The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-08-18
THE TARIFF STRUGGLE.

been reached in the tariff struggle. Fol
the action OF the Democratic. party VIC
have no apologies to make, no excuses te
offer. The party has failed to keep ite
pledges to the people and it it suffers
cannot complain. To the great mass OF
the Democratic party the outcome Of
the tariff struggle is a sore disappoint'
ment. Yet the result was inevitable
The mistakes of thirty years could not
we'll be rectifed in six months. The
same control which the monopolies Of
the country have exercised over the Re-
publican party SO long was in this in
stance used to coerce the whole Demo
cratic party in Congress through the
fundamentally of few corluptioniste
who call themselves Democrats The
Wilson bill as it passed the house was q
poor substitute for what the Democratic
platform promised tariff for revenue
only yet the party would have accepted
that and been reasonably we'll satisfied,
for as Chairman Wilson SAID, it was the
best that could be done. The bill went
to the Senate where it was not amended
but made over again in the interests Of
trusts, and finally passed the Senate and
went to conference of both houses. A
disagreement was the result. President
Cleveland then wrote his famous letter
urging the party not to forget it's pledges.
Then it was that the representatives Of
the trusts in the Senate said that it
would be the Senate bill or nothing. The
advantage was with the Senate from the
beginning. The Senators did not have
to 60 back to the people and ask for q
new lease of their seats, their position
was secure for years to come. They
were not amenable to the people directly.
1t was different with the members of the
lower house. They had an election to
look after. Their constituents were
clamoring for some kind of tariff set.
Element. They became impatient and
finally surrendered to the men who have
betrayed the party. All honor is due to
the members of the House for the cour-
age and ability with which they contend
ed.
The contest has sho wn what thirty
years of protection has done for the mo-
nopoliee. 1t has given them power
over the whole country. The govern
ment has been in partnership with the
protected interests, and the protected
interests now have controlling interest
in the business. But while we in no way
wish to endorse the party for it's failings,
we are, nevertheless, thankful for what
we got. The bill, with all it's fallings, is
q measure of reform. It takes something
from the trusts, and the people are rob-
bed less for their benefit. The beginning
of the end has been made. Protection
has won it's last triumph over the peo-
pie. From this time on the drift OF fed
eral legislation will be away from pro-
lection. The last protective tariff has
been enacted by the United States oois
gress. It is not what the present bill has
done, but the effect it will have on future
legislation that gives us hope. This is
the Democratic. answer to Republican
sneers. This is the groundwork on
which the Democrats must hope to win
in the future. And let us hope that the
force OF public sentiment will drive from
The Democratic ranks every man who is
1T heart q supporter Of the economic
VICE protection.