The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-02
DISHONESTY CONFESSED.

The attitude of the Republican party
toward the Dingley bill one year ago
and today is an open and shameless
confession of political insincerity and
double dealing. All through the winter
and spring and especially during the
months Of the campaign the air re-
sounded with Republican charges
against the Democratic party for fail
ing to provide adequate revenue for
the government. When it was pointed
out that this condition arose from an
unforeseen circumstance, namely, the
decision Of the supreme court on the
income tax question, which was con-
trary to all reasonable expectation, the
answer was returned that at least,
after this had happened and after the
deficit could be measured. the Demo-
Gratis in congress should have turned in
and helped to pass the Dingley bill
1t was asserted that. inasmuch as the
| Republicans controlled the house, it
to agree to some sort of compromise
in order to piece out deficient revenue.
There is nothing of the compromise
quality about the Dingley bill, which
| embodies some of the most objection
| able features of protectionism, partic-
ularly the restoration of duties on raw
material. But the point of i'm
portance is that the Republi-
cans who prepared and set for
ward this measure to put the Demo-
cratic party 'in a hole" did not ex-
pect or desire that it should pass They
have been talking for nine months or
more about the excellent qualities of
the Dingley bill as a revenue raiser.
They have been berating the wicked
Democrats who prevented it from be-
coming a law. Now they are express
ing themselves freely to the effect~tfat
| the Dingley bill ought not to pass this
winter, and will not be pushed by Re-
publican members. They who were
hottest in its support less than year
ago are now coolly dropping it into
oblivion. They who abused Democrats
a year ago for opposing it are now ad
vising Republicans not to restore it.
The reason for this, of course, is per-
fectly plain. The Republican leaders
desire an excuse for calling an extra
session and making a general revision
of the tariff in the interest Of monop-
oly They are pledged to do this for
the immense corporate interests that
are behind them. They are not free
/ agents, and their promises must be per
| formed. It is necessary first of all.
however, to keep up appearance, that
! there should be some pretenses which
may be offered to the public as an ap-
| parent explanation Of this policy.
| If the Dingley bill were to pass this
| winter, or any other bill to raise rev.
! enue were to become a law, there
| would be no excuse for calling congress
/ together before the constitutional time
to meet. It would then be from fif-.
! teen to eighteen months before there
could be any hope of carrying out the
! pledges that have been made to restore
McKinleyism. Hence the Dingley bill
! now becomes a terror to it's originat-
ors and is acknowledged by them to
have been invented and advanced for
political benefit. The insincerity of a
party has seldom been so carefully
written out where all may read by its
own act. There is much reason to hope
that it will not accomplish it's pur-
! nose RenIIh1icanS MIGHT do 7raII 70 no
member that they have not yet con-
troll of the senate, and will not have
after the 4th of March, and there is
much reason to think that no such
tariff bill as they contemplate can ever
pass that body. The Dingley bill per-
Torrance is not calculated to win Re-
publican support from members who
are inclined to Independent action on
| the tariff.