Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-12-12
False PretenseS.

during the recent political canvass,
says the Saginaw News, went to the
country solely upon the proposition
that the tariff passed by the Demo-
cratic congress, reducing the Nc
Kinley bounties and exactions was,
taken in connection with the fear
that such a reduction in the tariff
would be made, the sole real cause
of the hard times and business de-
preston; and they asked a return
to power that they might save the
country before it was too late, by a
return to the Mckinley taxation
upon industry, and by replacing
the sugar trust, and other trusts
and combines, upon their feet again.
Republicans, encouraged by the
prospect of again being able to re-
impose the Mckinley taxation upon
the country, flocked to the polls and
voted to be re-McKinleyized; and
Democrats, indignant because a
handful of treacherous senators had
denied them, aud the country, the
full measure Of reform that had
been promised, refralned from vot-
ling and allowed the election to go
by default. This Republican sue
cess. as undeserved as it was unex-
pected, gave the average Republi-
can intense satisfaction, since he
saw in it an assurance that he was
not to be degraded, as Harrison puts
lit, by being compelled to wear
cheap coat"
But it is certain that Republicans
who thought they were voting for a
return to McKinleyism, will be as
badly disappointed as were the Dem
ocrats, who were betrayed by the
few traitors in the senate. The
promise to restore McKinleyism
and the trust and combines was a
false pretense to catch votes. Tax
alton for the beneft-"protection'
|-of a favored class will never again
be favored by any considerable
number. The discussion of the
fallacy Of protection, that followed
Mr.. Cleveland's anti-protection de-
claration in 1887 has placed that
beyond question. By reason of the
setback tariff reform received in
the senate at the hands of it's false
friends, the removal of Mckinley
protection" that yet embarrasses
and obstructs our progress, will not
be as speedily obtained as was de-
sired; but there will be no backward
step. There will be no attempt by
Republicans to again pile up taxa
ton upon consumption for the ''pro.
lection" of an already over-wealthy
class. The benefits that will result
from free wool and the reduction o1
the protective" taxes will soon be
SO manifest as to create strong de.
mand for further reduction of GU,
Chinese tariff. Every change in
the tariff that will hereafter be made
in this country will be in the direc.
ton of free trade.
| The false charge that the Demo-
cratic reduction of the Mckinley
taxes caused the hard times, having
served its ante-election purpose by
bringing the Mckinley voters to
the polls, it is abandoned; and the
same Republican leaders and organs
Ia few of the lesser ones not yet
having caught the tune-are unit
ing in protest that they have nc
intention of restoring McKinleyism
The st. Louis Globe-Democrat, one
of the ablest organs of Republican
ism, recently said this: Whatever
the outcome may be the Republi.
cans will never frame another Nc
Kinley tariff. n y The Nc
Kinley law, which made advances
in duties already adequate, was the
Igreatest blunder ever committed by
the Republican party. +" =
This blunder was opposed by many
Republicans at the time and vigor-
ously denounced by them after
wards (among them Blaine). The
thing called McKinleyism is so dead
that no Gabriel's trumpet will ever
|sound it's resurrection"
| Reed and Sherman are hedging
on McKinleyism and directing Re
publican thought away from it.
With the great Republican leaders
and organs of Republicanism de-
neutrality-suspicious. las blunder, y
almost crime, it is safe to assume
that the Globe-Democrat is right
when it says, "The thing called Nc
Kinleyism is so dead that no Cab
riel's trumpet will ever sound its
resurrection"
| Nevertheless the last election was
carried on false pretense.