Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-11-30

might hold the balance of power in Rll
important discussions. The transfer
of their votes on a ballot might easily
compass the nomination of one of the
contestants,
Mr.. Quay, for reasons of his own,
Is hostile to Mckinley. Why he is SOS
not we'll understood. Platt declares
himself for Morton, but the general
opinion in republican circles is that Mr..
Morton's age will take him out of the
list of real contestants. 1t is believed
that Quay and Platt are both looking
to Reed, though this is g~uesswork.
AS to Tanner, it is questionable wheth-
or he would undertake to turn the state
of Illinois over to Reed, but this does
not prevent him from working against
Mckinley. The reason for his oppcsi-
ton to the Ohio man may be inferred
from what he said in an interview
nearly Il year ago:
The republican party has won a great VIC
tory because the people are again willing to
trust it with leadership The party was de-
feGtcd in 1872 lecause it had committed itself
to the folly Of Mckinleyism. The people OF
Illinois ana Of the western states generally do
not believe in the high protection advocated
by republicans Of the Mckinley school. II
the party leaders take u conservative position
on the tariff question in 1895 the republican
ticket will be elected If, on the other hand,
tie party should mako the mistake OF pledglng
itself to q revival Of Mclitnlcyism its candi-
| dates will be defeated
Mr.. Tanner not only takes ground
against Mckinley, but he is disposed to
ignore the p%retensions of Shelby NJ.
Cullom. lie does not like the idea of
throwing away the influence Of his
state in advocating the cause of a mere
" nominal candidate who is certain TO
drop out before the decisive ballot. In
doing this, however, Ii a%ntagonizes all
of Cullom's friends, and exposes him
self to the danger of being beaten by u
combination of the supporters of Gull
lom and Mckinley. So for the present
the position of Illinois in the anti-Mc-
Kinley combination may be treated as
doubtful.
1t is well to bear in mind that II good
many things are certain to happen be-
tween this date and the meeting of the
republican national convention, so that
combinations made now are likely to be
confronted with very unexpected condi-
tons. In a little more than a month a
republican house Is to meet, and it will,
doubtless, undertake to formulate some
legislation to supply the deficit in the
evenue that was caused by the judicial
defeat of the income tax. There are
known to be many republicans who are
anxious to use this preteNt to reopen
the whole tariff question and to formu-
late a bill on Mckinley lines for the
president to veto. Should the party
commit itself through its represents
tiyes in congress to u policy Of this sort,
ii would render it somewhat awkward
to reject Mckinley on the grounds men
toned by Tanner. Indeed, if n new
tariff fight should be inaugurated dur,
ing the coming winter, ii is difficult to
see how it could fail to give Mckinley
considerable prestige in his own party,
Mr.. Reed, however, who will be speaker,
will have a direct personal interest in
preventing this, and it may be in his
power by the makeup of committees
and the exercise Of his authority tc
head it off.
The democrats have no reason to OBJ.
jet to the nomination of Mckinley, fol
it will be impossible in the campaign tc
separate his candidate from Mckinley,
ism. They have especially to congratu
late themselves that the time is near al
hand when the republicans will have
to abandon the policy of negation, and
commit themselves to some definite line
o faction. In doing this they will speed
lily develop the rivalries and antagon
, isms among themselves, and manufac
ture Il good deal Of campaign materia.
Tor their opponents.-Louisvillc Cour
sicr-Journal.