The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-01

Washington, Sept. SO.-LSpeciaLl-
Before the smoke of the great tariff
conflict in the last Congress had lifted
from the field, and While the Repubh-
cans were still expecting that the
Democratic campaign would be apollo
getic and defensive, and were making
their campaign books and speeches
with this end in view, the tariff appeared
to be the only issue that was likely to
be brought into this and the next ma
tienal campaign. Very few among the
capitals political prophets thought
that silver could assume an oversha-
downing prominence that would mark
it for the leading issue in 1896. In fact,
it was believed generally that it would
continue to be, as it has been in the
past, a side issue of no particular par
IiSan interest.
Within late weeks. however, a mark
ed change has come Yer the field of
politics. The Repub' an demagogues,
calamity howlers and presidential can
didates, who had contended that there
was no way in which the Democrats
could excuse their work in this Con-
gress, and who had Toasted their hun
CRY souls in a veritable Barmicede
banquet, on the anticipation of the
merriment that would be their portion
when explanations from the unterrified
Il Democrats were in order, only q short
q time ago, relied for their longed-for
IN victory solely on the supposed dissen-
VISIONS in the ranks of their political en-
K, enlieS, and the condemnation by DEM
ocrats of parts of the tariff bill, as
well as the evident dissatisfaction
among the Democratic voters that
na.d ~ hnny r,1t -f,. nd
saw no necessity of mapping out a
policy for themselves They actually
believed that the voters, who We're an
cry because they were not given more
relief, would turn to their party of
fraud.
They "View With Alarm"
Now the leaders of the G. O. p, to
use one of their favorite expressions,
''view with alarm" the spectacle of
an united Democracy making a bold
aggressive fight on the issues of the
campaign From one end of the coun-
try to the other the Democratic party
leaders have seen no need for apology.
They have looked at the record of the
Congress and have seen the many
measures of relief that have passed, in
spite of all the opposition of the
n1onied classes. The calm survey
OF the great work that had been ac-
complished, the reports Of the reassurirg
revival Of business under the beneficent
reign of the new tariff principles, and
the knowledge that the people were be-
ginning to realize the immense benefits
from the cheaper goods, brought with
them that irresistible conviction that
there was nothing for which the Demo-
cratic party need apologize. Therefore,
there is no disposition TO map a policy
- of explanation or apology.
y Therefore there is weeping and wall
ing and gnashing of teeth among the
Republican leaders. They had not cal
culated that they would be the as
sailed and would have to take the de-
fensive. They had camped in all their
force in the open field, without even a
suspicion of earthworks or defenses of
any Kind, expecting nothing but the
command to march forward and storm
the works of their enemies. Now, to
their intense surprise and chagrin, they
find themselves opposed by a force.
flushed with their victory over the
combined efforts of the tariff trusts,
<Adisciplined by one tremendous battle,
+ end determined to sweep all opposition
Before them. In this condition the Re
publicans have no ground on which
they can rally.
No Tariff stand.
No leader of any prominence in their
camp has announced where he stands
on the tariff question. Mckinley, of
course, needs to make no announce
ment He has stood, does stand and
win stand on the grounds of the tariff
cormorants, ever ready to do their
bidding and give them all the booty
they wish to take by processes Of law
from d defenseless people. But then he
does not represent the Republican tar
fff sentiment OF his own state Reed
and Harrison, both concerned in the
passage of the Mckinley law, and the
other two prominent leaders, have Civ
en- no idea as to what would be their
course in case they should again come
into power. No one can say that they
would make the duties Of another bill
lower than the Mckinley schedules, OF
higher In fact, look wherever the vot-
er will, there is no indication of whai
is to be done by the party of pelf and
x plutocracy in Ease of accession to pow
er. And so their army is on the
battlefield without leader
without a rallying point-in fact, with
nothing but the deceptive cry of PRO
lection" and that, as a deceived peo-
pie know. may mean almost anything
from petit larceny to the most heinous
crime classified on the statute books
under the general name of robbery.
In opposition to this disunited and
utterly unqualified force, placed on the
defensive because they are continually
put to the necessity of explaining
where they are at, is the aggressive
Democratic party with the unchanged
s harmonious cry Of tariff for revenue
yB6nly. There is no middle ground there
AzFss no clubbing, there is no difference
= between the statements Of the different
leaders. There is certainty opposed tC
uncertainty.
But Little Doubt.
Under such circumstances thsre car
he little doubt as to what the final ver-
dict of the American people will be as
to the subject of taxation by tariff
Iyhey are most likely to give one in
favor Of a continuance and enlarge.
ment OF the blessings that have beer
given them by the Democrats. With
such a verdict the tariff steps into the
background and gives place to the
monetary question, which must then be
fought ont to the bitter end.
III is with almost certainty of the SUI
/ preme Importance of silver in the next
Campaign that the two parties are
t-inlning their sails. With this trim.
ming il becomes more apparent every
DAY that the fight is to come with