The herald., 1898-03-02
STRICTLY ON THE DEFENSIVE

Until it became involved with great
and continuing obligations to the giant
trusts and monopolies, from which it
could not escape if it would, the Repub-
lican party occupied an advanced posi-
tion before the American people, Win
ming good opinions for it's fearlessness
and aggressiveness in exploiting new
issues and its courage in espousing new
doctrines. But from this time forth, un-
less all signs fail, it will be forced, by the
logic of the situation, to make strictly
defensive campaigns.
Just now, and in the first contest for
possession of the house of representa-
tives, it will be at a great disadvantage
in defending it's tariff policy, so conspic-
uous and lamentable a failure as rev.
enue getter, and so utterly disappointing
in it's promise of restoring prosperity and
maintaining wages. Its leaders and or
gans will doubtless recognize the neces-
sity of subordinating the tariff to other
questions in the manufacturing sections,
and of making it correspondingly con-
spicuous in a few localities that have
profited to some extent or think they
have, by the imposition of higher duties
upon foreign commodities coming into
competition with their industries.
A justifying hint of this was thrown
out at the first meeting of the Repub-
lcan congressional committee, held
last week, when Holborn of Califor-
MIA suggested the probable wisdom of
reminding the electors of Oregon of the
great benefits they have enjoyed from
the operations of the Dingley tariff law
in that state, one of the first to vote next
fall The campaign in Maine begins at
the same time, but it was not limited
that the same policy would be likely to
prove so popular in New England just
at this time, when so many mills are
closed and so many voting laborers are
clamoring for a living wage scale.
There Sound money" will be depended
upon to wheedle the masses into sup
port of the party nominees, and by
sound money we mean that which is
preached by Mckinley and Gage and
practiced by Hanna. The business in
terests' will also be reminded of the
success of the Republican adminstra
tion in averting costly and disastrous
foreign war, nor will the advantages of
territorial acquisition, always magnified
in the perspective, be lost sight of.
!
hold in line the states east of the Ale
ghenies and north of the Potomac by a
vigorous policy of denunciation of IAN
archy" and reputation" and national
dishonor," and insidious warnings of the
danger to that section of western ag-
gression in revolutionizing trade and
commerce, graver difficulties beset the
party and threaten its continued dom
overcome.
The great agricultural element, not
quick to trace effect back to original
cause, has yet had time to discover that
and distress of otl.er countries, and not
from the operation of any domestic poll
cies, and it will not overlook the fact
that bountiful harvests abroad next wear
will leave them in even worse condition
than they were before, since local con-
sumption Of surplus food products cannot
be increased while business depression
continues and labor remains unen
ployed, a condition that is sure to grow
worse as progress is made in fastening
the gold standard upon the country.
But with even less prospect of success
can the Republican leaders hope to hold
longer in line that great body of honest
voters Of the party who are bimetallists
from conviction, and who were vet per-
suaded to believe, in the last national
campaign, that the surest and quickest
way to insure return to it as national
policy was through the Republican or
ganization. Emphasis was placed upon
the persuasive statements made to them
that all recent laws relating to silver
coinage had been passed by that party,
Ind that no dependence could be placed
ipon the Democrats, who had refused to
restore silver to the coinage when in full
possession Of every branch of the gov
rnment species of special pleading