Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-05-21
TIE AUDUBON REPUBLICAN.
BY J. e. GRIFFITH.
TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE.

pOllCy huO uCCil INCl otuCC
the fruits of the democratic victory I'm
1892 appeared in the reduction of
wages and the stoppage of works, the
manifestation of popular feeling and
the surprise at it have been steadily
growing. 1t is no mere figure of
speech, but a cold recital of facts, to
say that the wisest and most helpful
republicans were astOnished at the
gains of $1,000 in New York, 1900 in
Pennsylvania and $4,000 in Ohio In the
fall of 1893, with other gains elsewhere.
Still more astonishing to nearly every
body were the results of Congressional
elections in 1894, which put 244 repub.
licans into the House instead of 121,
and 104 democrats instead of PIT in
in 1892. But even these results seemed
tame when the overturning Iof demo
Gratis in almost all northern and some
southern states came last fall. And
this year, in different way and even
more to the amaZement of both par.
ties, the power of the protective policy
has been displayed in the election of
delegates for Mckinley and the over
whelming defeat of extraordinary CON-
binations against him.
Men recognize in various ways. &C.
cording to their temper and character
the fact which amaZes them all. Some
put on tone of lofty superiority and
sheer at "the popular craze for McKin.
ley, as If lie could remake the universe. I"
Others think it great pity that man
who does not seem to them a broad
| statesman or sound man should thus
be preferred. The man who can con-
ceive Of no other than dishonest and
corrupt ways of attaining political re-
suits manufactures all sorts of stories
about the wonderful adroitness and
unlimited expenditure Of Hanna, as if
such results as appear could have been
secured by even incOnceivable outlay.
But 1t all means the same thing; men
are amazed that the protective idea
brushes all opposition, smashes the
strongest machines, drives every other
issue out of the way, and changes great
states from one side to the other us if
by magic.
AT bottom, the reason why men are
amazed is that they have never fully
realized how this one issue takes hold
Of the lives and occupation and condi-
ton of millions of people. Probably
ninety-nine opponents of protection
out of every hundred had somehow
persuaded themselves that the tariff
really made no difference with the
wages or employment of labor. Rightly
considered, that same notion was more
amazing than the recent revolution in
public opinion. 1t was Incompetent
slble that amy sane man should believe
that the establishment of a new in.
dustry here would not create new
shops and new demand for labor. or
that the destruction of an industry
would not turn some people out of EN-
ployment and depress wages. Even
among protectionists there were many
who did not fully realize the truth and
far-reaching Importance of statements
which they habitually made Hence it
was that when The Tribune asserted,
before the election of 1892, that free
trade victory would produce the great
revulSiOn in business men had ever
seen. there were doubtless many thous-
and who sincerely thought the state
ment exaggerated and extravagant.
But the people have been learning
with great rapidity. Tney have seen
working men and women by the hun
dred Thousand deprived for a long
time of all opportunity to earn a liv.
ing, and others compelled to accept
lower wages or go without any. They
seen democratic leaders, and bankers
and tinanciers who knew no better,
clammoring month after month for
some monetary relief, and gold bor-
roWed to the extent of $2600OOOOO
without improving the condition of
things III the least. They have seen
the country, under exactly the same
monetary system which permitted in
1892 the higheSt'prosperity ever attain
ed, struggling along for three years to
escape from the prostration into which
1t was plunged by the merest prospect
of change Of tariff, even before any
change whatever had occurred. Men
reason when the question affects their
homes and their living and the future
of those dear to them. They reason
straight through all the sOphistries of
all the tinanciers in christendom, and 90
down to the fundamental fact that the
country must suffer if the country
hires foreigners to make it's goods,
and thereby force it's own workers to
stand idle. 1t is, indeed, wonderful
that such men should need three years
of suffering to teach a truth so plain.
But the "McKinley craze" DrOyes the