The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-03
Tho Democracy's Good Name in the
Keeping Of the Senate.

The last words in the Hon. WILLIAM L.
WILSON'S really eloquent closing speech in
behalf OF his tariff for protection and for a
deficiency were these:
mi, roll call IL roll Of honor nu.ron % free
dem Aud in the name Of honor and in the name Of
freedom ssmmen every D,moeraiie member Of this
Hou,s-
Almost the last words in Speaker CRISIS
skilful concluding argument for this same
WILSON Tariff bill were these:
lie; Us stand together; let y. pas, thn bin l., u,
redeem thi, piedg. as We viii redeem every other
plsiE. that We have made 10 the people
roll OF honor; A pledge redeemed
COP have mercy on the English language.
IL these words mean what they say,
A roll Of honor. indeed. would have been
list OF the Democrats In the House Of Rep
resentatives Of the Fifty-third Congress
standing together 10 redeem the pledge
which the Democracy made 10 the people
when 1t declared that protection was fraud
and robbery. and that the only constitu-
tionei tariff was a tariff for revenue only.
The honorable redemption Of that pledge
would indeed have justified Dir. WILSON in
summoning every Democratic member OF
the House TO do his duty: and it would have
Use and prediction as to the redemption OF
all other pledges made by the party.
The Democrats in the present House
were elected TO office on the pledge to wipe
out unconstitutional protection and to
enact a constitutional tariff for revenue
only. Every man OF them remembers dis
tinctly that part Of the platform OF 1892
which registered this pledge. Every man
OF them understands its full Significance
Every man Of them was bound in honor to
use his vote 10 the House to carry out that
radical and perfectly defined reform OF the
tariff which the platform announced to
the country as the programme 81 Dem
ocratic principle and policy. The sole JUS
tiflcation for a Democratic vote for pro-
lection and against a tariff for rev.
enue only. could have been found in
the circumstance that during the can
vass. and before the election, the Demo
cratic candidate for Congress had publicly
repudiated the platform and declared him
self no believer in the fundamental princI-
pie OF Democratic faith. Then he would
have been free to vote for protective
tariff, because his constituents would have
elected him with knowledge. and not in
ignorance OF his convictions and intentions
II during the canvass OF 1892 there was any
such Democratic candidate for Congress,
we do not now recall his name. The present
majority then stood by the platform ard the
pledge. BY standing by the platform and
the pledge they gained their seats In Com
gress but when falsely and impudently
summoned in the name Of honor By Mr..
WILSON and Mr.. CRISP and Mr. CLEVELAND
10 do the dishonorable thing which they
had pledged themselves not TO do. with a
few illustrious exceptions they huddled to-
gether like pack OF ours under the lash,
and proceeded like towards and hypocrites
70 vote their own dishonor and their party's |
lasting shame.
The pledge In the platform remains. Since |
the Fifty-third Congress met. there has |
been a conspiracy OF silence In the House |
that pledge. That does not wipe |
II OF the record. The people understand |
now what the word honor means in the |
Of the Hon. WILLIAM l.. Will |
SON; what the phrase redemption OF pledges |
signifies in the rhetoric OF the Hon. CHARLES |
f. CRISP; what estimate the majority OF |
Democrats in the House put upon obliga-
cations for value received.
The sickening farce in the House is over.
The keeping OF the Democracy,s good
name Is with the Democratic Senate.