Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-11-15
Mar. Wilson Expresses His Views.

Hon. VIM L. Wilson last Monday gave
his views of the causes of Democratic
defeat in the recent elections. After
declaring that it is neither a discreet
nor dignifed thing for a member of
a defeated party to attempt to explain
his own or his party's defeat he says:
"None the less, however, is it the duty
of the Democratic party after such re-
verse to make deliberate, honest and un-
sparing scrutiny into the causes and
forces which wrought its overthrow and
into the condition upon which it may re-
gain its ascendcncy with the American
people.
Undoubtedly there were local lntiu-
ences, as there were individual candida
cies and factional flights, that contribu-
ted to and emphasized the general result,
but it must be admitted that there were
strong forces everywhere operative that
really shaped and brought about that
result.
"The greatest of all these forces was
the severe industrial depression that for
a year or more past has hardened the
lot and made anxious the lives OF large
section of our people. Hard times is all
enemy before which no political party
in America has ever been able to make
a successful stand when in power.
This is, and perhaps always Will be,
a weak point i'll popular government.
When labor is out of employment, when
the prices of farm products are low,
when our financial system is disorgan-
lied, the wisest administration OF COVER
ment and the most wholesome laws do
not avail to savea party from temporary
and disastrous overthrow.
Moreover, the whole teaching OF the
protective system trains men to depend
not on individual effort, the plain virtues
of industry, thrift and temperance for
business prosperity and material com
fort, but on government aid and laws of
Congress.
Let ME add also that we, together
with all other progressive nations, are
now passing through an era OF change
of unrest and of somewhat tumultuous
agitation. The rapid adoption OF the
great instrumentallties OF modern IN
dustry and trade, the complete revolu-
ton which these are bringing about III
production and distribution, their steady
obliteration of immemorial handicratts,
their distortion of many induStrles-all
these, together with the unsettled re-
lations between labor and capital, have
swept us into an era where for some
years it may be increasingly difficult Tor
any one party to hold on to the federal
government for any long time.
without attempting to apportlon the
responsibility for the hard times be
tween the two parties, but stoutly dis.
claiming any large share of it for the
Democratic party, l pass from these
congratulations to the second point, ana
that is the defeat of tariff reform
81 do not believe the people have re-
buked or discarded tariff reform by their
action last Tuesday, for when look
over the whole country do not lind that
to have been the common ground OF their
action. No question was ever so well
and so thoroughly fought out i'll popular
discussion before them as the question
of reforming and reducing the tariff.
In every campaign from that of 1886 to
that of 1892 it has been the great issue,
and i'll every campaign except that OF
1858 the Democratic party has won
decided victory on that issue.
"To contend, therefore, that the people
have now chastised the Democratic party
for doing what they put 1t into their
power to do is to question their honesty
and intelligence. If they have inflicted
chastisement because of its dealings
with the tariff it has been rather because
the party did not carry out with suftl-
cient promptness and thoroughness the
work they committed to it, and because
they have held the whole party response
bic for the action of few of its repre-.
sentatives i'll thwarting, delaying and
manning this great work.
"The long and indefensible delay III
the Senate, the sinister suspicion that
gathered around certain schedules and
duties as there framed-nowhere more
vigorously denounced than i'll the Demo
cratic press of the entire conntry-kln-
died disappointment and disgust
among the rank and file of the party
that led to apathy and even misjudged
hostility III the recent elections.
at is hazardous, of course, to indulge
i'll hypothetics, but have no doubt that
had the bill, which passed the House
on the first day of February, passed the
Senate as carly as April or May, Ill
substantially its original shape, the result
in Missouri and in many other sections
Of the country would have been reversed
and the Democratic party might even
have weathered the industrial storm
with credit, if not success.
"Not only did this long delay and mu-
1t. al. l., III,
the Democratic masses, but 1t kept the
business Of the country III the torture OF
suspense and uncertainty, thus harden
ing and exasperating the crisis, and
storing up wrath against the whole party
for the actions Of a small number OF It's
public servants.
The bill as finally passed, though "a
vast improvement on the Mckinley
bill, was still so obnoxious i'll some OF
its features that the President allowed it
to become law without his signature,
and it had been in operation too short a
time before the elections for the people
to see and appreciate its benefits.
again, | do not accept the view that
tariff reform has suffered a defeat be-
cause have not anywhere found Repub-
lican candidates advocating repeal of
the law.
"They have denounced it in general
and detained against some rates which
they deemed locally Objectionable, but
nowhere presented an affirmative plat
form demanding its repeal and return
to prior conditions.
I'm tariff reform, as in reforms gen.
orally, it is the first step that is the hard
est, and l have always contended, in
Congress and OH the hastings, that if we
could once make substantial breach in
the protective system, the momentum OF
the first reform and its visible benefits
would carry with them the gradual over
throw of the entire system, without any
general agitation, such as must precede
and mark first victory, and without
the turmoil and uncertainty which array
against such a movement that part OF