The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-18
WHAT WILL THE ISSUE BE,


! ly, trusts, imperialism and the currency.
1t is his purpose to make these three
things the features of the Democra tic
| platform. The indications are that he will
be successful. The chief features OF party
| Platforms however, are not always the
| issues on which political campaigns are
fought One of the features may be the
issue on which the campaign will turn.
AS a rule only one issue occupies the
public mind at time. A glance at the
| history Of political campaigns will show
this 10 be true. There are, of course sub
ordinate issues which receive attention,
but, in comparison with the main issue,
they have but little influence on voters.
There were several issues in the last
presidential campaign. Each of the politi-
cal parties presented number Of de-
mands in its platform but the people paid
attention to only one issue. and that one
was silver. The campaign was fought on
that from beginning to end There We're
other things discussed by the organs and
speakers Of each of the parties. but the 16
to idea was the only one which found a
Judgement in the public mind.
1t is a question whether Mr. Mckinley
would have been elected If the main issue
had been something else. The probabili-
ties are that he would not. AS it was his
plurality was not large. The Republicans
succeeded in alarming the wealth owners,
and the wage earners and massed them
against the forces of Democracy
That is what they will try to do again.
It is their only chance for success. With
the money they will gather from the
wealth owners they will endeavor to con
vince the wage earners that the triumph
of the Democratic party means silver
monometallism, and that silver monomet-
allism means a great loss in the Durchas-
ing power Of their wages.
Shall the way be opened for them to do
this? Would it not be a mistake to open
it? While the belief in free silver coinage
may be as general as ever it was the pub
lie mind is not as much occupied with the
money question as it was four years ago.
There had been a money panic only a lit
tie while before, and there was still great
depression in business and the industries.
The hard times made converts to any
theory for improving existing conditions.
That is not the case now Since 1896, wheat
has touched 81 and cotton 9a cents.
The farmer is cheerful as he follows his
pillow, and the factory operative is not
waiting for the fires to be lighted in the
mill. The money question is not the ques-
ton of the hour. The Republicans will try
to make it so, however. if they are given
the opportunity.
The question the people are thinking
about now is the tariff. And why? Because
it is the foundation of imperialism and
trusts. There will be no imperialism if the
Republican party is not permitted to set
UP protective tariff between this country
| and our insular possessions.
The Republicans are now insisting upon
the right to put a tariff tax on Porto
Rican products coming to our markets,
and they will insist upon doing the same
thing in respect to the products of the
| Philippines. They are compelled to take
| this position in order to save the princi-
| pie Of protection and hold their party to-
gether. By putting tariff tax on the pro-
duets of Porto Rico and the Philippines
coming to our markets, these possessions
are made colonies, and Imperialism be-
comes a fact.
Now as to trusts. The head of the SUI
gar trust said in his testimony before the
congressional commission that 1.-THE tariff
is the mother of trusts" Strike down the
principle of protection in the tariff
| and trusts would be deprived OF
their strongest support Mr. Csrne-
| gle would not be able to make
| S42,0O40O0 a year out of his stee
| plant and shipbuilders would not have to
| 80 to Congress for a subsidy There would
be such a fall in the prices of ship build
ing materials that competition with for
eign ship yards would be successful with
out government aid
Everything points to the tariff as the
| great issue in the presidential campaign
and it will be the issue probably unless
the Democrats insist upon coupling the
silver question with it, thus opening the
way for the Republicans to unite the
forces which gave them the victory in
| 1896