The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-17
DO YOU WANT \ Republican,

We all remember the long struggle in
congress over the tariff. 1t Is not a
pleasant memory 10 any one-not even
the Republicans to whom politically
that discussion undoubtedly accrued.
1t was disastrous TO trade and depress-
ing on the industry of the country. None
of us would want to see it re-enacted.
1t must be in every mans mind that
the result of the tariff discussion was
unsatisfactory to the Democrats, no
matter how much the Democrats praise
it now. The singing terms with which
! Mr.. Cleveland characterized 1t cannot
be forgotten. Neither can be forgotten
the fact that the Democrats for years
have been nursing and cuddling happy
dream about free trade. They talked
| free trade for years and years. They
| were firm in the belief that free trade
could be made reality and accomplished
with little difficulty by the ordinary
legislative methods. The people finally
put the Democrats solely in power III all
| three branches of our national legiSla-
| ture. We all know what quarrels and
disgraceful clashes followed an attempt
| to partially make the free trade dream a
reality. We certainly all saw the utter
defeat of the free trade dream by its
cratic house pass he Wilson bill, an
approximately free trade measure know
ing that it could be amended in the SEN
ate. It was amended there, changed
completely, and forced back on the
house and passed against protests which
could have defeated it, had those pro-
tests been earnest, which they were not.
The free trade dream was thereby ex-
ploded.
1t had been a great dream. 1t had
been real enough in its delusion to fool
the American people in the voting booth.
But when it was put to the test IL was
found to be impractical.
But Congressman S mpson of this dis
trict still cherishes this dream. He is
an abs dilute free trader. He is to all APP
pearances honest in his dream. He even
goes so far as to say that if he introduced
bill on the tariff it would provide at
once, without preliminary or prepare
tory arrangement, for The absolute re-
the closing UP and condemnation and
sale of every customs house. This is
his idea of the tariff. 1t makes no pro
vision for a revenue and even if it did
its greatest faults lies elsewhere. The
trouble with it primarily is Just here.
Such bill cannot be passed in the next
congress. It. cannot be passed four
years from now. 1t cannot be passed
ten years from now. II Mr.. Wilson's
bill was so far from being even seriously
considered, what would become of Mr..
Simpsons absolute and per-emptory
free trade measure?
1t is absurd to eveTybody'S mind and
Mr.. Simpsons with the remainder of us
to suppose that it could be passed at all.
How Congressman Simpson expects to
get votes by this view of The tariff is not
clear. The people do not want rose
tinted dream. They want actual, tangi-
bic prosperity and they know it can be
achieved only in practical manner
with practical measure. For years the
Reput licpn party gave this country I'M
exampled prosperity. The Republican
party was dropped and the prosperity
Immediately disappeared. 1t was not a
mere accident that our prosperity left
us, no more an accident than the fact
that when three new British grocery
men come into little town where
small American grocer previously sup
piled the people, the one small grOcer's
business is sure to fall off.
If the one small grocer had a warning
that three competitors were soon to
come into his field he would certainly
not burden himself with great stock.
He would not want a larger stock for a
smaller demand and when he realized
that to get q footing the three competi-
tors would cut prices to undersell him.
No prejudice nor partisanship is nee
essary for the maintenance OF these
facts. 1t is plain observation of bust
ness principles. To the thinking and the
business man it must contain the key
to prosperity. And prosperity is what
the people of Congressman Simpsons
district want--not free trade and I'M
practical dreams.