St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-20
VERY SHORT MEMORIES,

Our Republican friends have either
very short or very convenient memories.
With one voice they now acclaim the
meaning of the elections to be that there
must be no interference with the tariff.
Here and there some wabbling mOngrel
paper, sometimes slObberingly Demo
cratic, family gives an echo to their
cry. Ii they have forgotten, or choose
TO forget, some things. others have not.
1t may do them no good to refresh their
memory. but it may do others good who
may be impressed with their vocifera-
tons.
In 1890 the Mckinley act was enacted.
In November, with the policy embodied,
it was rejected at the polls by the peo-
pie overwhelmingly, after a campaign
i'll which it was the sole issue. The act
had, as ingalls, said. led the most mag
nifcent political organization that ever
existed to the most Stupendous defeat
any political party ever met. What
Blaine had denounced as "driveling
Idiocy," the people rejected.
In December President Harrison met
congress with message in which he
said that the people did not understand
the act, and that they would approve of it
when they knew what it was. Repub-
lican papers thanked the Republican
god that free coinage of senator's had
buttressed protection in the senate for
ten years.
The plainly and Enthusiastically eX-
pressed will Of the people was calmly
and defiantly ignored. In neither senate
nor house was there any recognition by
the majority of the decree delivered
from the polls. In the next congress a
Democratic house sent bill after bill to
the senate reducing taxes and enlarg-
ing the free list, which the senate con-
temptuously pige0nholed. The Repub-
lican press were insistent on the main
tenance of the Mckinley act in all its
integrity; applauded the senate for its
defiance of the will of the people, and
berated the house for its attacks on it.
Then came the election of '92. Every
question was sidetracked by the Demo
Gratis and Republicans to give the tariff
question the main and unoDstructed
line. Silver, which had distracted the
etClCi4tlOi vi SOiiSICSS, was SWIlCHeu OIL.
Ignoring the retreat Of their hIinneap-
oils platform, the Republican party vas
carried along by the momentum of Nc
Kinleyism. The Democrats stood by
their declaration made at Chicago.
Again the verdict was returned by the
great jury of the people with increased
emphasis against McKinleyism. The
Republicans were evicted from every
branch of the administration. With
this singing reproot yet hot on their
ears their congress met for the short
session, and doggedly refused to take
the least action to put into effect the
voX populi.
Now, however, when in elections IN
related to national affairs. in which no
congressman were chosen, where state
and local matters were passed on, Re-
publican majorities are claimed to be
reversals OF two deliberate national
verdicts on the tariff question solely.
and they insolentlY demand that the
Democracy, especially commissioned by
the people to reverse the policy of Nc
Kinleyism, shall keep its hands off that
act of infamy. This review of recent
history shows their arrant hypocrisy.
| and should silence them-but it won't.