Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-06
wouNpEp TARIFF FETCH.

The wound inflicted upon the tarin
FETCH Tuesdayt''is not SO deep as Wel'
nor 90 wide as a church door; but t is
enough. t will serve"-if followed up.
And it will be followed up. we doubt not.
The Democrats did not in the elections
gain all that the more sanguine in the
marty had hoped for and expected, out
they have no reason to be dlscouraseo'
Quite the contrary. There is every en-
couragemcnt to them to press on and force
the fighting. Taking the country over,
the result of Tuesday was decided vic
tory for tariff revision. and hence Tor the
Democracy. For, Notwithstanding. that
this question was practically Ignored oy
the party congressional committee IN
their campaign book, it became-"as
made by the people-the cardinal issue
OF the campaign.
And the victory stands out as all the
more significant and important when we
remember the influences and forces and
conditions which the Democracy had to
combat. In the first place, all the power
Of the administration was arrayed with
the opposition. While President Roose
Welt gave quasi recognition to the neces-
sity of remedying the trust evil, which
is an integral factor Of the tariff issue.
and made impractical suggestions to that
end, these suggestions were mere
! "sprinSes' to catch and hold wary wood
cock in his own party. In the second
place, the trust interests were loyal to
the obligation that "one good turn de-
serves another" and they marshalled
themselves in solid phaanx to the de-
fence of the tariff wall, behind which
they have been working their oppression
! upon the masses. When it was discov-
cred that popular sentiment was making
serious inroads upon the tariff bulwark
of the trusts the cry "once more to the
breach, dear friends" went up from the
thick and thin protectionists. and the
captains Of the monopolistic industries
responded with alacrity.
Again, the Republican leaders clamor-
ously exploited the prosperity" of the
country, which they attributed to the
present tariff. thus appealing strongly to
the unthinking to 'let we'll enough alone"
and last, but not least, the Democrats
had to contend with the most ingenously
worked old fake of tariff reform within
the Republican household. We say mot
least because, despite sad experience with
Republican promises of reform made on
the eve of elections, it is manifest that
Republican revolt against Dingleyism as
other ways served the Republican mana
gers most enectually in their efforts to
produce the impression that tariff re-
vision, and hence the curling of the
trusts, would be carried out by the Re-
publican party. should it be continued in
power IN Congress. But for the use the
leaders made of the reaction" in the Re-
publican ranks the success of the Demo-
ecratic party, both in the West and in the
East, would have been decidedly greater.
So. upon weighing all these considera-
tons, we iterate that the Democrats
have every reason to be encouraged. In
all the circumstances-in view of the va
rious positions of the enemy which had
to be assaied-the result is a most graf
flying victory for the Democracy, seeing
that it is a victory for cardinal Demo-
cratic principle. It Is a victory for the
masses in fight against the economic
tyranny of the few, which is robbing
them. It places the Democracy upon van
tage ground as to the struggle of 1904, and
is the first fruit of conflict, the end of
which will be complete party triumph
and emancipation of the people from the
trust burdens, if we wisely and persist
emily press our advantage-if we follow
up the wound that has been inflicted on
the tariff fetch With repeated blows, and
are not beguiled into expediency con-
cessions, and compromises which will
help to salve it. And, as we have said,
we doubt not that it will be followed up
Not to pursue that policy, and to keep
tariff revision to the front a. the
preme, paramount, and vital issue, from
now on to and through the next national
campaign. would be the most stupendous
blunder the Democratic party ever COM
unworthy ofthe confidence of the people.
The results of the election as a whole
demonstrated that an immense element
of the people look to the Democracy to
deliver them from the bondage ~of thee
twin iniquities-robber tariff and the
trusts-and render it plain that in any
further struggle of the party in that cause
it will be supported by the thousands
who have not yet, but will eventually
realize the utter futility of depending on
the Republicans for deliverance.
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Current Comment.
We do not see where in Tuesdays cleo
tons the endorsement of the adminfstra-