Ready To Retreat

Conrlor JoarnU. The Republicau platform, written by McKinley, of ühio, who Las supplanted Reed, of Maine, as the leader of the Republlcans in the House, denounced every sttempt to revise the tariff, insisted that Bhould be surrendered, demaDded instead of reduced dutie9, higher duties to "check imports," and concludcd with a promise of freo w hisky. The platform haa startled , the country. Republican newspapers Jike the Commercial Adyertiser, of New , York, and the Proyidence Journal, repudíate the platform. The Christian Union, a religious Journal edited by Mr. Beecher's successor, denounces it. Dr. Storrs, a Republican and the most eloquent orator of Brooklyn, says that it will be impossible for him to support it, and the reports from the peoplo are so I alarming that Cannon and Dingley in the : House sought to change front and substi■ tute frce sugar for frce whisky. Nor does all this adequately measure the Republican defection or fully describe the alarm among the Republicaa leaders. , Never before In the history of political parties in America, has a platform been j so entirely abaudoned in the flrst month of tbe caiupaign. : The Republicana in the Senate, recoenIzing the utter defeat of their party in ! Ihe House, are preparing a new line of ■battle and are ordering up thuir reserves. The Press, of Philadelphia, acknowledgitsg that the Mills bill would certainly pass the House, said: "The charge that the Republican party i opposes a reduction of taxation and revenue needed no refutation at aDy time, but it is now likely to be most forcibly met when the Milla bill ftoes into the fieuate. The Republicans of that body, ; realizing the insincerity of the Demo: crats, promise a measure whlch shall at once provide for the reduction of revenues , to such extent as to prevent any dangeroua accumulation of surplus and not mcnace either the industries or labor of the country. Hepublican statesmanship has done this in former years, and it will ; make no mistake now if it procccdi on the lino of the Republican National platform " i This is strange language froma Repub: lican organ which profe-ises to indorsc the Chicago platform. It is utterly inconsistent with the policv maintained in I the House by McKinley and Reed. They have been obstructionists throughout; they have refused to offer any substitute for the Mills bill; they have declared the I existiug tariff good enougu for them and ! as a measure of tax reduction propoïe free whisky. Now, seeing popular condemnation wiitten vverywhere, they "promise a measure which shall provide for a re; duction of rcvenue," etc. etc. ! ', This is proeress; this shows the power ! of public sentiment. It is a change of front after the battle has begun. Forcé the llghtini; all along the line.