Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-04-27
THE RULE or THE MINORITY.


twelvemonth victorious party has become
weak in the public estimation, not through
any newly gained popularity, based up
on beneficent action, OF its opponent, but
through the failure of its own agents to live
up to the sterling Democratic principles
which secured the warm and enthusiastic
support OF the voters of the country. AS the
accomplished chairman Of the Committee Of
Ways and Means well says, in the Forum fol
January, every American voter under
stood, when the people turned over all the
law-making branches of their government,
to the Democratic party, that they put that
party into power with deliberate instruc-
tons to repeal the Mckinley act, and to re.
verse the principles on which all the tariff
laws of the previous thirty years had been
framed" The Chicago platform had de-
clared the Mckinley act TO be the "culmi-
mating atrocity Of class legislation" and had
promised the modification Of its "most op-
pressive features, in the direction OF free raw
materials, and cheaper manufactured goods
that enter into general consumption" The
significant fact in connection with this plank
of the party platform is that it was adopted
as an amendment to the report of the com
mittee on resolutions in the face of the stout
opposition of the conservative" element,
and by an overwhelming majority of the
great national convention of the party. Its
clear, manly, specific promise aroused pub
lie sentiment as it had not been aroused for
many a long day, and the nomination of
candidate who had revivifed this great issue,
added to conviction an earnest, quiet enthu-
siasm which made the Democratic column
invincible. The great victory was followed
by season Of buoyant, hopeful anticipation,
which all who contributed to the great cause
had just right to expect to see fulfilled.
The House of Representatives did its part
of the wsrk well. At least it carried out the
spirit of Its instructions, and the Wilson bill
embodied the principles of tariff reform to
which the party was pledged. The will of
the party was respected. 1t had been an
hercuean task, but the result was accepted
by the masses of the people as long step
in the direction of tariff reform.
Prompt action was expected OF the SEN
ate, but the unexpected is what happens in
that august body. The delay of months,
which has kept the country in state Of un-
rest, trade feverish and excited, and added
daily to the hardships Of the people, has had
not even the shadow of excuse. The Sena
tors had the benefit OF the discussions 10 the
House and in the press, and, if they had
condescended to read and to listen, might
have been as well informed upon the pro-
visions of the bill, before it reached them, as
were the members of the House or the peo
pie of the country.
But 1t is unjust we are persuaded, to at
tribute this hardness to the majority of the
Democratic Senators. A few of them in
sisted upon changes not only in the sched-
ules, but IN the principles, upon which the
House bill was framed. They demanded
that those changes should be made in com.
mittee, in order to escape the odium Of fight
ing, in open Senate, FOR protection. But
they were not satisfied with the bill as
amended by the Finance Committee, emas-
culated as it is In some essential particulars.
The men who demand this claim to be
Democrats, and among them are the Sena-
tors from Maryland; and we find, after all
that has been said by the national conven.
ton and the House OF Representatives, after
all the expressions OF public opinion that
have resounded from one end OF the coun-
try TO the other, that 1t is necessary TO enter
into negotiations between the Democratic
members of the Senate committee on finance
and the Democratic Senators who are dis
satisfied with the tariff BILL" and we are
told that these men are SO determined in
their purpose that "the present outlook in
dictates that almost every schedule may be
more or less altered to comply with the de-
mands of New York, New Jersey and Mary
land Senators and Senator Brice, of Ohio"
The purpose of this brief review is not to
furnish text for a discussion of the tariff
question, but to ask by what right this small
coterie Of interested men presume to dictate
to the majority Of their party associates,
and nullify the solemn pledges of the party
council Shall minority govern, against
the protest and entreaty Of the overwhelm-
ing majority? They are practical poiti
clans, every one of them. They every one
owe their positions to those political methods
which the machine" applies with such con-
summate skill, They have always insisted
that it is the first duty Of party man to
yield his personal judgment to the judgment
Of the party. Why is il that they stand out
now against that party judgment, defying
public sentiment, and threatening the party
supremacy, unless their personal interest is
gratified, their personal judgment deferred
tor They cannot plead ignorance of the
party declarations on this subject. Senator
German, at least, knows them well enough
AS q member of the Chicago convention he
voted against their adoption, it is true, but
does his lifelong insistence apply to every
one except himself, or are party pledges to
be respected only when they emanate from
party leaders who have especial regard for
their own interests. Judged by his own
words, one would think him the most pious
and meek OF the rank and file of his party
On the 22nd ef November, 1892 he tele-
graphed to the jollification meeting at the
Cyclorama building in Baltimore: 1.-THE
success of the Democratic party is the peo
pies victory. They have long and patiently
submitted to unjust taxation. They would
not tolerate such an outrage as the Repub
lican party sought to perpetuate by the force
bill. The people slowly awaken to a sense
OF wrong, but when awakened exercise
Judgment which is swift, clear and exact in
its conclusions, and never fails to mete out
to men and parties the fate which they de.
serve. Our c.:scess brings grave response
bilities; oar pledges must be redeemed. Mary
land must giue an earnest support to the great
reforms for sohach our party stands"
What did Senator German intend that
great. iuhilant meeting of his fellow citizens