New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-11
TETO OR STAY AWAY.

A vote for the Democratic party this fall i'm
nlics ap,;royal of the German tariff and of the
legislative scandals accompanying its passage.
No honest Democrat can cvade his political obi
CATION to pass Judgment upon the work done
by his party IN Washington He must either
sign the German bill or veto 1t by his ballot in
November or else he can do what The Prcsi-
dent did in neither signing nor vctong 1.-The
may stay away from The polls altogether
II conscientious Democratic voters follow the
prercpts Of their leader. the President. they will
be more courageous than ne Was. for they can
veto the infamous Tariff bill by voting against
their party. They have his word for 1t mat
"cvcry true Democrat and every sincere tariiI
performer knows that this hill in its present
form and as II will ne submitted to the con-
ference falls far short of the contamination
"for which we have long labored. for which we
"have suffered defeat without discouraC"mrht'
(which in its anticipation gave Us rallying cry
'n our day Of triumph. and which IN lis prom
else Of accomplishment Is so interviewer WITH
Democratic pledges and Democratic success
that our abandonment Of the cause Of the prln-
"cIplcs upon which It rests means party pcrfidy
"and party dishonor" They have been warned
by him that there are provisions In the German
bill (which are not in line with honest farm
reform AMI Inconsistencies ana crriities
(which ought not TO appear in iariH laws or
claws Of any kind: and that "the deadly blight
"of treason has blasted the cOunsels Of the brave
"in their hour Of might. No sclfrcSpectihg
Democrat. who accepts the Presidents judg-
Inrnt Of that bin and Of the scandalouS c'rcnm-
stances attending It's enactment under pr"ssur"
and dictation of the Sugar Trust. can vote with
his party this fall. II he votes at all. he must
vote against his party.
But Democratic voters. who choose TO follow
the practice rather than the precepts or me
President, can be, II they choose, rs deficient IN
courage and pluck rs he was. They need not
veto by their ballots the Tariff bill. which with
him they consider alike v0latvc II Democratic
principle and good faith. They can follow his
example and STAY away from the polls. That
will not be Il manly method Of procedure, but
II Will be the only alternative for voting directly
against their party. The IrcSidcnj when he
wrote the Wilson letter deprived his followers
Of any prctcxt excuse for supporting DcInoc-
racy this fall and thereby expressing approval
Of the Bill of sale to the Trusts How can ""
"fa6r the people" he asked. after indulglng
Gin such outrageous determinations and viola
"tions Of princpes:' The Democracy Of the
land he declared. demand that no stress OF
necessity shall tempt those they trust 10 the
abandonment Of Democratic principles in
VOWED in the acceptance Of The German bill.
No conscientious Democrat. who respects the
President can read the Wilson letter and then
go 10 the polls and vote with his party He may
sneak out Of his public obligations. "a the PrcSi-
dent did, by absenting himself on Election Day,
but If he finds himself at the polls he must veto
the German bill and condemn party trcaclcry
by voting with the Republicans Any other
course will De Il compromise with conscience.