Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1896 — M’KINLEY VS. ALLISON [ARTICLE]

M’KINLEY VS. ALLISON

HE MAKES INROADS ON THE lOWAN’S FENCES. Strange that Western Agricultural Republicans Should Prefer the Notorious Apostle of High Tariff to Allison—Reflects on Their Intelligence. Ohioan Not a Statesman. The distressing news comes from Dcs Moines that a pall of gloom overshadows the space so lately glowing In the prismatic splendors of the Allison presidential rockets. It was confidently expected tvve weeks ago that South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and more occidental States which have been largely populated by emigrants from lowa would spout up responsive showers from Allisonian fountains, which would wax more and more glorious until, the fullness of time in June. But It is nbt so. There were at first some answering spurts from otto another quarter, but it was-painfully apparent that they were Impelled by no high and permanent pressure. They have fallen away. Everywhere there is a discouraging lack of enthusiasm. Even South Dakota, which was regarded as an own daughter of lowa, devotedly attached to her favorite son, Is lukewarm and quiescent. Everywhere the McKinley star pales all other lights. McKinley clubs are planted far and wide, and bud like Aaron’s rod and thrive like willow stumps upon the treeless plains. In lowa itself, the chronicler hath It, there is strange apathy. Every Republican politician talks Allison, Indeed, and not one admits a preference for the Ohio Napoleon. All are mildly loyal to the home statesman, but they do not warm to him, and many of them are somewhat too ready to admit that after Allison McKinley is their first choice. What means it? How comes it that McKinley is the favorite in all these Western States excepting lowa, while he stands second there only because Allison is a favorite son? All there is to commend McKinley to anyone as a presidential candidate is his high-tariff record. Never In his life, either as a Congressman or as Governor of Ohio, has he given evidence of statesmanBhip. Even in the plain routine work of the committees, requiring no more than ordinary ability for its discharge, he has not developed either business capacity or watch-dog courage or extraordinary industry. Even as chairman of the committee which brought forth the measure which bears his name he did not distinguish himself in any way unless it was by making himself a mere passive, nerveless instrument in the hands of those who sought to grasp a share of the taxing power. It is notorious that the protectees and their attorneys who swarmed about the capitol were the real framers of the tariff of 1890, and that McKinley had little to do with It except to assist in registering the schedules concocted by those worthies for the promotion of their own interests.

Allison Is much more of a man. He Is not a great statesman. He js not to be placed in the same category with Clay, Webster, Lincoln and Sumner of the Whig party and its Republican successor. He has not proved himself consistent or courageous In public life. But he is as far superior to McKinley as he Is inferior to Lincoln. He has considerable ability, he has exercised tome Influence upon legislation and bis long legislative experience has not been wholly lost upon him. He Is In experience* ability, Judgment and temper vastly better fitted than McKinley for the office of president. It is strange, indeed, that the Republicans of States west of the Mississippi river, which are almost wholly agricultural, should prefer McKinley to Allison. It is strange that they should prefer a man who in public life is nothing more than the agent and tool of the protected classes in procuring the legislation enabling them to prey upon the agricultural class. The preferenee'of Republicans of the distinctively tural Statfes for such a man fts William McKinley does not speak well for their Intelligence or their appreciation of their own interests.—Chicago Chronicle. r , Chicago Nominations Are Lucky. Lincoln was nominated at Chiqngo and elected. Grant was nominated at

Chicago and .elected. Garfield was nominated at Chicago and elected. Harrison was nominated at Chicago and elected. Cleveland was nominated twice at Chicago and elected. Candidates nominated at St. Louis have not been as fortunate.' .If there Is any advantage In tlio location of the convention It would seem to be with the Democrats this year.—Kdwardsvllle Intelligencer. The Consumer Pays the Tax. In an editorial favoring the abolition of all taxes on alcohol, tihe New York Press makes an admission which Is highly Inconsistent with its usual protectionist teachings. During the right years of Its existence, the Press lias been a prominent advocate of the theory that tlie tariff taxes are not paid by the people who buy and use Imported goods, but by the foreign produeer. It has always denied that the tariff is a tax on consumption, and lias proved to Us satisfaction that the more tilings arc taxed the cheaper they become. As protectionists bate cheapness tills alleged result of high tariffs lias frequently caused trouble In the McKinley camp, some curious people wanting to know' liow the tax system could put prices up, and also make them fall. But the Press lias always avoided the difficulty by declining to attempt an explanation. ! i Now, however, that paper lias put Its foot In It by affirming as a principle of taxation that the tax on nlco : hoi, which it says is “tlie most oppressive and unjust burden of tlie kind Imposed on any necessity,” Is “borne, not by the manufacturers Wiercly, but by all the customers of all tlio products of which alcohol is a constituent.” And, of course, when so eminent an authority on political economy makes a statement, It must be true. It Is now in order for the Press to explain how and why one kind of tax on raw materials is “unjust nnd oppressive,” and is borne by tint consumers of the substance of which the taxed substance is a part; while another tax, just ns direct and certain, levied on raw materials produced outside of our boundary lines, Is wise and Just, and borne entirely by the foreigner. • It is ouly a few weeks since the Press, then and now clamoring for a heavy tux on wool, the raw material for our great w oolen Industries, eln4mcd that tlie restoration of the McKinley duties on wool and woolens would not Increase the cost of clothing. Yet it now directly contradicts its own arguments, by telling the truth In regard to the tax on alcohol. If a tax on the material used in drugs, varnishes, perfumes, etc., falls ou the people who buy the articles Into w'hleh It enters, why does not the w'ool duty fall ou the consumers of clothing, bln ukets, etc., made out of taxed wool''

Voting Themselves Donations. The convention of textile manufacturers which has been held In Chicago, and has had Its resolutions telegraphed over the country, was evidently organized In the Interest of the estimable gentlemen who attend'd It. The action of this convention should have Just as much force In shaping public ©pinion as Wmuld have a convention made up of citizens of the United States who should meet together and vote that, as they were not as well off In tills world’s goods as they would like to be, It was resolved that the United States secretary of the treasury be directed to pay each of them, out of money not otherwise appropriated, the sum of SIO,OOO a year for the rest of their natural lives. In other words, If there was the least probability that the demand would be heeded, any number of persons -couUV be found willing to resolve that their fellow-citizens should tax themselves for their (the resolvers') benefit. This proceeding needs what, In vulgar language, is called gall, but then such protectionists as gathered hi the convention at Chicago have an unlimited! amount of this species of mental and moral audacity. _ I Catanbt Conceal the Truth. The Republican Senators need not imagine f6r a moment that they can divert the attention of the country from their of the country’s business by firing off pyrotechnlcal remarks about Great Britain, Turkey and other foreign countries. The people know that the country is in a hole, and that It was put there by absurd Republican legislation. What they want-1© know, is what the Republican Senate 1$ going to do to get the Out of thp.hble.

That Is what It promised to do. That Is what It was elected to do, nnd that is what It proposes not to do. And It cannot cover up Its purpose by throwing dust.—lndianapolis Sentinel. An Abaurdlty. The Dlngley revenue bill (ao-callod> now pending In the Semite, which was rushed through the House in four hours, raises the tariff duties ou nearly all articles consumed in this country, nnd its effect would be to check or prohibit the very Importations which yield revenue. No more flagrantly absurd proposition was ever made. The Republican arithmetic, by which it is figured out tlint the proposed duties on raw wools would bring In $14,000,000 of revenue, Is based upon the false assumption that If the bill becomes a law and Its high duties on wool take effeot tlio Importations of wool will be art large as they now are under absolute freedom from duty. No sane person can believe that the Imports or wool will not be greatly reduced If It should be taken off the free list and put on the dutiable list. But, even If the restoration of (lie wool duties furnished some revenue, the effort of the Dlngley liVgli “pi'dteetlpulst" duties on two or three thousand oflier articles now Imported would necessarily cheek and cut down tlie volume of these Imports and thus reduce tlie revenue much more than tlie proposed wool duties would enhance It. The whole scheme of the Dlngley tariff 1b “protectionist” lu Its nature. ‘lt is not a revonue hill. It can pot help the treasury, but If It should become a law Its effect, for a year or more at least, would probably be to reduce the revenues of the Government and put the treasury “In a hole."—New York Herald. Candidate Morton’s Mediocre liecord. He lias been Representative In Congress, Minister to France, Vice President of tlie United States and Governor of the Empire State of New York. In no position has he Illustrated capacity for public service. The best that lias ever been truthfully said of him or clulmed for him Is that lie lias been respectable, good tempered nnd dignified. Nothing tlint lie has ever said or done Is remembered ns of public Importance. Until lie became Governor nobody ever suspected that lie was so entirely subservient ns lie has proved to be to Pintt.—Ulien Observer. Burlesque Devotion in the House. There is enough of reverence and religious sentiment In tlie House at Washington to prompt a growing protest at tlie burlesque of devotion which distinguishes the prayers of the chaplain of that body. These prayers are uotb’lng other than stump speeches on public matters, so phrased as to catch the popular drift, and lit one oy two instances apparently Inviting and in oue instan.e actually receiving applause. It is full time tlint these exhibitions of Irreverence nnd laid taste be stopped.— Springfield Republican. Need of an Educational Campaign. The American public needs a new and deep campaign of education upon the great financial and commercial problems which It Is now confronted with. A new order of things lias arisen, which must be Intelligently met by all classes of our voters. The old and wornout theories of flat and inflated money, protectionism, paternalism and free silver coinage must be discarded If a return of prosperity is desired by the American people.—New York Herald. Abusing Bayard and Neglecting Duty. Congress occupies its time in a partisan effort to censure Mr. Bayard for expressing an opinion not shared by a majority of Congress and In Instructing the nations of the earth as to their duty, meanwhile neglecting Its own duty to afford the people of the United States the sadly needed relief which it 1? in the power of Congress alone to afford.—Louisville Courier-Journal. Carries a Dirk Up His- Sleeve. Senator Foraker is looked upon by, his party associates as the man who carries a dirk in his sleeve.- They never knowwhols to be bis next victim, and they are very cautious about trusting him too far. This is not very complimentary to Foraker and he has not been receiving any compliments since his election.—-Davenport Democrat. Beal Meaning of Morton's Candidacy. The fact that Got. Morton is a candidate for the Presidency really means that Tom Platt is a candidate for Secretary of the Treasury,, and expects to - use the New York delegation in the St. Louis convention to promote that ambition.—St. Louis Globe-Democrat 1