The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-25
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
NCES ERDNr

There is not a principle, with but one ex
ception, that the Republican party has
fought and legislated upon that it has not
gone back upon and repudiated at St.
Louis in its recent platform, and that ex
ception is the same old protective tariff
gag. The protective tariff, the only prin-
ciple upon which the party has been con
sistent, and which it reaflirms at the late
convention, every one of them knows to
be sham or a sop thown out to catch the
manufacturing vote of the east. There
is not a leading Republican that would
dare, even if Mckinley is elected, TO pro-
nose bill in congress re-enacting the
Mckinley tariff. They know the high
protective tariff times have passed. 1t
was showed under in 1892 and never can
be revived That and Mr.. Blaine's pet
humbug, reciprocity, are as dead as "a
door nail"
The preamble of the platform adopted
by the Republican national convention is
an arraignment of the Democratic party
tGor offenses against good government that
have been growing through an almost UNI
interrupted rule of the Republican party
for thirty years. The Republican lead
ers at st. Louis use the last four years
administration of Mr.. Cleveland rs a
scapegoat for their own sins. There is
not single thing that they charge against
the Democratic party whose paternity can
mot be traced to Republican legislation,
They glibly and falsely speak of an over
q flowing treasury at the close of Harrison's
administration, when it is a well known
; fact that the Mckinley tariff bill failed
ITO supply the revenues of the government,
and that Mr.. Harrison stopped his sec
tetary of the treasury from issuing bonds
10 meet the ordinary expenses of the gov
ernment after he had sent him to New
York 10 arrange for the issue of bonds,
and by throwing the debts then due over
on Clevelands administration saved his
administration from inaugurating the sale
of government bonds.
Cleveland had left Harrison a full treas
nry, but the billion dollar Republican con-
ssTess had exhausted all the cash in sight
and entaied enormous obligations upon
the government that fell upon the shout
jers of the incoming Democratic admins
tration. The fact is, that Cleyeland's
last administration may be considered as
ryns receiver of bankrupt government
What folly it is in these Republican lead.
ers to attempt to make intelligent people
believe tissue of unmitigated falsehoods
They complain of the financial de-
preston that Clevelands administra,
ton brought on the country, when
every law touching finance was
adopted by Republican congress.
If there is anything wrong about the
finances of this country it is II wrong
,committed by the Republican and not by
the Democratic party. If they object to
the bond issue they are responsible for
the reckless legislation that made it nee
sessary, and they passed the bill authoriz-
ing the sale of bonds TO sustain the gold
reserve.
The audacity of men of national repu-
5ation was never more fully demon
strated than at the late Republican con-
ventioD. They charged the Democratic
party with crimes that party had no OPP
portunity 10 commit and which these
men knew were directly chargeable to
+. Republican legislation. Keeping in
yInind the fact that the Democratic party
has MOI perfected single law touching
finance since 1860 and reading the
arraignment of the party by the st.
Louis convention, the audacity of promi-
nent Republicans in that convention be-
comes so colossal that one is almost
persuaded to believe lie, if the facts
were not so pronounced and prominent as
n part of the history of the country.