The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-12-22
Governor Mckinley and His Rivai.

AS a result OF the November elec-
ton the Republicans have begun
to divide into two distinct camps |
with two distinct programmes un-
der the respective leadership of
Governor Mckinley and ex-Speak-
er Reed. The first visible manifest
alton of this rivalry was at a ses.
sion of the Republican Congress
sional Campaign Committee last
week. Governor Mckinley was
not present, and as familiar
French proverb has it, the absent
are always in the wrong. On the
other hand, the adherents Of the
eX-Speaker were out in full force
and by no means backward in de-
fining their views.
The occasion of the meeting was
to determine whether the Congress
sional Campaign Committee should
be Immediately dissolved. On the
part of the friends of the ex-Speak-
er (and the next Speaker) it was
concluded better to retain the for
nation of q new committee in the
next Congress. The supporters Of
Mckinley could see no advantage
in maintaining an organization
over which their absent favorite
can exercise little influence. In
the course of the discussion the
fact was developed that the West
ern Republicans are anything but
enthusiastic over the Mckinley
tariff or its foremost champion. AS
one of them expressed it, the "West
is not stuck on high tariff" and
not in the least disposed to agitate
the question any longer. BY some
of the Western men it was rather
rudely intimated that Mckinley
ism is "played OUT" and that the
Republican party cannot afford to
disturb the present tariff with its
moderate and reasonable rates of
duty. To this the! McKinleyites of
the East vehemently responded
that the popular verdict of Novem-
ber was vindication of their
statesman, who thus became logic
ally the next candidate for Presi-
dent. For the rest, they could not
see why the friends of ex-Speaker
Reed should make the tariff of 1890
ground controversy, as Mr.. Reed
was quite as fully identified with
that measure as Governor McKin-
ley. The difference is that the
friends of Reed, especially the
members from the West, have no
notion of handicapping the party
with McKinleyism in the next
Presidential campaign. The up
shot of the discussion was that the
McKinleyites were voted down and
the Congressional Committee re-
mains in permanence.
| So far as developed in this COM
mittee the Reed programme is to
| remit the tariff eompletsAl:Asc ,tha
background and bring to the fro(
the banking and currency question
for the Presidential issue of 1896.
This is what serves to explain the
fact that many of the Western Re-
pubiicans, passing clean SEer Ohio.
Luu.se Williiaea re. .:s:.s-~<s,rsG u
Maine for their candidate for next
President. Mr.. Reed in their be-
half is ready to drop the Mckinley
tariff and to substitute for it u
vague and indistinct program of
bimetalism and reciprocity. This
will at least serve to amuse the
| Western advocates of free silver as
we'll as the Eastern supporters of a
high tariff. The programme clev-
erly puts the Mckinley nose out of
joint and saves the Republican
party from the fatal consequence
of II high tariff agitation in the
campaign of 1896.
To the Democrats this Reed pro.
pram need cause no serious concern,
OF course, it would he more advan-
tageOus to the Democratic party
should the Republicans be persuad.
ed to renew the tariff conflict under
, the banner of Governor Mckinley
But considerations of public inter
est demand that the controversy
should be closed, and long before
the campaign of 1896 the tariff is
sue will be dead, without any hell
from the supporters of ex Speakel
Reed. If the Democrats in thu
, present Congress will pass a work
able banking and currency law
, they will also take the wind out o.
the political sails of the Maine
) statesman and leave the Republi
can party stranded without an is
sue in 1896. 1t will be the aim O