Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-10-29
THE ISSUE THEY FEAR,
Forced silver 20 the Front In Order to
Evade the Rssponsibility Of the Tariff
Blunder Of -Four Years Ago-Anothsr
Experiment Proposed.

The remarkable feature Of the cam
paign so far, the only feature, In fact,
ut all worthy of remark, is the strange
persistency shown by Democratic news
papers and public speakers IN ignoring
the tariff issue. upon which these same
newspapers and public speakers had so
much to say four short years ago, and
the strange panic of fear into which the
hare mention of that issue by q Repub-
lican newspaper or public speaker VIII
throw them. ~
The peoDle of the Unite. States have
never been noted for short memories
in political matters. That Is one among
the many misfortunes of the Democra-
cy. The people remember, how four
years ago, they We're promised pros
perity TO follow the adoption of the pol
icy of free trade. The people even re-
member the enthusiastic and victorious
free trade campaign Mr.. Bryan. now the
Democratic nominee for the presidency.
made in one of the districts Of the state
of Nebraska. 1t is true. Mr.. Bryan had
not then attained his present position OF
national prominence. and his most enthu-
siastic local admirer never dreamed that
four short years would see him in the
lead of "new' Dcmocracy-which
means, in this case. Democracy which
seeks success by getting as far as posi-,
bic from all that was best in the old
faiths Of the party-but then neither did
his most enthusiastic admirer foresee
that the free trade remedy would not
only fnil. but that the courage OF Bryan
and the Democracy would fail to apply
il after they had been returned to power
for that very purpose.
Compared 10 their present condition,
the workingmen of America were fairly
prosperous four years ago. They were
promised better times 10y the Democ-
racy, and this promise was. at least,
plausible. Every man. whatever his CON
dition would better il If he could. The
bare threat of tariff reform, so-called,
upon the lines laid down in the Demo
cratic platform of 1892 plunged the coun-
try into condition Of industrial distress
such as il had not known since the war,
and the Democratic effort to make the
prescribed remedy fit existent ills was
one of the most pitiable failures in the
history Of modern craftsmanship. Ii was
a failure SO pitiablc that, had II not
been for its grave consequences. only
commiseration would have been excited.
II is serious matter To trifle with the
welfare and the industrial prosperity of
10000, 900 of people. Every man who
works for his living-and few men do
not, in one form or anothcr-must join
in the condemnation of Democratic econ
omy quackery. II is not pleasant duty,
but il is not for that reason less urgent.
Mr. Bryan and the Democracy. seek
ing how to evade the responsibility for
the tariff blunder of four years ago, see
ing condemnation already pronounced at
the bar Of public opinion. naturally also
seek 10 cloud the most vital issue With
another which they themselves have
forced upon the country. They would
cure the ills they have created by an
other industrial experiment, whose re-
suits can. mt best, be hut n matter of
conjecture. The American people. If you
please. will try no more experiments sug-
gested from that source. Neither will
the American people nor the Republican
party ignore the tariff Issue. however
much that may be desired by the De-
mocracy. The American people know they
must have mt least four years of pros
perity in which To recover from the eff
fects of Democratic rule, and they know
the only way TO secure the necessary res
pite. After a period of protection let
Democracy call agan.-St. Joseph Her
aid