The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-25
THE EXHIBITION COMPLETE.

Every object proposed by the oppo-
rition TO the new tariff bill has now
been accomplished. 1t stands exhibit
ed before the world today in its naked
enormity as a strictly boodliRg per-
Torrance, in which hundreds Of inter
ests and thousands of men have unit
ed to plumber the people for their bene-
fit. Every other shadow Of pretense is
swept away as the keen sunlight Of
truth pOurs down on this discussion.
There is no man so intellectually poor
today as to believe any longer that
prosperity, it's return or it's retreat has
any connection with the Dingley tar
iff There has been just enough de-
lay. and not too much, to make this
point clear. The whole country knows
that the tariff bill will be passed. 1t
knows that the duties imposed by it
will be inordinately high. Therefore, if
high tariffs make prosperity, it would
be already here. The claim that the
election of 1892 brought about the panic
of the following year. still a year in
advance of any tariff legislation, SIM
ply because the people discounted and
anticipated results, is equally applica-
BILE on its converse side. The knoWl-
edge that a tariff bill will be passed
In 1897, raising rates all around, should,
on the same basis, have brought good
times to us long ere this. So that de-
ception is out of the way; and yet the
whole Republican press, together with
the president, are today pleading for
patience and delay and a hopeful wait
ing for the good things prophesied that
have not come.
Further than this, the debate in the
senate has been extremely illuminating.
There has been no factious opposition
and no unnecessary delay. AS each
paragraph of the bill was taken up,
1t has been shown to the people Just
what motives and what combinations
were behind it. Democrats and Repub-
licans have united in this wholesome
disclosure of the secrets of the COM
mittee room. The Democratic senators
from Georgia, only a little less frank
than Mr.. Tillman, of South Carolina.
have Clipped in on the lumber tariff
for the benefit OF their constituents.
Their votes, like that of a senator from
Louisiana and one from California. are
broadly explained by the frank, if
brutal, remark Of the pitchfork senator
that, as long as it was all a game Of
grab, he proposed that his constituents
should get their share. It is not a
highly moral principle, nor one on
which we think any nation can rest
safely. But it has the merit of hon
esty, and il is worth six months OF
tWaddle about ''home industry and
the rest of the protection catch words
Later on come the Republican SEN
ators to verify what their political 3D.
pOnents have charged 1t was inevi-
table that, before the bill had passed
the senate, there should come a dis
agreement somewhere between it's ben.
eficiaries. Where selfishness meets
selfshness and greed grapples with
greed, differences must develop. SO Mr.
Garter, who has constituted himself
the especial champion of the WOO
growers of Montana, and Mr.. Foraker
who has the Well-being of the gentle
shepherds Of Ohio on his mind, de.
clared in open senate that there was
an agreement in writing between the
men who framed this bill and expected
to profit by it, and that any changes in
such agreement would be resisted anG
resented by refusing to carry out its
general terms.
So we have the bill that stands as
the exponent of the new Mckinley
ism hung up before the country, like
& banner despatched with the filth
of greed, and ridiculed by friends an6
foes alike, until it appears for just what
1t is-a compact of iniquity destined tr
serve the commercial ends of it's pro-
motors and as reckless Of the people
welfare as it is powerless Ito affect it