The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-06

| Admitted BY Reed and Allison Meu-The
silver Movement
WASHINGTON. April Especial. lit Is
| admitted by many senators and represent
stiyes with whom your correspondent has
! sonversed on the subject that the greatest
| factor In the political situation at the pres
| snt time Is the discomfort of the people
with the measure OF prosperity which has
been melted out to them during the last
few years. Testimony that this burning
desire 60 get away from the hard times
that have hung over the country Is the
moving force of greatest potency In present
day politics comes from men Of all parties
In the north. according TO the reports
brought 10 the capital by senators and rep.
resentatiyes who 20 out among their peo-
ple the disgust with hard times has taken
the form of demand for a return to the
highest sort of protective tariff. No one
denies that the protection idea Is now
stronger in this country than it ever was
before. The only difference of opinion Is
A. 10 its pormanence.
Power of Protection.
The Republicans contend that the great
eagerneSs of the people for more protection
will not be satisfied till the rates have been
put up high onco more and that the people
will never permit the protective duties TO
be lowered. The Democrats, on the other
hand say the Republicans may come into
power on this wave Of reaction from the
hard times. but that the Republican tariff
which they will make haste to pass will
not help matters much and that the hard
times Will continue unless general trade
conditions improve the world over. IL the
revived policy Of high protection fails TO
bring prosperity such as the people think
they ought 10 have, then will come another
reaction.
As the Democrats have il figured out,
the people will be so much disappointed
and Disguised with the Republican tariff
in 1900 that the pendulum will swing 10
the other extreme once more and enable
the Democratic party TO get back into
power In Washington. In this conclusion
the Democrats arc supported by the theory
OF the scientists and statistcians, who
have IL all figured out that we are to have
an alienation Of parties in power for
many years to come. Between the argu-
ments of the Republicans that high pro-
lection has come to stay and that of the
Democrats that it will last only four
years the reader may take his choice.
Personal Fitness.
The news of the matter-and this is that
with which we are concerned-is that the
politics of the hour all revolyes about this
idea. Among the Republican hosts the
prevailing discomfort is finding vent in a
demand that Mckinley, the apostle of pro-
lection, shall be nominated for president.
When the people want a thing they want
1t very much, and when it comes to
question of mon they want the men who
best represent and most fully stand for
the thing which chances to be nearest
their hearts at the moment In this way
do the men of all factions and of all par
ties account for the phenomenal success of
the Mckinley movement in all parts of the
country. This fact Is admitted by the Reed
men, and the Allison mon, and the Nor.
ton men. The only point on which Repub-
licans differ in opinion is as TO the person.
al illness OF the various candidates. On
this score the politicians and leaders think
they are much better qualified to Judge
than the masses of the people. From pres
ent appearances the people are likely to
have their own way.
Because have given expression to these
ideas hope no one will accuse me of try
ing to boom Mckinley. am not booming |
any one. But this impetus of the Repub- |
AASeh puAAg lux htEH anu IOr tDe /
man whose name stands for high protec- |
ton, all because of the hard times and the |
craze which has taken possession of the |
people for a change is the great thought |
of the American people at the |
present time and cannot BIO ignored by any
ono who wishes to treat of events and |
drifts as they actually exist. 1t does not
necessarily follow that Mckinley is the j
best man for president or that he is going
10 be nominated.
The silver Movement.
The other great feature of the present
Is cognate. 1t is a demand for
Ihe free coinage of silver growing out of
the same conditions of discomfort, out of
he same hard times. In the north the
,raze appears to be for more protective du-
lies, in the south and west for more free
coinage OF silver. Both mean the same to
he people, both have origin in the same
icsire; both find great popular support be.
cause change Is demanded, because
wages arc too low, and prices too low, and
he sta9nation of business too great and
he lot of the under dog of society too hard.
As these two great panaceas for distress
the domain Of party action IL is
My natural to find the Republicans TAX.
ny up high protection, while the tendency
n the Democracy Is toward free silver
There was time when 1t was believed tho
In their convention at Sc. |
.ouis would try to use both medicines In
heir prescription for prosperity and de-
lare Tor protection on great scale and |
or silver on small one. But 1t Is now
greed by tho leaders of the party here
hat silver will not cut much figure in
heir platform. There will not even be
trgddle as a compromise declaration Is
generally called
The Republican leaders, AS whole
though there are some exceptions), be.
Ievo the protection idea alone is strong
nough TO carry their party through, even
fter 1t has declared against silver.
The Democrats are obviously shut out
I declaring for high protection, because
hat Is foreign to the creed of vast ma.
GRITTY of them As yet they are unable to
whether or not they are going
o prescribe even silver. The party ap. |
ears To be about evenly divided The
resident and his wing are against silver,
ut most of the men from the south and
'est say that without silver i'm the Demo.
ratio platform the Populists will carry
alf the states of their sections. The great
moving forco in the politics Of the year
eing not conviction or n moral issue
or even sentimental one, but simply
isgust with hard times and a unanimous I
csire for "a change Of some sort that will
ring better things, these Democrats argue
hat IL would be idiotic To go before the
eople without some remedy for their ills.
hese are the principles on which the lines
battle for 1896 are being formed.
WALTER WELIMAN.
|