New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-13
THE QUESTION or ISSUES.

THE QUESTION or ISSUES.
Again there is an outbreak of Democratic
anxiety to make ISSUES for Republicans. This
is nothing strange for ii is good tactics to force
an enemy to fight on grounds Of your own choice.
IL YOU can So there Is another anxious and evil
IDENTITY concerted effort. in Democratic news
papcrs likely to be stccrcd from headquarters. TO
convince Republicans that the money question
must ovcrshadow all others. and that the tariff
question will have to take secondary place. be-
cause with business revived and active nobody
will be willing to have the issue reopencd. 1t is
specious and cunning argument, but should not
deceive anybody. The truth is that issues are
made for parties and not made by them. The
things about which the plain people, who are not
mere politicians nor mere partisans. actually
have The greatest interest and the strongest de-
sire. necessarily become the predominant issues
because the politicians and party are forced. i'll
spite of themselves. to seek the preference ana
the votes of those rot certain to support one
party or the other. Now it is the fact that
considerable but apparently diminishing minor
ity Of the people want a change OF currency.
in the direction Of free silver coinage. more
paper, State banks, or soft money" in some
form The decided majority Of the people, APP
parcntly increasing from week TO week. desires
no such change. feeling that the money we have
is absolutely safe, and in quantity ample for all
real necessities. 1t seems probable that this
opinion will so far prevail that the money issue
cannot predominant in coming elections. The
only voters who want change. and whose support
nolticians might seek TO gain demand measures
which are so overwhelmingly opposed by the
sound sense of the great majority that an at
tempt TO court the favor Of these voters would
be fatal TO any party.
1t is natural that Democrats are anxious 10
have their action on the tariff forgotten and
showed out Of sight. In that way, they calculate
the tariff may gain sort OF popular acqucscencc
which can be interpreted as approval The bust
ness OF this great country has such wonderful
recuperatve power and adjusts Itself so mar
vellously to almost any conditions, mat Demo
Gratis hope it will thrive even under tariI
which they have most savagely denounced as
surrender Of all their principles. barter ana
a botch Then they can cry See how we pros
per under reduction Of duties. The facts VIII
have 10 dictate. however. in spite OF all poll
ticians and pan-makers and II business ana
industries do actually prosper. giving 10 INDUS
tries greater development and 10 labor better
wages than were ever attained under any DINER
tariff, the Republicans will have to face that
fact for in that case the desire OF the people Ior
a change Of tariff will fade.
That state Of facts has not come. and The
Tribune does not believe that it will come The
pcople do now desire and demand restoration
of intelligent and consistent protection in place
of the Infamous barter and disgraccful bo'ch
Democrats have enacted. They know that AT
this time, after all the Improvement OF the last
three months, their wages are by no means as
high as they were in 1892. This Is the ncces-
sary consequence Ct another fact. which the pco-
ple also know that the Industries OF the coun-
try are not yet by any means as prosperous as
they were In 1892 The more severe competition
with foreign producers In Il great many branches
makes the restoration Of former wages and OF
former production as yet impossible. Thus
several thousand workers in carpet mills AT
Philadelphia are on strike now, because the
manufacturers feel unable to grant partial
restoration Of wages amounting 10 only IA
per cent.
Predictions are cheap. but the actual results
will inevitably turn the scale. and the people
will know those results by their own personal
experience They are not satisfied To-Day, anu
would vote by overwhelming majoriics In every
Northern State for overthrow Of the Bill of SAFE
II they are not satisfied In far greater measure
next year. all the clat,cr Of Democratic organs
will not persuade them to drop the tarin qies-
ton, and accept the tariff of 'pcI1idy and dis
honor" as a finaliiy. They know that they have
no occasion TO fear Republican revision. which
means greater protection less foreign competi-
ton. better wages and more business. The coun-
try always thrves when change OF that char
| acter Is in prospect. The people do fear ana
with great reason. any Democratic revision.
which invariably means worse business and
| lower wages for Americans and more business
and better wages for the people Of other coun-