The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-08
Extremists Are Mistaken.

The fact needs to be clearly unueT-
stood in the Republican party that
man can be thorough and uncom-
promising protectionist without at the
same time prostrating himself in servile
fealty to any specific tariff. Because
nearly a two-thirds plurality of the
American people last month decided
that they had had enough of Demo-
cratic incompetency and deceit is no
reason whatever for the belief, which
some Republicans appear to wish to
nurse into a cardinal party doctrine,
that the Republican members of the in
coming congress must initiate Democ-
racy's bad example by again littering
the house calendar with new tariff
bills, different from the ''pop-gun' free
trade bills in an exactly opposite eX-
treme.
To be specific, let us inform Repre-
sentative Charles A. Boutelle, of
Maine, that he greatly mistakes the
temper of the people when he intimates
that they want a new Mckinley tariff
higher, even, than the old one. They
want nothing of the kind; and it would
seem as if any man possessed of an
average eyesight ought to read this
fact with ease. In the elections of 1890
the people said, in no uncertain tones,
that they dissented from a tariff law
which, however admirable in it's con-
ception, in spirit and purpose, never
theless carried with it, to many, the
odor of bargaining and the suggestion
of cunning combinations. Again, in
1892, the people repeated this comment
repeated it with width and decisive
ness of emphasis that left little room
for subsequent mistake. The error of
the people in 1892 was not in dissenting
from an ultra position on the tariff
which considerably exceeded the pio-
neer principles of the Republican
party, but in entrusting that dissent 20
partisan servants unfit for any trust,
because incapable of either interpreting
or executing a trust.
LhNu, anu SluHS WIFI IL
sense of fresh betrayal and loss, the
Americanpeople last month flung them
selves into the Republican side of the
balance almost as one man. so intent
We're they upon rebuking the party
which had aroused their anger. And
now, forsooth, comes Representative
Boutelle and those -protectionists
OF his radical class, and they all hail
this largely negative victory as a great,
sweeping and permanent positive tri-
umph, which settles off-hand all the
elections Of the next twenty or thirty
years! The people, they aver, were
fools, dolts and block heads in 1890 and
again in 1892; it was not until 1894 that
they exercised common sense. We do
not, albeit protectionist to the core,
find it in us to tacitly assent to such an
uncomplimentary indictment of the
ruling element in our electorate. We
cannot believe of the great mass of
our fellow citizens that when, twice
out of three times they vote for the
other side they are crazy, irresponsible,
1diotic; and rational only when they
once honor us with their favor
Let us not be misunderstood. The
people, we firmly believe, are for pro-
lection, for the peoples sake. They
merely are not for tariff law which.
In the momentum of it's earnestness,
goes far beyond the peoples needs--a
law, which in its excessive zeal, appears
TO many to encourage restrictive combi-
nations and extortionate trusts. The
lesson of the recent elections, as we
deduce and interpret it, teaches not ex-
treme action of any kind, but simply
the quiet and peaceful medal course
which makes business secure, capital
confident and gives to labor fair hope
OF sharing in protections benefits.
what the nation wants is peace. What
business needs is rest. Too much doc
tOrinp kills not oura.