The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-11-21
THAT LANDSLIDE.

Trucking is the word that explains
the crushing defeat of the Demo
cratic party in the November cleo
tions. That party had an excellent
platform of its own, upon which
Governor Cleveland swept the coun-
try. II had the vast negative all.
vantage Of an odious tariff bill carried
by the Republicans. This was the
socalled Mckinley bill, although
as il became law its own father could
not recognize il, so knotted and
twisted had il become under the
manipulation OF both houses OF Con.
gress, swayed by a hundred selfish
interests. The effects of that tariff
measure were manifest in a gloomy
train OF strikes, riots, parades Of the
unemployed, organization Of armies
of tramps, some Of which invaded
the national capital, and financial
panic that wrecked banks in every
section OF the Union. Yet the Demo
cratic party, instead Of sticking 70
its clearcut principles, as its able
head did from first TO last Of the
chapter, borrowed the clothes Of
the Republicans, consigned though
they had been TO the rag closet by
the people, and they cut sorry
figure too in the habilimcnts. Like
the Mckinley bill, the so-called
"Wilson" bill was transmogrilied,
through the operations Of the deft
hands OF monopolists, into a non
descript enactment that is neither
flesh, fowl, nor even good herring.
II started in the right direction, and
on some lines went good way, but
never reached goal that could con-
sistently display the flag OF tarrl
reform.
Notwithstanding tn. crushing les.
son the Democratic party has sus.
tanned, il would be hasty to assume
that the cause OF tariff reform is
dead. Tariff reform is what attract
ell new and vigorous blood to the
Democratic party, when il became
the sponsor OF that cause. The
principle is as powerful in the
hearts Of political economists as II
ever was. Every time it is made a
vital issue in an electoral contest, its
potency with the people at large
will he increased. Ambassador Bay
ard, just before returning to his
post in London, struck the keynote
for the Tetrieval Of the Democrat,
reverses, when he said: "The neces
sity for pure Democratic tariff legis
lation was never so great as it il
now. Bills for free raw materia
should be passed Immediately, anG
then the country will be able to con
template the Democratic idea OF the
tariff in full working order for two
years before the national election
rolls around. II this is done hav,
little fear that the verdict will b'
unsatisfactory in 1896" This is wis
advice. The Democratic tariff legis
lation OF the last session, although no
approaching the high standard ST.
by Cleveland and endorsed through
him by the people, yet made SOM
breaks in the right direction. We
whatever virtues it may have, tn
operation OF which might make
telling object lesson for the people
it has yet had no chance to display
There is reason to believe, indeed
that the shrewd beneiiciaries o
high tariff taxation have played
deceiving game upon the peopl
to bring the cause OF tariff n
form into discredit. They hay
without necessity closed factorie
and workshops, and attempted I,
force down wages, in some case
with results as disastrous to tn
public as unproiitable to them
selves, There is yet time for tn
Democratic party, before the no,
Congress begins, to go the ful
length Of its original policy, Thi
would give the nation an experience
OF tariff reform which might caus
another electoral tidal wave in lS9t
on whose crest the Democratic car
didate for President would DO swep
in triumph into the White House,