The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-12-04
THE MEANING OF 1T.
True Significance OF the Election OF Nc
Kinley.

~
publican Journals on the significance o
The result, the Free Press has thus ia
failed to detect any disposition to hal
the triumphant election of Mckinley a
victory for the economic principle
of which he has been regarded the fore
most apostle in the present decade. Pro
lection is not considered in the peans o
praise and exultation that have beer
offered. 1t is heraided as the triumph
of sound money, of social order, OF re
spect for. federal authority, Of the per
manency and Independence of the Judi
cjary; and national democrats are giveI
full measure of credit for the gloriou:
outcome.
This is fair and proper. Itwould be
most unfortunate for the country ane
a sorry way indeed of manifesting ap
probation of the Independence, patri
otism and sacrifices of democrats. fol-
the republicans to proclaim the result
as violation of McKinieyism and a,
once set about to overhaul the tariff IN
accordance with the ultra protective
views which Mr.. Mckinley has always
held.
Modification of existing schedules
may be necessary for making good the
shortage in revenues arising from the
invalidating of the income tax; and we
do not think there would be any dissent
among democratic tariff reformers con-
corning necessitated amendments to the
nresent law. But to undertake another
npheaval along the lines of extreme
birh tariffism is not only to disarrange
the business of the country, now adj
iusted to the new law, but it would
DESTROY the educational value of full
and fair trial of the tariff reform prin-
ciple under normal conditions, unham-
pered by serious and prolonged finan-
cial depression.
Such construction of the meaning of
the election of Mckinley would not only
be at variance with what the people,
were intensely interested in through
ont the campaign. but it would sharply
conflict with the line of argument most
frequently used by republican papers
and speakers against the free silver
heresy. The proposition to give the
mine owner an unearned advantage at
the minis were most persistently and
effectively combated as a fragrant in
Justice to the millions who had no bull
lion to take to the mint. Would it be
would it be consistent for
the republican party. now that this pa
ternalistic. theory has been rejected, to
turn about at once and declare for leg
islation that will give the iron mine
owner. the lumber interests, the great
manufacturers the right to extort
tribute from all the rest of the people?
With the experiences of this cam
raign still wildly before them, it ought
to be apparent to the sagacious and con-
servative element in the republican
party that the real danger of the sue
cess of the free silver propaganda arose
from the presidents furnished and
weapons placed in the hands of Bryan
and his followers by republican legisla-
ton in the interests of capitalists and
syndicates in the past, and the party's
intervention in behalf of the
western mine owners.
The republicans must admit that
their party first gave the silver men to
understand that they were entitled to
consideration at the hands of
the government. Twice it passed laws
to take the product of their mines at
prevailing prices. The republicans
mist concede. too, that the permitting
Of trusts and syndicates to participate
III The profits secured through protective
tariff schedules opened the door for
Bryan's assailment of the moneyed
classes as benefciaries of legislation
and his adrcit appeals TO what he called
the common people"
The great lesson in all this-in the
artful cries of demagogues; in the idea
which so many have that the govern
ment was instituted to take care of
them; in the uncertainty and depres-
sion attending every discussion of tariff |
and finance-is that business and poll |
tics should he discovered; every tub |
should stand on it's own bottom, and |
laws should never be framed to "do |
for this interest or that
for sugar or for silver.
III TINS lesson OF the past campaign
and the rejection of the free silver de-
fusion would be needed and enforced by
our republican friends, the democrats
Who made Mr.. MeKinley's election pos
sible would feel indeed that they had
done wise aud patriotic thing by the
side of which expulsion from power
would be of trifiing consequence.-De-
troit Free Press.
s*The fight in the republican party
s already taking shape. Mr.. Platt is
ignored in the celebra-
ions Of Hanna with the victors here.
md yet Mr.. Platt absolutely controls
he rennhlinan organization in fhisl