St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-09
Push 1T THROUGH.

n
dation than the Imagination of CORE
spondent becalmed under lee shore,
comes from Washington that an effort
will be made to defer the operation of
the Wilson bill until July l. Doubt
less there will be strong pressure
brought to bear by interests that would
gladly see the bill strangled, to have
the period of its initiation extended as
long as possible, but we do not believe
that they will be at all successful.
We base our Judgment on the political
shrewdneSs of the average congressman,
who sees before bin campaign next
fall. and will not care to repeat the folly
of the Republicans in go of sending
new tariff bill to the country with a
campaign treading closely OH It's heels.
We have pointed out before the dangers
of this in the probability which almost
reaches certainty. that every Republican
protectionist in the country who had
single man in his employ would stop
work or try to cut wages in the hope
that Democratic defeat would follow
of such dimensions as to insure revul-
sion of feeling In the country and make
it appear to be fact that the voters
were welded to the policy of protection
If the act goes into effect on March /,
the time between then and the Novem-
Der elections will be too long for any
manufacturer, however hostile his feel
ingS, or however strong his desire to
defeat the party which has deprived
him of an advantage in the markets.
whether real or Imaginary. to adopt the
plan of shutting down his mills or re-
ducing wages. He will not sacrifice
years trade to partisan spite or benefit.
He would rather adjust his business to
the changed conditions so far as it may
be necessary, and 90 growlingly on with
his production.
But these reasons for speedy action
run on a low plane, and appeal to low
motives of action. We do not believe
that they are the ones that moved the
committee to fix its date, or il they
were, they were subordinate to the
main one, which is the duty to redeem
as early as possible the pledges given;
to execute as early as may be the COM
mission with which the party was en-
trusted by the people. There has been
already an unnecessary delay. We
urged May session, and nothing has
occurred since to demonstrate that the
idea was wrong or impolitic. Had the
congress been in session in May, it
would have been sitting when the finan-
cial cyclone was at its height; when
the air was filed with the crash of
business houses, and the yellow tide
was setting most strongly over the sea.
We would have been spared the long,
disgusting and disheartening wrangle
of the senate. and, probably, the alb
normal Republican majorities in No
vember. The new tariff could then
have gone into effect with the new year
at the latest.
But there is no good reason for delay.
The panic has this compensation, at
least-that it was the best OF all possible
preparations for change from the pro-
tective to the revenue policy. The
boarding of money, the shortening up
| sharply of the lines of credit, and the
| decreased consumption of the country
| compelled general slowing down in
production. Production and consump-
llCu udfc UCCU Dduu-GO-
mouth lines ever since speculative
production ceased. To this compulsory
effect of the panic were added the nat
ural effects of apprehension as to the
extent Of the tariff changes which the
elections of last year had made certain.
Between the two, the panic and the
coming change of policy, the country
was put in a course of training wn ich
fits it for the reception of tariff bill
today. and for which it will be in no
better condition by March l. If any
preparation is needed, there is time by
| March for 1t. The changes to be made
are now known. The passage of the
Dill substantially as reported is assured.
Business affected by tariffs can adjust
| itself to them now as we'll as if they
were enacted. There is absolutely no
good reason for any delay.