Every day the divided condition of the g...

Every day the divided condition of the g. o. p. on the tariff issue is becoming more and more apparent. McKinley is going about the country like a bellowing bovine assuring the people that their only political salvation is a return to the McKinley gag. He has his cookoos. On the other hand, Reed, Buttervvorth Sherman and their following declare that the McKinley law does not go, that it is extreme, lacking in principie and constructed in the interest of individuals and pet industries. This unholy alliance between McKinley and the plutocrats, trusts and monopolists, this miscegenation resulting in the monstrosity known as the McKinley tariff, was well understood at the time by the people and by them repudiated, yet there is a satisfaction in having the sinfulness confessed by those who were guilty. Reed's recent utterances en the subject are known, and believed! of all men notwithstanding his later repudiation of the same, and now comes Ben Butterworth and delivers himself of the following m answer to a quiz: ' What are the influences that prevailed to make protection in the McKinley law so high? " was asked. '■There appeared to be," replied MrButterworth, on the part of the ways and ineans committee, a misapprebension of a protective tariff. ïlie bill reported was not prepared with reference to principies, but too largely to subserve individual and special iuterests." "What has been the decisión of the people on that subject rendered since at the polls? " "The vote in '91-'92, in ray judgrnent," continued Mr. Butterwortb, "meant this. It was a protest against extremes. Only the beneliciaries of a very high tariff rate can be reconciled to duties that are extremes. And right in that connection I may say ïom Reed, in his reported interview, gave expression to the wisest and most popular thinghe has said in three years. It is since reported that he is inchned to qualify his statement, and in that he is foolish." " Honest " John Sherman also repudiates McKinleyism and gets over on pretty good democratie ground in the following: "i am not now and never was an extreme protectionist. I believe that suflicient duties on imported goods cao be and ought to be levied to pay ordinary expenses of the government in times of peace. íío duties should be levied for protection that are not needed for revenue." The trend of sentiment is toward the democratie position on this question. And had it not been for the great panic of last year, the outgrowth of the false republican system of economy, but which that party by monumental lying, in connection with the well known propensity of a large nuraber of people to charge all the ills afflicting the country upon the party in power, charged upon the democrats, there would not have been enough left of McKinleyism to fill the mourrvers' benches at the obsequies of the republican party.