The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-24
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
WILMINGTON. n. G.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY Pr, 1899


mcKINLEY,S FLOP ON HI RIF
Mckinley is really a very remarka-
hIe noIitical acrobat. He has turned
a summersault on the foreign conquest
question and now he has Topped upon
the tariff question. This very man has
been the EXTREMIST of extreme protec-
tionists. One of the MOS grasping and
immoral Of tariffs bore his name. He
was elected as a protectionist pure and
simple, wool dyed and blind. He went
to Boston recently where he spouted in
rather fine style showing himself a
speaker of accomplishments. He was
mainly on the expansion idea, but he
touched upon the tariff, and in a very
wonderful W y for the hierophant OF
the robber scheme of class legislation
and immortality. He said this, and it is
most marvellous to behold:
1--WE are fast going from a debtor to
a creditor nation. l hope nothing will
check it. We have quit discussing the
tariff and have turned our attention to
getting trade wherever it can be
found. 1t will be a long time before
any change can be had or any change
desired in our present fiscal policy
except to strengthen it. The diff
ferences on the question which ex-
listed have disappeared. We have
turned from academic theories to trade
conditions and are seeking our share
Of the worlds market
This is a clean backdown. 1t is a
conspicuous display of economic and
political gymnastics. He is in the part
of the Little Joker"-now you see
him and now you don't see him. Here
he abandons the very staple and foun-
dation of the whole protection fabric.
1t was all for home folks and to pay
Iworkingmen good wages that entered
INFO the demands Of the very unselfsh
and benevolent minded protectionists.
Now the "home market" idea explodes
like a bomb in the hands Of Mckinley.
The Chinese Wall is to be dismantled,
destroyed, levelled with the ground.
The barbed wire arrangement to keep
out and shut in is to be removed hence
forth, for, quoth the easy-going and ac-
commodating demagogue, we are no
longer 'theorising" as we did to bam-
boozle and deceive the people, the
voters, but we "are seeking our share
OF the worlds market" This acrobat
trimmer says that "the differences
Qn this question:" the robber system
Of gouging the consumers, have dis
appeared" Wonderful! What an ar
rant fraud is this same Mckinley. The
tariff has had it's day. The deceived
will no longer be played with. Hence
forth they will have equal and just
dealing. To quote the Richmond
Times upon him:
I'VE are able now, as the president
admits to compete with the whole
world, our industries have grown out
of the infant stage and are now strong
and vigorous and need not the foster
ing care of the government. We are
hAdhluS OhOIC IL VIC NdA (OAOuIuC
and we must find a market for our sur
plus products. 1t should be now our
great aim to cultivate the most friendly
relations with the nations of the earth,
and in order to do that we should open
our doors to them and we should not
involve ourselves in the entanglements
of European diplomacy. Old things
have passed away, all things are be-
come new"
Great indeed is humbug! Great is
the Diana of the radical thing. We
are no longer in the tariff tinkering and |
people fooling business. We will "to
de fair" in the future. Our country is
great and expanding. We seek the
world, we are nation grabbers, colony
builders, trade seekers. Down with the
protection fetch! Down with special
legislation for a rich class. Our great
country is now looming, booming, and
in the midst of unparalleled activity
and prosperity" and we are clean out
Of all tariff debates and are now bent
on glory and grasping n big trade
every where. And so the orator spouts
and plays upon "his harp of a thousand |
strings"
We do not now discuss his position
as to the Philippines, but are dealing |
simply with his latest economic posi- |
ton and declaration. There is one
thing he said, however, that may be
referred to here-his egregious fallacy
as to the cause of great trade and in
~creasing growth in business. The
Charleston News and Courier we'll
touches him up on this point in the
following:
w have been engaged in war;"
and are still engaged in war; 1910, 900
OF our citizens have been in the field"
and a great many thousands are still
in the feld-"yet the business of the
country has steadily grown" This !