Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-04-27
STILL STRUGGLING.
The Harrison and Mckinley Combination
Still Hoping.

StiEE SlHOd6LiN1.
The Harrison and Mckinley Combination
Stin Hoping.
Two eminent advocates of republican
ism 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 the
United States, Mr.. Benjamin Harrison,
whose views are said to have been
packed into the single phrase: Keep
on fighting" The other is the late
chairman of the ways and mems 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-
tons we accept with qualification.
They indicate 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 a sound policy of gov
ernment 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 q VIC
tory over powerful rivals in the nomi-
mating convention of his party, was de-
feated 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 posi- bility of his
party's return to power in this genera
ton Mr.. Mckinley, during the ses-
sion of congress in which the tariff law
that bears his name was debated and
passed, enjoyed a prominence and exer-
cised a degree of power rarely achieved
| by any representative. He became the
logical candidate of his party as q 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 can
| 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 result that Will be en-
| tirely satisfactory to them
But they must not forget what the
Eight" 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 majority
of the American people that the deci-
sion of last year was an error. So far as
Messrs. Harrison and Mckinley are
| 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-
LESSONS in the late canvass. There was
no admission by them of any serious
faults or vices in the tariff, of any I'M
| JuSJ cOuleIT0o Oh ldNOTcO
interests, or unjust 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 demoralized
by its independence on the money made
from special privileges granted to mo-
nopolies- 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
eign demand for the products OF
their labor. Now, if Messrs. Harrison
and Mckinley and their party friends
really intend to keep on fighting" on
! the lines of last years struggle, the
people will only be more and more en-
1ightened as to the real nature aud eff
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 wei
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
continued 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 keep on fighting IN. Y
| Times
Measures OF Economy Adopted by tn.
| New Administration.
Both in the treasury department and
1 Of ~.