Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-05-03
EMPTY PREACHING.
Republican Rant ON the Changing Senti-
ment of the Country.

meAC OF the country
Republican journals are taking upon
themselves the gratuitous duty of in
forming the democratic majority in
congress that it should abandon its eff
fort to reform the tariff, pass the ap-
preparation bills and go home. The
reason given for this advice is that the
sentiment of the country has changed,
as evidenced by the protests that have
been made against tariff legislation,
and the admitted fact that democratic
political prospects next November are
not exactly rose-colored. OF course,
our republican friends have not the
least notion that their advice will be
taken.
But it may not be out of place to re-
mind these self-appointed advisers that
the course they are recommending,
even assuming that the advice is given
in good faith and for the best interests
Of the country, Is one which political
parties are not at all likely to follow.
No better illustration of this could be
found than the comparatively re-
cent experience of the republican
party. In 1888 a republican victory
was won upon a large scale by
pledges given in the west that an hon
est revision of the tariff would be
given the power to act. It was recog-
nized by the republicans in all of the
states of the Mississippi valley that
there was a growing demand for
change from the old high tax principles
of the war tarif-that the people
wanted tariff reform. But it was said
and this was said on the stump in
1888 in scores of western congressional
districts-that tariff revision should be
made, not by the enemies, but by the
friends, of protection. Duties are I'M
doubtedly too high. and the taxes i'm
posed in consequence of them too
onerous. but it is well that the protec-
ton system should be gradually
changed by those who have for years
past supported it. and that it should
not be suddenly destroyed by those
who have always opposed it
twas upon these grounds that the
republican victory was won. Evidence
can be obtained that quite number
of western republican congressman
went to attend the first session of the
Fifty-frst congress with the belief that
the tariff was to be revised by cutting
the duties down. and who found, to
their surprise and disgust, after the
session had opened, that the combina-
ton of repub lican congressional lead
ers, under Messrs. Reed and Mckinley,
were determined that this course should
should not be taken, and that, instead
of lowering the barrier of protection,
the height of that barrier was to be
increased. One of the leading western
congressman, a republican of national
reputation, said in the summer of 1890:
Our party is betraying its trust. and,
tla wi of w I
shall be compelled to vote for meas
ure which is almost complete repudia-
ton of the pledges 1 made to my con-
stituents. and that my western associ-
ates made their constituents at the
time they were elected. We supposed,
| and they supposed, that the tariff was
| to be revised downward, and not up
| ward, but we have now discovered our
| mistake; our people are already in
censed against US; and yet there is
nothing to do but follow the bidding of
| those who are recognized as the party
| leaders in and out of congress. and who
have definitely committed themselves
to this line of policy"
This, we say, was a personal state
ment made by a man holding an excep-
| tional position, and one who paid the
penalty that he knew awaited him by
a defeat in the fall of 1890. There was
it is true, no financial panic to compli-
cate the situation, but throughout the
| country there were protests raised
against the enactment of the Mckinley
bill The republicans in the west and
northwest denounced the measure as a
betrayal of trust and it was predicted
as inevitable that the party that was
responsible for this legislation would
| 1aor ho1 dofn tod in he
vember election. The handwriting on
the wall was not in mystical characters.
On the contrary. it was easy of inter
probation to anyone who was not blind
ed by interest or preconceived ideas.
The leading protectionists, 1t is true.
did not admit at the time the Mckinley
! bill was under discussion, and at the
| time it was enacted, that the country
was soon to repudiate them and their
| measure; but the fact was evident to
everyone else When they asserted
that the election of 1890, which re-
| suited in such an overwhelming de feat
for them, was due to misunderstood
ing of the benefits of the protective
tariff. it needed only the second defeat
in 1892, after two years of experience
with McKinleyism. to make it evident
that the judgment of these gentlemen
as political prophets was not in the
least to be depended upon; that they
predicted what they desired to see
brought about without the least regard
to obvious facts Now the proper
course for the republican m ajority in
congress in the spring and summer OF
1890, when it found that the sentiments
Of the people were averse to Mckinley
ism, was either to have abandoned all
effort to revise the tariff or to have
taken up revision upon the principle OF
lowering duties But they did not do
anything of this kind.-Boston Herald
Has any promise that has ever
been made by a protectionist to the
wool-growers of this country ever been
fulfilled? Did they not get higher
prices for wool under a three-cent duty
than under a six-cent duty? Did they
not get higher price under a six
cent duty than under ten-cent
duty? Did they not get a higher price
under ten-cent duty than they are
getting now under an eleven-cept duty?
Is there a wool-buyer in the country,
who is not an enthusiastic advocate of