Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-02-24
THE MANDATE OF THE PEOPLE.
How the Republicans Have Ignored the
Country's Interests.

How the Republicans Have Ignored IN
Country's interests.
The republicans in 1890, while pre-
pairing and thrusting upon an unwill
ing people the Mckinley abomination
talked much of the mandate they ha,
received from the people In 1855, whel
a majority OF the people voted agains
them. No question OF raising the tariff
was before the people In 1883. 1t wa
q question OF reducing il, and the re
publicans obtained a majority Of tire,
in the house on the subterfuge that tn,
tariff, while needing revision. ought tc
be revised by It's friends Then they
proceeded TO reduce the n snt
to increase the public burdens
In 1892 the people not only gave the
democratic candidates for the presi
dency and VIC presidency a large plu-
rslity. but gave the democrats a ma
jority Of more than ninety in the house
and the control Of the senate. These
facts, being a matter of public record,
cannot be denied. But the repub.
Leans say now that because they held
some republican states last November,
carried q democratic state on local
issues and have lately captured dem
ocratic district the mandate has been
recalled. This did not prove very et-
fective in the house, but they hope
that it may have better success in the
senate.
II the republicans had been guided
By the rule which they now lay down
there would never have been a McKin-
ley bill to repeal. So far as the man
date Of u minority Of the people in
1883 could be tortured into meaning
anything, it was only a permission to
the republicans to reduce the tariff in
stead of having the work done by tho
democrats. who, they said, would go
too far il intrusted with the task.
When they We're about to pass the Nc
kinley bill, prominent members OF
their OWL party reproached them pri,
vately and publicly for their breach Of
faith in this respect.
More than this occurred. The elec.
tions in November. 1889, resulted in
sweeping democratic victories, Iowa
and Ohio elected democratic governors,
and Massachusetts, barely missed doing
SO by a bargain In certain wards Of
Boston New York, that had voted for
Harrison in 1883, resumed its place in
the democratic column. 1t WIS a re.
publican Waterloo, only exceeded by
the phenomenal defeats which they
sustained in 1890 and 1892.
Was this a revocation OF the repub.
lican mandate? According to what
they say now, it was. The Mckinley
bill was not yet begun. Congress had
not met, If the republicans are seri-
Gus now, 1t was plainly their duty from
their point of view to give up all notion
OF raising tariff rates in order to pro.
hibit importations. But they went on
and framed the Mckinley bill. Iron
manufacturers in New England sent
their mammoth petitions for a restora.
ton of the rates of 1857, the law which
'''Si ICuiN 'liSCH sdlu WIS Vic DeSu
ever framed. They disregarded this
memorial, Kansas. which had been a
republican stronghold, implorel them
not to destroy her smelling and
threatened TO desert the party II they
did, a threat that was faithfully carried
out. Nevertheless, the smelling in.
dustry was driven to Mexico. II
would take too long to tell of the pro-
tests from other sections that were dis
regarded.
None of these things, nor all of them
together, were tfen considered n re-
call of the popular mandate. Nc
kinley and his accomplices insisted
that they were irresistibly driven for.
ward by the mandate OF the people to
rob the treasury for the benefit of
trusts, to reduce the revenue by pro-
hibitory duties instead Of lower rates,
and to Increase expenditures TO an ex-
tent that was sure to lead, as It has
led, to a deficit. Such Is the history OF
republican respect for the mandate of
the people. With this recent history
fresh in the minds OF the people, they
should have the grace to remain silent
upon the subject now, louisville
tnnrier. Jnnrual