St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-11-12
TARIFF REFORM LIVES
It Was Not, That Which Was
Defeated in Tuesdays
Election.
CHAIRMAN WILSON TALKS.
Discusses With Calmness and
Ability the Causes Of
Defeat.
The TRAITORS IN CAMP
Much More to Blame Than
the Rank and File Of
Democracy.
CHAIRMAN WILSON TALKS.
The TRAITORS IN CAMP

LIT IuOCk GCys
NEW YORK, Nov. 11.-In a letter to
the Press from Washington. Hon. Will
lam L. Wilson, Of West Virginia, chair
man OF the committee on ways and
means, gives his views of the causes of
Democratic defeat in the recent elec-
tion. After declaring that it is neither
a discreet nor a dignfied thing for
member of a defeated party to attempt
to explain his own or his party's defeat,
he said:
None the less. however, it is the
duty of The Democratic party, after
such a reverse, to make de-
liberate, honest and unsparing scru-
tiny into the causes and forces
which wrought Its overthrow, and
into the condition on which it may gain
its ascendency With the American peo-
pie. Undoubtedly there were local in
huenceS, as there were individual can
uidacies and facti0nal fights. that con-
tributed to and emphasiZ ID the general
result, but it must be admitted that
there were strong forces everywhere
operative that really shaped and
brought about that result. And the
greatest o 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 sec
tion Of our people.
Hard Times
is an enemy before which no political
party IN America has ever been able to
make successful stand when in power.
This is, and perhaps always will be
weak point i'll popular government
When labor is out of employment, when
farm products are low. when our
financial system is disOrganized, the
wisest administration of government
and the most wholesome laws do not
avail to save party from temporary
and disastrous overthrow. Moreover, the
whole teaching of the protective system
trains men 10 depend, not on individual
effort. the plain virtues of industry,
thrift and temperance, for business
prosperity and material comfort,
but on government aid and laws
OF congress. Let NE add, also.
that we, together with all our progress
i've nation, are now passing through an
era OF change, Of unrest aud of some
what tumultuOuS agitation. The rapid
adoption Of the great instruments of
modern industry and trade. the COM
plete revolution which these are bring
ing about in production and distribu-
tiOn. the steady ohIiter2tio of Imme-
mortal handIerafts, the dislocatIon of
many industrieS-all these, together
with the unsettled relations between
labor and capital, have swept US into
an era where for some years it may be
increasingly difficult for any one party
to hold on to the federal government
for any long time. Without attempting
to appOrtiOn
The Responsibility
for the hard times between the two
parties, and stOutly disclaiming any
large share Of it for the Democratic
party, L passsfrom these CONGRATULATIONS
10 the second point, and that is the de-
feat of tariff REFORM
Il do not believe the people have re-
buked or discarded tariff reform in their
action last tuesday, for when | leok
over the whole country do not ind
that to have been the common ground
of their action. No question was ever
so we'll and so thoroughly fought out IN
popular discussion before them as the
question OF reforming and reducing the
tarlh. In every campaign from that of
1856 to that o. 1892 it had been the
great issue, and in every cam
paign except that of 1888 the Demo-
cratic party has won a decided victory
oD that issue. To contend, therefore,
that the people have now chastised the
Democratic party for doing what they
put into their power to do. is to oues-
ton their honesty and intelligence. If
they have inflicted chastisement be-
cause Of its dealings with the tariff il
has been rather because the party did
not carry out with sufficient prompt
ness and thOTOughness the work thev
committed to it. and because thev nave
held the whole party responsible for
the action Of few of its representa-
tiges IN thwartlng and delaying this
great work. The long and
Endefensible Delay
in the senate, the sinister suspicious
that gathered around certain schedules
and duties as they are framed-no-
where more vigorously denounced than
IN the Democratic press of the entire
country-kindled disappointment and
disgust among the rank and file of the
party that led to the apathy and even
misjuged hostility in the recent elec.
tiOns.
1T is hazardous. of course. TO indulge
In hypothetics, but L have no doubt that
had the bill which passed the house ON
the first dag of February passed the
senate as early as April or May In SUBJ
stantally its original shape, the. result
in Missouri and in many other sections
of the country would have been re-
yers6d, and the Democratic party might
even have weathered the Industrial
storm with credit if not with success.
''Not only did this long delay and the
mUIllatIon or the house bill chill and
anger the Democrats. but il kept the
business of the country in the torture
OF suspense and uncertainty. thus hard
ening and exasperating the crisis, and
storing up wrath against the whole
party Tor the actions of q small number
OF its public servants. The bill as
finally passed, though "a vast improve