The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-14
KEEPING TT ALIVE.

KEEPING 1T ALIVE.
We have noted in some quarters a
disposition among Democrats who re-
gard with apprehension the possible
election of Mr.. Bryan and the installa.
ton of the cause he embodies, to be
irritated at the constant prominence
Mr.. Mckinley gives, in the little ex-
tempore addresses he makes to the
spontaneously evolved delegations
that have spoiled his lawn, to the
tariff question. They say, protesting
ly, that it is not an issue in this cam
paign; that by constantly pushing it
to the front he is not only belittling
the main issue, but is irritating Demo-
Gratis who yet feel raw over the dis
appointments inflicted by Gormanism,
but are willing to forget that in the
presence of what they consider a
greater danger. Then, too there have
been mild protests from Republicans
at time when they were alarmed at
the apparent strength of the silver
movement, and thought and said it
was 1mpolitic in Mr.. Hanna and Mr.
Mckinley to be always rubbing the
hair of gold standard Democrats the
wrong way. Even the New York Trib-
une, rabid as it is, condescended to an
explanation of and apology for the in
truslon of protection in this campaign.
1t was sorry for it, but, really, it could
not be avoided, because there are quite
lot of fellows who are interested in
it, you know,
Now, we are free to admit that we
rather like this obstinacy in McKin-
ley, this steady showing up in front of
his pet policy. We do not believe he
does 1t to distract attention from his
shady record on the, money question.
but because he really, down in his
boots, believes that there has been no
greater issue ever presentd to an in
teIlgent people since the Declaration
of Independence than is the one which
bears his own distinguished name IF
one could get into his confidence in some
moment over the nuts and wine. we
nave not the slightest doubt he would.
IN all seriousness, assert that his "I,et
there be protection" ranked second
only in importance to that other COM
mand, Let there be light :.
But it is not because of this ardent.
unwavering, implicit faith of McKin-
ley In his prosperity breeder that we
like his insistence on it. We have tried
to look all over and around this silver
question to find some substance in it.
some evidence that it is anything more
than the after aches and growls of a
financial debauch, the fierce thirst for
more Of what causes the headache af-
ter night out with the bows and
honestly, we nave been unable to find
1t. We see the people all busilv en-
gagged in trying to repair the disaster.
slowly retrieving the consequences Of
their and others folly and extrava-
gance, and booming by their industry
and economy, and we know that this
is the only way men have ever craw1ed
up out Of the wreck Of their castles in
the air. We are quite confident the
cloud is passing away, and that this
turmoil about coinage is only it's re-
treating silver edge We need no free
coinage any more than we need an
Advance Agent of Prosperity. or a
Great Apostle Of Protection to make
US again busy; Industrious and pros
porous people.
Ii we do not want to have Industry
hampered, crippled, paralyzed by cur
rency disturbances, neither do we want
to see the hobble of taxation put on
it. We want to help our farmers to
greater returns for their labor by LEFT
ting them have the same kind of mar
kets to buy in that they must. per-
force, sell in. We want to see Ameri-
can manufacturers holding up their
heads with true, manly, American
pride and pluck, and defying this
world to make as good wares and sell
them as cheaply as they can. We want
to see the American artisan stop cow
ering before the bugaboo of foreign
pauper labor, whose wages, measured
by product, are higher now than his
own. We want to see the old DAVIS
come back, when American merchant
men carried American goods under the
flag into all the ports of the CONNER
cial world and brought back from them
the things taken in exchange which
we all want. This condition that we
aspire to, this larger freedom of man.
is bound up in the issue of protection
and has got to be fought out. The
very sturdiness with which it keeps
pushing itself to the front is the best
evidence Of it's vitality. that it is one
of those uncomfortable questions that
refuse to remain unanswered. So we
are glad that Mr.. Mckinley and his
press keep on telling the voters that
they must not lose sight of the issue
of free trade or protection in the issue
of gold or a silver standard.