Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-11-12
A DIGNIFJED LETTER
From Hon. W. L. Wilson Dealing
With the Late Election.
HIS VIEWS AT SOME LENGTH
The Industrial Depression the
Chief Cause Of Democratic De-
feat-He Does Not Believe the
People Have Rebuked Tariff
Reform, and His Reasons fer
that Belief.

New YORK, November 11.-In letter
to the Press from Washlegton, Hon.
VIM. L. Wilson, of West Virginia,
Chairman of the Committee OF Ways
and Means, gives his views of the
causes of Democratic defeat in the re-
cent election.
After declaring that tits neither dis
Greet nor a dignifed thing for a mem
Der of a defeated party TO attempt TO
explai his own or his party's defeat,
be saws:
None the less, however, is it
the duty OF the Democratic party
after such a reverse, TO make
deliberate, honest and Unsparing
scrutiny Tito the causes and forces
which wrought It's overthrow aud into
the condition upon which it may regain
It's ascendancy with the American peo-
pie.
Undoubtedly there were local indu
ences as there were individual candida
cies and factiOnal fights that contrib
uted TO and emphasized the general re-
suit, but 10 must be admitted that there
were strong forces everywhere op-
erative, that really shaped and
brought about that result. And the
greatest Of all these forces was
the severe industrial depression that
for year or more past has hardened
the lot and made anxious the lives OF
large section Of our people. Hard
times is an enemy before which no
political party in America has ever been
able 10 make successful stand when
in power.
without attempting TO appOrJion
the responsibilities for the hard times
between the two parties and stOutly dis
claiming any large share OF il for the
Democratic party, l pass from these
generalizations To the second point, and
that is the defeat OF tariff reform l
do not believe the people have re-
buked or discarded tariff re-
form in their action last Tuesday, for
when | look over the whole country |
do not fnd that to have been the con-
mon ground OF their action. No Ques-
tion was ever so well and so thoroughly
fought out 10 popular discus
sion before them as the cues
ton OF reforming and reducing
the tariff. In every campaign from
that OF 1886 TO 1892 it has been the
great issue, and in every campaign, ex-
cept that of 1SSS, the Democratic party
has won decided victory on that issue.
To contend, therefore, the peo-
Die have now Chastised tho
Democratic party for doing what
they put into their power to do, is
TO question their honesty aud in
telligence. II they have inflicted chas-
tisemeut because OF its dealings with
the tariff il has been rather because
the party did not carry out with
sufficient promptness and thorough
ness the work they committed to it,
and because they have held the whole
party responsible for the action of
few of its representatives in thwart-
ing, delaying and manning this
great work The long and indie
feuSible delay in the Senate,
the sinister suspicious that gathered
around certain schedules and duties as
they are framsd-nowhere more Wig
orOusly denounced than in the Demo-
cratic press OF the entire cOuntry-kin-
died a disappointment and q disgust
among she rank and file of the party
that led to apathy and even misiudged
hostility in the recent elections.
at is hazardoGS, of course, TO indulge
in hypothetics, but l have no doubt that
hal the bil which passed the House on
the first day Of February, passed the
Senate as early as April or May ia sub
stautially It's original shape, the
result in Missouri and in many other
sections of the country would have been
reversed, aud the Democratic party
might even have weathered the in
dustrial storm with credit, II not sue
cess. The bill, as finally passed,
though "a vast improvement on the
Mckinley bill, was still SO obnoxious In
some OF its features that the President
allowed IL 10 become a law without his
signature, aud IL had been in operation
TOO short a time before the elections for
the people TO see and appreciate its
benefits.
"Agaln I do not accept the view that
tariff reform has suffered a defeat, be-
cause have not anywhere found Re
publican candidates advocating a repeal
OF the law.
"By 1896 let us hope the present
clouds, already breaking, will have van.
i>hed from our skies. The new
bin will then have shown It's
merits, the temporary scare aud
resentment against il will have spent
their force, aud 7 do not believe the
Republican programme will call for its
repeal and relapse 10 McKinleyism
and mad protection Every one knows
that such reaction would not mean
peace, but fierce and unrelenting re-
newals OF the old struggle"