Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-06
THE INAUGURAL LESSON.

Pension taxation and tariff taxation
ora the keynotes of President Mckin-
,ev.s inaugural song For the rest, the
music he makes is largely medley &c
commandment. soft and low, INTENDED 10
soothe the feelings and lull the suspicious
and the uneasiness of the general pub
lie and harmonic his own Inconsistency
on the currency question.
None the less. on the ears CT all. eX-
cent the truly stalwart. the composition
must have fallen with a resounding clash
of discord. Particularly must TINS nave
been the case with the advocates OF free
trade and Of economical administration
of the government. who were cajoled
into supporting the Republican ticket by
the plea that the currency and the ma
tional honor constituted the paramount
issue Of the campaign.
After a prelude in international oi-
,netanism. which means nothing, and
which practically. in anticipation, ELECTED
misses from the Big -Four in the Senate
Tuesday. Mr. Mckinley sweetly sings
that economy is demanded in every
branch of the government at all times;
but especially in periods like the present
Of depression I'm business and distress
among the people" Beautifully true
and truly beautiful, Mr. Mckinley. Yet,
n the same breath, the new Presidents
voice rises in sonorous echo to the Oiver
Twist cry of the pension sharks for an
increase of pension taxation, which now
amounts to over S142,O000OO.
Mr.. Mckinley INDUCES in roundelay
of sympathy with the farmers and Ia
borers. IN which it is admitted that the
depression of the last four years has
fallen upon none more heavily than
upon the holders Of small farms" and
that agriculture has languished and
labor has suffered" Yet, the only
remedy he offers for this is tariff taxa
tion. his swelling climax being the de-
claraiion that, TO a policy Of such taxa
t,on. 1--WE are all, of whatever party,
hound by the voice of the people-a
mower vastly more potential than the
sxpression Of any political platform"
Here Mr.. Mckinley turns his back
anon the allies Of the Republican party
during the last campaign, and repudl-
ates every obligation of his party TO
them. He knows. as well as he knows
ANYTHING. that thousands OF voters who
supported him were not during the can
vass. and are not now. in sympathy with
tha high-tariff taxation he advocates,
and which he calls Congress in extra
session TO fasten upon the country. He
knows that these voters were tolled into
l. with
Republican party by the bait that that
Marty had risen superior TO its record
and IT'S "atrocious doctrines" and was
making the fight on the broad lines OF
The financial issue. He knows that ne
was supported by thousands OF non-ke-
nublican voters, who, while they anita
eonized the free-silver movement, were
eoually opposed TO the out-of-date sys-
Tenn of finance the Republicans had
given us. yet were deluded into Dellev-
ing that the Republican party If sue
cessful IN the election. would IN good
<aith address itself to financial reform.
Mr. MoKv1ley's assumption that the
voice OF the people is behind the policy
of h.sl,.tarin taxation he and his party
have mapped out is, therefore violent
and ,lk.karranted 1t is cloak in which
ne yak.ld disguise the cloven foot OF
brosM faith with the Republican auxilia~
II is a salve 10 Republican con-
sa,xS6S-If RepublIcanism has any con-
scArse.
q we said yesterday, Mr.. McKinley's
iutx,urai performance is that OF Re-
,,S,.ican Of Republicans, and IN this we
snve no right 10 be disappointed. But
,f~re Is q lesson in 1t. especially for our
bemocratic friends who helped 10 elect
tAe new President That lesson teaches
NAT they have nothing 10 expect from
Mckinley. Hanna & Co. that Is not at
,Ariance with sound Democratic doc
times. policies. and principles. and that
they have been made. however unwit-
tSgiy, accomplices in bringing about an
oxher regime OF extravaganza and op-
: preston OF the masses. II teaches that
the only way they can aid in undoing
dis work is by coming back into the
house Of their fathers the doors OF which
stand open 10 them.
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ytce-Presldent Hobart, as a business