St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-14
EeUIyoCAT1oN AND UNTRUTHs.

The address of Mr.. Mckinley, at the
Auditorium, in Chicago, on Lincolns
birthday may be considered fair
statement Of the Republican position. 1t
Is, at any rate, Mr.. McKinley's position;
and he is the leading candidate Of his
party. and the man whom an unques-
toned majority Of it today desires to
see nominated for the presidency. He
is authorized to speak for the party,
and he certainly speaks for himself.
Scanning Mr.. McKinley's speech care
fully, we fail to find in it anything in
addition to the subject matter Of his
many previous speeches and addresses.
They are all summed UP in the postu-
late that what we need is protection,
and then more protection, and still
more protection. He is a man of one
idea. The conception Of national exist
ence has little meaning to him outside
Of the proposition that certain men, and
those the poorest and most hard-work-
ing citizens Of the country, should be
taxed in order that other men, mostly
possessed Of capital and leisure, may
be enabled to receive an unearned
profit on account Of engaging in in
dustries which they do not need to
enter unless they wish to.
Even on the tariff, however, Mr.. Nc
,Kinley shirks and palters. Here is his
tariff platform, when he is pressed to
the main point: cit ma. be. asked what
the next Republican tariff law will
provide. I cannot tell you" Now, as
always, the Republican party asks that
the voters Of this country put their
ballots into blind pool. They are to
vote for tariff candidates, and then
those tariff candidates will fix UP a
tariff law to suit themselves. What will
be the principle Of its formation the
candidate refuses to say in advance.
This is not because he cannot prophesy,
but because he dare not He knows
what has been the principle Of Repub-
lican tariff legislation in the past, and
what it always will remain. 1t is this:
The representatives Of all the great
protected industries that contribute to
the Republican campaign fund will be
called into council. Each will then be
asked to say what rate of duty will
afford to him all the profit in his bust
ness that he desires. When those re-
ports have been obtained, they will
was the way that the bill of 1890, which
bore Mr.. McKinley's name, was framed.
It will be the method of preparing
another tariff act if Mr.. Mckinley
should be president, and his party in
control of congress. No wonder that,
when asked to state beforehand, not
only any particular detail, but any
specific principle Of construction, he
has to give the answer of every other
Republican, ct cannot tell you''
On the other main issue of the day.
the financial question, Mr. Mckinley is
less fortunate and still less honest.
He says that the Republican party
stands "for honest money" What
does that mean ON his lips? A large
section of the party, including sixteen
of it's United States senators, have stat
ed that to them 1t means free coin
age, and that they Will not permit even
the Republican tariff policy to be car
ried out until their demand has been
granted. Another section, headed by
John Sherman. is for the maintenance
forever of the fiat paper money of the
United States now outstanding, and
for an arbitrary increase OF our prom
ises to pay until they reach GER
tain amount per capita. Another Sec
ton is for the unqualified gold stand
ard. All Of these claim to be repre-
sentatives Of sound money" Mr..
Mckinley does not attempt to de-
eide between them, nor would he in
the presidential chair. On the money
question, he would be the creature and
servant Of compromise.
The greatest reproach that can be
brought against him, however, as a
man who. though often mistaken, is
more frequently honest than the other
leaders OF his party, is his repetition of
the serseIess and palpabIe falsehood