The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-07
WHY "TRRECONCILABLE."

If the gold standard Democrats have,
since the election, had anything to say
in the way of suggestion or discussion
of the future tariff policy Of the party
restored to power it is not because Of
9heir off1ciousness. They went to the
polls and cast their votes either
for Mr.. Mckinley or for Mr.. Palm
er, with their eyes open as to
the tariff consequences. They were
persuaded that greater evil than
protection threatened the country,
and they made deliberate sacrifice 10
avert it. They expected that, if Mr..
Mckinley were elected, the policy he
personifies would be restored in as
full if not an ampler measure than it
was expressed in the act of 1890 They
had no thought or intention of inf1u-
encing in any way the fulflIment of
the promises Of the Republicans re-
earding that policy.
But after the election had made it
manifest that without their aid Mr..
Mckinley would have been defeated.
there were sundry persons of promi-
nence in the Republican party, and pa
pegs like the Milwaukee Sentinel, that
suggested that a proper recognition of
this assistance would be a consulta-
ton with their allies with a view to
the formulating of a tariff act that
would meet their approval, or one, at
least, that would not arouse their hos
tility. 1t was on this hint that repre-
sentatiVes of the gold standard Demo-
Gratis have ventured to present some
suggestions for securing additional
revenue. None of these that we have
seen included any increase of the aver
age rate of the present law, while none
of them have asked that the act be let
alone. They contend that it's rate is
high enough for all reasonable protec-
ton even from a Republican point of
view and that it has shown itself to
be a revenue producer, while the rate it
superseded proved itself to be a rev.
enue reducer. They believe that more
revenue would result from lower
average rate, it being an economic
maxim with them that revenue ends
where protection begins, the Mckinley
act being the latest illustration.
In spite, however, of the weIl-meant
and sensible policy proposed by those
whom the Sentinel represents, it is evil
dent that the gold standard Demo-
Gratis might as well have kept silence.
for no basis Of action they might sug-
gest and the element represented by
the Sentinel would accept, would have
the slightest consideration in the Fiji
ty-fifth congress. Without considering
at all the enormous pressure of the
private interests that will demand their
pound of flesh, there is momentum Of
parties as well as of matter that car
ries them along the lines Of their nat
ural policies, sweeping the Republicans
on towards more and more ultra state
socialism. of which protection is but
one manifestation, and the Democrats
towards absolute free trade, which is
but phase Of individualism. The
two principles are irreconcilable: be-
tween them there is the same ire
cry that was fought out a generation
ago on one field, only to be renewed
on this one. Well-meaning men tried
to avoid that by various shifts Of com
promise and failed. Compromise of de-
tails, where principles are agreed on,
is possible, but compromises Of prin-
ciple are as futile as ropes of sand.
With a belief that there is no
common fiscal ground wherein
the Republicans and gold standard
Democrats can meet and cooperate,
the G 10 e accepts the classification
of the Sentinel and takes its place
among the 'irrcconcilables."