Evening journal., 1897-01-27
THE TARTFF WRANGLE.

Major Mckinley and his friends to set
tie the tariff business at the beginning
of the incoming administration viii
prove futile. Any tariff notifications
affect the business interests of the
country, and it was the knowledge of
this fact which prevented President
Cleveland from calling an extra session
OF Congress Immediately after his
Inauguration. He was elected on a
tariff reform issue, but with his char
acteristic prudence, he decided that il
would be better to delay the action of
Congress On this subject until 1t could
be brought at a regular session and in
the ordinary course of legislative busi-
ness. Most Democrats did not agree
with him. they felt that an extra ses-
sion of Congress should be called, and
this was undoubtedly the first cause Of
disagreement between the president
and his party.
As things happened. there is no
doubt that Mr. Cleveland made a mis-
take in not forcing before Congress the
issue which had been triumphant at the
polls. The Harrison administration
left the country bankrupt. AS result,
our monetary troubles forced the presi-
dent into calling an extra session f.
nally, the history and difficulties Of
which are well-known. II is sufficient
to say that it did not end in settling
our financial difficulties, but in leaving
the country in more trouble than ever
Under these circumstances and with
this late example before him. it is not
surprising that Major Mckinley should
have decided to take a course opposite
to that pursued by his predecessor He
undoubtedly thinks he was elected on
the high tariff issue.
The people Of the country are pretty
well aware that If the Democrats had
been united Major Mckinley would not
have been elected, but there is some
sense in the view taken of the matter
by the major, for II II had not been for
the money furnished by the high pro-
tectionists, all of whom were marshal
ed in line by Hanna, It is probable that
Bryan would have been elected Then,
according to the views held by Hanna
and the president-elect, il is safe to say
that the latter was elected by those in
favor of a high protective tariff and
that the men who favor this policy de-
serve the highest consideration from
the incoming administration.
Taking Major McKinley's view Of the
case then, that he was elected by a
popular uprising of the people in favor
OF a high and protective tariff, he is no
doubt right in calling an extra session
of Congress Immediately after his inau-
guration and having the tariff matter
settled as promptly as possible, on the
basis that he and his friends imagine
it to be necessary for the welfare of
the country. But for all this, Major
Mckinley, whose one idea has always
been the tariff since he succeeded in
putting the one that bears his name
on the statute books, and his friends
are utterly wrong as to the feelings OF
the great majority Of the people in this
country upon this subject
The time for delusions has gone by
Republicans can no longer make the
people believe that the tariff is not q
tax. AT the same time, the necessity
for an ample revenue to support the
government is recognized. The McKin.
lev tariff was failure, because It die
not produce revenue sufficient, al
though it stimulated oyer-production
as win be the case with any form o
tariff based upon the same lines. II
view Of all this the prospect for bette
times Is not verS brilliant.