The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-01-28
LIVE ANDD EADISSUES
Political Surprises In the Recent
Elections.
How Republican Control Of Congress
Was Saved by the strength OF
the Tariff Issue I'm states Pre-
viously Democratic.

The potency Of the tariff issue in de-
termining the results of the November
elections becomes more and more APP
parent from survey of the leading
events of the campaign and of the
marked changes wrought thereby. 1t
was In the middle west and the Far
west, in states where the free silver
craze had been the strongest, that the
battle was fought and won. Party
managers were never before so COM
pletely at fault. They figured that the
east would be found more solid than
ever for the gold standard and that the
west was and would remain unsound
on the money question. They were dia-
metrically wrong in both calculations.
In the eastern states the losses TO
sound money and the gains to the free
coinage ranks were so great as to
wholly reverse the alignment of parties
IN the house of representatives, giving
the control of that body TO the demo-
Gratis, populists and other free silver
ties by n safe working majority In the
west, on the contrary, there were enor-
nous gains for republicanism and
sound money, and by these gains the
control of the house was saved TO and
now rests with the republican party.
What caused this extraordinary re-
versal of political form In the states Of
the west and far west--in California,
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming,
North and South Dakota, Utah, Colo
RADIO, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri?
Wherefore the gain for sound repub-
lican doctrines and the loss for populis-
tic heresies in these ~ statesP Let
the question be answered by the
Chronicle, an ably-conducted daily
newspaper of Spokane, Wash. Nowhere
in the country has the case been more
plainly or more truthfully stated than
In the following, from the paper just
mentioned:
There is something vastly m,so impor-
ta mt 10 this section than free silver, even II
this were not the delusion that II Is. That
something IL a proper protective tariH
Why was II that the west was so pros
trated that II grasped at free silver or any
other remedy that even promised a relief2
Because democratic policy had enacted
free wool, and focks OF sheep that cover
our mountains and feed In our valleys We're
a burden rather than n source OF profit.
Because democratic policy had declared for
free lumber. and the mighty wealth OF our
boundless forests was unclaimed and couli
not be realized. Because a democratic pol
Icy had made lead free, and our richest
mines lay idle since II would not pay 10
work them in competition with the cheap
lead brought in from without. These three
- 10 fx.x ira 40 nj "A A.
preston and ruin TO the west. And that
section, I'm its misery and distress. knew
not certainly what was it's disease or what
the remedy, but sought blindly for relief.
n ON free silver or from anything that
might remove the new conditions and re-
store the old. IL distrusted both the old
parties and the republicans. remembering
the slump TO free silver, distrustcd H.
After adverting to the fact that In
some of the old tariffs the interests OF
the west had been slaughtered by the
cry for low duties on raw materials, "
whereas in the Dingley tariff the bal
ance was held equally and the western
producers OF lumber, coal, wool and
lead received fair treatment, the Chron-
icle continues:
Now comes the proof, and these states.
supposed 10 be devoted 10 the worship or
cheap money and populsm. wheel solidly
into line. The answer TO n republican pro-
tective tariff. which for almost the first
time does full Justice 10 the west and gives
II It's rightful place In the national econ
omy. Is republican victory In Washing
ton. another In Oregon. another In Califor-
MIA. II is the redemption OF the Dakotas.
II Is success in Wyoming II Is such ire
mendous gain In Idaho that the state Is
surely republican at the next election. And
all these gains are won not only without
any compromise or concession 10 the cheap
declare outright for the maintenance OF the
gold standard and against the free coinage
OF silver.
This Is the magnificent answer OF the
west to the offer by the republican party
OF a scheme of protection that protects all
adequately and equally This is It's answer
TO the charge that II was so infected with
the cheap money virus that IL would never
return 10 sound money national policy.
This IL it's answer to the democratic claim
that the west had renounced its republican
ism permanently. And that answer II pro-
claimed at a time when II means most for
the party and the country; at time when
II saves the house from demooratic ma
Jority, and restores the United States SEN
ate TO republican control IL is In all ways.
most happy event for US. IL comes at a
time and IN manner when II will be most
to our advantage. The west will be re-
stored TO It's old seat OF honor In the re-
publican party IL has shown that Il needs
but consideration and fair treatment to bo
loyal when others falter. IL has proved
that IL can lay aside manfully an error and
accept Its party gospel from the lips OF a
majority, II only II believes that equal JUS
tice will be done 10 all and that II IA not 20
be sacrifice TO older and more influential
sections.
The west knows now what Il owes 10 the
republican party and the republican par
" knows what II owes 90 the west There
viii be, We predict. no more mlsunderstand-
ings between them: and henceforth there
VIII be none more influential I'm the
national councils OF the party than tho
representatives OF that section where the
great. decisive and unexpected victories Of
this campaign were won against what APP
peared TO be overwhelming odds
The sum OF IL all is. protection did H.!
NafInnaI k.....Is.