Evening star., 1922-12-15
Lays Harrison Defeat
To Mckinley Tariff
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Before attending the Gridiron Club
dinner in Washington Saturday night
I read The Stars editorial headed
"Mr. Harding and the Cabinet" the
closing paragraph of which was:
Mr.. Blaine in 1892 contested the
case with Gen. Harrison at the ma
tional convention. but lost. Gen.
! Harrison lost the election. but not
as the result of the division in the
challenge. He was the victim Of the
Homestead riot. which occurred during
! the campaign. but for which he was
not responsible, either as man or can
i didate."
Says Harrison Predicted Defeat.
As a political writer for the New
York Sun for many years. VIII you
,. let me say that it is my BELIEF that
/; in 1892 President Harrison was de-
! feated for reelection because OF the
dfsfayor which the country felt to-
! ward the Mckinley tariff law. which
| President Harrison had signed two
years before. 1t has been one o, .ne
according to my Judgment. that
President Harrison was defeated Tor
re- election in 1892 because OF politi-
! cal conditions created by the Home
stead strike.
The Mckinley bill. as was shown in
the 1890 Congress elections. had not
been we'll received by the country. IT
was thought to be too extreme. ana
President Harrison stated to the late
! Ffancis Hendricks. collector sof the
! port Of New York. confidential advis-
! er of President Harrison in New YORK
state, and to others. including myself
early in 1892. that the Mckinney Dill
| would defeat him or any other repub-
lican candidate for the presidency,
| feel that the Homestead strike
had little or nothing to do with the
,defeat of Harrison. His defeat. am
convinced. was due entirely to the
Mckinley tariff law, as can be very
easily demonstrated:
! Those who are inclined to differ
may look with slight satisfaction on
the presidential figures In the state OF
Pennsylvania in the campaigns Of
! 1888 and 1892. In the former year
! they were: Republican. b26.o91: dem
ocratic. 446.633: and in the latter year.
| the year of the Decentralization
| campaign and Homestead strike. re-
( publican. 516.0ll; democratic. 4Ss.2S4.
/ These figures disclose that the Home
stead strike had very little effect on
the vote in Pennsylvania. where the
! republican vote was reduced from 1888
by 10000 in 1892. and the democratic
| vote was increased from 1888 by only
j
was similar in other states. Further
more, the Homestead strike as a po-
| litical factor could not have had any
| momentous strength. as shown In the
difference Of the states carried by Mr..
Cleveland and Mr.. Harrison in 1888 and
those carried by the two gentlemen in
| 1892.
Blames Mckinley Bill.
1t is true that there were factional
disputes and quarrels in the republi-
can party which had been accommodating
for many years. but the dissatisfaction
| over tariff matters was the fulcrum.
So, am quite persuaded to the belief
Of President Harrison and of his per-
sonaI confidant. advier and friend.
years republican leader Of onondaga
county. New York state. to the effect
/ that the Mckinley bill was the principal
factor in defeating the republican ma
tionai ticket in 1892.
| Perhaps President Mckinley, at Buff
falo, September s, 1901. the day before
| he was assassinated. recalled the be-
lief of President Harrison that the
! Mckinley bill was too extreme. for in
that address, the last address the mar
tyred President delivered, he said:
"If perchance some of our tariffs
are no longer needed for revenue or
to encourage and protect our indus
| tries at home. why should they not be
| employed to extend and promote our
markets abroad?"
President Mckinley made this ad-
dress to the commi ssioners of the Do
minion of Canada and the British
colonies. the French colonies. the re-
public Of Mexico. and of Central and
South America. and the commission
ers of Cuba and Porto Rica, who were
gathered there to discuss reciprocity
measures. EDWARD G. RIGGS.