The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-11-28
REEDS EXPLANATION.

Car Reed understands the result Of
the last election. so he says. He pre-
dlcted It. He told the democratic lead
ers they would be "buried in the
trenches" and now he points proudly to
their intrenched bodies and says: "There
you are" And when Mr.. Reed states his
explanation it is simply this:
This country is in favor of the doc
trine Of protection, largely in favor Of it.
Everything shows this. and no man,
whose brains are not suffering from re-
cent conclusion from the ''hee.s, can
think otherwise.
If Mr.. Reed has the quality of brains
that has not suffered conclusion he ought
to be abe to give a better explanation
than this. or rather a fuller one He
ought to be able in the first place to show
some legitimate thdnsry that has not all
the protection itfcaR claim on the ground
Of difference in wages between Europe
and America" He ought to be able to
explain why democratic losses were as
great in localities where there were no
protected interests as they were where pro-
tected industries abounded. He ought to
be able to explain why the people voted
against protection" in 1890 and did it
again in 1892. And he ought to be able
to do more than that. He ought to be
able to explain why the Swing of the
pendulum has been in progress in this
country for twenty years Look at it:
Republican. Democratic.
- ......... .......... .............. 1876
- ......... ............ ............. 1884
1888 ............ .......... .......... -
- ............. ......... .......-.... 1897
When Mr.. Reed undertakes to explain
this by the desire for protection he will
find himself somewhat embarrassed. In
1875 the republicans increased the PRO
tection' heavily. and in 1876 the demo-
Gratis carried the country, although after
wards counted out" In 1883 the repub-
leans decreased the protection" and in
1884 the democrats carried the country. In
1890 the republicans heavily increased the
protection" and in 1892 the democrats
carried the country while the populists
carried several republican states. If pro-
lection is the overwhelming desire Of the
people it ought to show itse,f in some far
more conspicuous way than has yet ap-
peared. There ought to be shown some
more consistent line of action of the
American people on this subject. Certain
" they do not change their minds every
four years, or every two years, on the
tariff question
Moreover. if Mr.. Reed will examine the
returns with a little care he viii find that
the democratic party was defeated this
year by democrats. 1t was the democratic
vote that fell off, and this is true in these
other reversa.s of pubic sentiment. In
1892 Mr.. Cleveland received only 1855
votes more than he did in 1883, but Mr.
Harrison received 264.10s votes less than
he did in 1883. and, therefore, an enor-
nous democratic victory resulted. The
people appear to have fallen into the habit
Of puGishing their own parties for what
does not suit them. either by not voting
or by voting the opposite ticket In his
lucid moments. we hardly imagine that
Mr.. Reed would contend that democrats
refused to vote in the last election, or
voted the republican ticket, because there
was not enough protection" in the new
tariff law If he does his brain must be
suffering from something worse than mere
conclusion. The Sentinel has become
familiar with vast number of complaints
Of disgrunt:ed democrats, but it has not
yet heard Of any democrat who objected
to the lack of protection in the new
law. Mr.. Reed should try it over. and
he might also think awhile before he ex-
plains again