The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-22
WHAT IS GAINED

lHfaaA lA-H -rfH AHf-- 7 MUM
The long fight j. over, for All pras1ical
purposes. and IL j. in order to inquire
what have the parties won? One thing
the Democratic party has clearly gained
It was by many supposed L. l5e absolutely
incompetent L. pass any revenue bin. and
has shown that Il i not. This was the one
shining goal upon which Democrats in
Washington fixed their eye. Senator
Vest patheiicaliy confessed. in his latest
speech, that this was the one object Of
supreme desire; il would De fatal il the
party should be proved incapable Of
passing any bill. Accordingly a bill,
such as il i. has been passed. The ca
pacity Of the Democratic party to pass
such bin must be conceded. 1t can sell
itself ont 10 sundry monopolies. and by
allowing the Treasury 10 be robbed il can
pass a bill. 50 much Is proved.
At the same time il j. proved that the
Democratic party Is not competent 10 do
what il pledges itself and tries 10 do. Il
promised TO overthrow sundry mOnop0-
lies which had grown up under previous
legislation. Instead, ii enabled those mo-
nopOlies 10 ''hold the country by the
throat" as Professor Wilson pitifully
says. and 10 dictate exactly what laws
shall be passed. That most of the Demo
cratic members honestly intended to car
~ ont their pledges need not be doubted
The trouble j. that they could not save
the party without breaking every pledge
il had made. and they Tc>olutely saved
the party-to that extent. How much Of
il l. left. with iis principles irodden un-
der foot and IL action besmeared with
corruption, future voting must tell. Any
party worth saving would have preferred
failure 10 inflmy. and it, voien. may.
The overthrow Of discriminating duties
for the purpose Of protection, the sulsti-
tuition Of ad valorem for specific duties.
the admission Of raw materials free, the
smashing Of trusts and moD0polies, were
the principles for which the party fought,
or supposed itself fighting. 1t has deti-
niiely abandoned every one of them. Its
tariff from beginning to end is mass Of
determinations ayowodly intended 10
suit OF u save particular Interests. Il has
retained specific instead Of al valorom
duties i'm a great majority Of diSpated
eases. il has taxed some raw materials
and made others free. Il has turned over
the Government 10 the trusts aud mou0p-
olieS, 10 be looted al their pleasure. These
things have been done. moreover: not By
a combination oc a feg members Of the
majority with the opposition ia the voting
upon particular clauses OF duties, 80 that
in these separate feature the majority
party was actually defeated, as happened
in many important cases when the tariff
Of lSSi was framed. hut by deliberate ac-
tion Of two Democratic caacuses, one IN
the Senate and one in the House forty
three Senators were bound 10 vote and
did vote ON every item AS their committee
proposed, and the majority in the House
accepted and passed the bill exactly As
framed by this process in the Senate. In
peculiar and very unusual degree,
therefore. the Two Democratic majorities
have made themselves responsible for
every item and for all the departures
from the principles Of their party.
The absolute failure Of the Democratic
party to revoke or repeal the essential
features Of the protective Tariff Is the
highest possible evidence of the strength
OF that tariff with the people. They have
tried its essential features for thirty-three
years, and even hostile party does not
dare to depart from them. II was ques-
tion OF votes. and the Senators from vari-
Gus states knew that they could not re-
tain votes enough 10 he reelected, and
that their party could not get votes
enongh in those states to retain control Of
the Government, if il departed further
from the principles Of the protective tar
iff The Republican party has. therefore,
gained confession and demonstration
that its policy has pleased the people so
well and promoted their prosperity 50
greatly that il cannot be oYerthroWn.
one other important gain is a test Of
the rate OF extent Of protection required
The Democratic tariff projects. bat ia
spots aud inadequately. Republicans
hold that greater National prosperity j.
attained by protecting adequately aud
systematically. Experience will teach
the people whether complete aad thor
ough protective tariff is better than
Democratic boteh. II the measure Of
attained in October. lsa2, un-
der the Republican tariff before change
was ordered shall be surpassed by the
attained under the Trust tariff
just passed. the people viii know il. II
not, If wages and production and general
do not recover TO the level OF
lSs2- the people viii know it. and VIII de-
eide for complete and thorough protec-