New-York tribune., 1900-07-28
THE LAKE STATES.

There has been any quantity Of talk about
the great Northern tier Of States, and bright
men, Ike Mr.. Towne, Mr.. DonneIly, Mr.. Pingree
and others, have at various times helped the
world by predicting during the last thirty years
a revolution in that region, but the Electoral
votes Of the State have been counted for Repub-
llcan candidates except in the foOlishness of
1892. These States are not inhabited as a rule
by men who need much aid in discovering when
they are prosperous. Yet 1t was in these States
more than elsewhere that Republicans were
found who did not believe Republican prosperity
would be interrupted at all by Democratic sue
cess, and who tried it in 1892. AS they tumbled
over another to join New-York and other
great States which then went Democratic it came
to pass that the country was permitted to try a
Democratic panic and a Democratic tariff. The
more recent votes Of Michigan, Wisconsin and
Minnesota, with those of New-York and New
Jersey also, would seem to indicate that les
son has been learned which will not have to be
learned again. Not much good can be done by
tho predictions of either side, however; it re-
mains for Republicans to show whether they
are right and understand the people as usual
It is not merely because they have been long
identified as wool and lumber producing States
with the Republican policy that the course of
these States is predicted with especial conf
dence. There other States in which
labor has such convenient opportunities to OBJ
serve in daily experience the difference be-
tween the wages and conditions of labor under
different systems. The Canadian policy is as
distinctiveiy protective as that Of the United
States To the great wrath Of British pro-
ducers, it is maintained Obstinately as If
the chief foes of industry in the Dominion
were in Great Britain and not here. Yet the
Canadian has never been a systematic and
ment Of all Industries and interests together,
and in consequence its results have been very
irregular Some Industries are with success
strengthened against American competition,
while in many others, and the great majority,
the different rate of progress In the two coun-
tries, the different conditions and wages of
labor, tell strongly in favor of the American
system. The striking differences are most cor
rectly observed and best understood in the
States along the Canadian border. Americans
there have not found 1t difficult to determine
whether their great prosperity at one time or
another due TO their protective policy
The foolishness which made possible the ad-
verse results at the elections of 1892 was found
largely in the States along the lakes. Much of
fl was the product of labor troubles in a few
cities, but there was a much more widespread
difficulty. 1t was the temper of the people to
see whether they could not get along just as well
without the Republican party. TO which they
were told their prosperity had so long been due
Human nature has its freaksh hours in which
II seems worth while to let temptation and
curiosity have their way even If 1t costs some
thing. The experiment was tried. What it
cost to the people Of the Lake States cannot
be calculated. 1t is certain they had to face
losses quite enough TO be remembered for six
years and more. Since all things are possible
It must still be accounted possible that the
same voters who went back with tremendous
majorites to the Republican party in 1896 may
this year have forgotten all they learned and
may repeat their wanderngs next fall. But
not many people will reckon 1t probable. On
the contrary. ii will strike the people as more
likely that almost any other part OF tha Repubi-
can force may show such folly than the part
which helped to bring about CeYelands term