New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-23
nv THE RTN.

..J'he main issue may be detected by Sill
,, tost II Is ALWAYS the one the Democrats
RIM AWAY from They get themselves into trou-
lilo this wear and have to face what MI W MT
nov believes NAV be disruption of their party!
hocousc thcv were so anxious to run AVA!
fro,, tho tariff issue after forcing II upon the
countrv when the highest prosperity was EN-
iov.d under the net Of 1890 Having declared
tho tariff unconstitutional and decrecd It's over
tbrow and the extinction of Protective duties,
thev were mt once overwhelmed by such
cotoclvsm OF failure and Industrial disaster that
man of common-scnse would have halted. ana
made business conditions reason for not cats-
Ing greatcr trouble; but they persisted. ana pun
ushed 70 the world their proposed bill prepared
under official guidance Startling defeats Wi'h-
In month or two gave them Il second reason
for stopping their raid on industries. Inc!
persistcd. though it is of record that they great
" modified their proposal Congress lhS'S'e"
that there must be a change Of tariff, no mat
for how business suffered. and the House
noseod q hill which. though feeble compared
with the one officially prepared, was bad enough
But that was much more III accord WIFI Inv
pledges and principles Of Democrats thhh 'he
pitiful thing reported by the Senate COMMIT
tee and even that they were unable 10 pass
without giving hill of sale of the party itSeii
70 monopolies From the instant that act 81
.ueridv and dlshonor' became Il law without
the signature which n Democratic President
refused the party has been trying 10 run away
from the issue and the consequences or It's ac'.
rims II was that there came about Il hcrc"
fight between the President. who wanted 10
drop the tariff and make the issue against IRE"
coinage. Of which he knew there was no posi-
bilitv with House two-thirds K"publcan ana
other Democrats who wanted To drop tn" tarlh
and makc the issue for free coinage. In their
frantic anxiety 10 force this issue upon the
country both consented to conspr" with the
silver hghWaymen Of the Senate To leave TN"
Government without enough revenue II was
BETRAYAL Of public interest on the part Of BOTH
and betrayal 81 their convictions against free
coinage on the part II gold Democrats. WI"
thus helped the silver conspiraiors. II would
get rid ~ the tariff question. and that was
enough for both But II happened that th" pro-
ple were 80 indignant that they stamped ont
silver hrresIcS In eight States within four
months. and the Republicans had no difficulty
i'm meeting that question In fashion when
wins them NOR" votes than they can lose. NOW
the Democratic party seems about to make
shipwrcck ~ Itself on the very rock toward
which It's official lights tried 20 turn the Re
publican ship with false signals
The main issue T. now. ~ II was, the qIcs-
ton about which the majority Of the people
care most Anxiety tn get away from 1t IS con
fesson. Just rs the boy who runs from n
smashed window shows that his hand threw
the stone Men who know 10y daily Intercourse
how the millions feel about closed shops ana
reduced wages. and know that the millions
charge thcs" things to Democratic warfar"
against Protection. have the best of reasons
for avoiding the subject But il remains the
one issue which has stamped ont I'll" silver
hcrcsy In tn" Republican party. and thus has
made II inpossibl" for the Democrats 10 tax"
| either sid" of the coinage question without de
feat The nomination of Mckinley presents IN
issue which the millions hav" made in spite of
| would-bc masters. and witch the wOrkngmen
| Will meet. whether Democrats do or not