow IN
the recent election. was in any way re-
lated to the Democratic tariff policy. II
IN nevertheless a most noticeable fact
that since the election he talk OF the
leaders of the party. both in and out OF
the press, has largely turned upon the
question of what effect the November
vesdict will have upon h tariff bill
now in process Of incubation and to be
presented to Congress early in the com
ines session. The effect is clearly seen.
whatever the cause may have been, and
n it serves no purpose to argue that OPP
position to the Democratic policy OF free
trade spoke in the voice OF the people
last week, when the Democratic party le
already trimming it's sails to meet the
vind from this new quarter. we Will be
content to call the cause by any other
name that sounds as sweet. SO that the
results be satisfactory. The attentive
xeader of the public record OF events
c,nnot fail to rave noticed the rapid. al
u.ost ipstantar eous change OF front that
Apspme Of the leading Democratic papers
hsve effected in the past few days in re-
gard to the Democratic policy in the
matter Of the tariff, and sufficient notice
has already been given in an unofficial
way that with the tariff as with silver
he Democratic party has one policy and
The administration another. 1t is only
recent history that Mr.. Cleveland was
not in accord with his party at the Chi
raro convention. and that his tariff
I1ank-a mild and conciliatory PROPOSE.
tion-was denounced by the free trade
wing Of the party. and shelved without
my ceremony. But the party has found
.out by this time that a few things con-
rerning Mr.. Cleveland may be set down
- self evident facts. One is that Gro
Yer Cleveland. president. and Grover
Cleveland. candidate for the nomination.
IRE radically distinct personages. An
ether that Mr.. Cleveland is very tenta-
two of his own ideas. and the outcome
NJ the silver fight must have convinced
Tie most stubborn enemies OF repeal in
te Democratic party that where
there's a will. there's a way" and correl-
akiyely, that Of all super-dominant, pre-
ponderant and imperative wills that
possessed by the president is entitled to
rank as \ /. 1t follows. therefore, that
Il the tariff bill now being prepared by
1Ao ways and means committee OF the
.Honse is not in accord with the presi-
.dential idca-and from what has..been in
timated of it. it is sure not to belt Will
have to take a back seat, and make way
for a measure based upon the economic
plank of the Chicago platform, the one
which Mr.. Cleveland favored and which
Watterson and his following denounced.
In his opposition to legislation on the
tariff on the extreme lines of the Chicago
platform, Mr.. Cleveland is sure to meet
With a much larger numerical support
in his own party than he had in the sill
yer fight. as the tariff is in truth a local
question. and there is in Congress no
Lack of protection Democrats, who only
need the encouragement OF such distin-
Guished leadership as that of the presi
dent to ~valiantly combat any free trade
enactment. Under these conditions we
.aee no reason to fear the tariff legisla
ton of the existing Congress for the
country at large, though it is to be fear
Cd that wool and such other raw com
modities as are not generally produced,
nay suffer.
The triumphant success OF my pol
icy in the silver fight is sure to stiffen
HI. Cleveland's back, and should there
be any determined opposition to his ideas
- to tariff legislation in the coming SEES
aion of Congress. it will precipitate a
1ght in which the Democratic party
party will be 30 completely ripped
- the back that they can never face the
.sountry again on this issue. There is,
however, one avenue Of escape, which
though questionable in a political sense,
i nevertheless practicable. The party
~ always stood for "a tariff for reve-
- only" and a. the constantly increas-
II necessary expenditures Of the gov
0ument now crowd the tariff receipts
= closely - to sdmito Of no curtailments,
- Democrats ear consistently say that
- Mckinley bill 10 in fact q tariff for
only. and let it 60 At that. It
n't pleasant medicine to take, but the
J6sasing draughts are rarely eficacious.