St. Paul daily globe., 1896-01-24
HOW Do YOU LIKE ITf

This is not written for those Demo
Gratis who, however much disappointed
and chagrined by the failure of thu
Fifty-third congress to sustain by &C
tion the pledges made the people IL
1892, remained loyal to the party, see
ing clearly that relief was impossible
elsewhere, and having confidence in the
ability Of the party to weed out the
traitors and trimmers. Nor is it espe
cdally directed to those weak-knee6
Democrats who let their tinid sCul!
be affrighted and deluded by the howl:
set up by the Republicans when the
squall of '93 struck our industries. L
is intended for two other classes Ct
voters, who, moved by different mo.
tiyes, voted the Democrats out of pow
er and installed the Republicans in the
elections of 1894. These should be do.
ing some serious, sober thinking these
days; and, if they are not, it is the
object Of this to set them at it,
First of these is that unquestionably
think Of no better way to vent their dis
appreciation of the inaction and misac-
tion of congress than to vote against the
Democratic candidates for representa-
tive. and thus helped swell the Repub-
lican tidal wave. How are they feel
Ing about it now, and what is their
opinion of the wisdom of their action
When the Republican papers boast of
the magnificent victory of their policy
Of protection, and point to the verdict
Of the people" as irrefragable proof
that Democratic free trade" was dis
carded by the people, don't you
squirm a little? Don't you have
something the sensation of hav-
ing been confidenced? AS you
read the proceedings of this con-
gress which you helped elect, don't you
feel as if you had been particeps GRIM
inis in the confidencing of the people i?
Perhaps some of you rebelled because
the last congress aborted on all fnan-
cial measures. How do you like the
response this one makes to the presi-
dents appeal to prevent bond issues by
removing the cause of them?
Then there are those Republicans
who had at length become satisfied
that the protective tariff policy of their
party was only another huge confidence
game in which sundry selfish inter-
plo
patriotism and generosity, and, under
plea of the general welfare and the
n1gnifying of American labor, had been
heecing the consumers for decades. 1t
was these unknown and unnumbered
thousands that gave us the victories
Of go and '92. There is more excuse
For their abandonment of the party
that, receiving power from them to
garry out in enactment the policies
which had wen their confidence and
votes, failed completely to do so,
and their return to their for
mer party affiliations. Naturally they
reasoned that if both parties were pro-
tectionist, it was matter of no concern
which dominated. Probably, too, they
felt as if they had been the victims
Of false pretense, and felt like wreak-
Ing vengeance on the party responsible
for it.
But these Republicans may we'll ask
themselves, as they read the Dingley
bill and listen to Mr.. Dingley's assur-
ance that the measure is but a tenn
porary one. all that can now be made
Effective, and that full restoration of
protection must await the displacement
pf Democratic by Republican presi-
dent, what they really gained by the
change they made. 1t would insult
them to intimate that they have re-
canted the opinions of that policy de-
iberately formed, and have returned to
a belief in the policy they abjured.
They are as well convinced now as
then that that policy must be aban-
doned. AS they see their former lead
srs again taking up the march for
another Moscow, assuming that they
0e'C CT liCii OdCh Tie vote lnaC re-
turned them to power, do not these in
dependent voters feel that they, too,
made mistake in voting for change?
6omething, at least, of what they de-
sired was gained in the action Of the
last congress; the direction was right,
and the movement was not stopped;
but this congress is reversing the direc-
lion, and moving back to ground these
men deem untenable. Was it not a
mistake to abandon the only party ca
pable Of movement toward freer and.
eventually. to free trade?
These are questions which both these
classes Of voters may now fifty ask
themselves, because in a few months
enother congress is to be elected, and
The decision made will determine the
sourse OF policy for years. II the Re-
publicans are successful, they will
properly take it as a ratification of
heir purpose to restore McKinleyism