the cleveland era-第22节

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s　imported　from　any　country　imposing　on　American　goods　duties；　which；　in　the　opinion　of　the　President；　were　〃reciprocally　unequal　and　unreasonable。〃　This　more　equitable　result　is　to　be　ascribed　wholly　to　Blaine's　energetic　and　capable　leadership。

Pending　the　passage　of　the　Tariff　Bill；　the　Senate　had　been　wrestling　with　the　trust　problem　which　was　making　a　mockery　of　a　favorite　theory　of　the　Republicans。　They　had　held　that　tariff　protection　benefited　the　consumer　by　the　stimulus　which　it　gave　to　home　production　and　by　ensuring　a　supply　of　articles　on　as　cheap　terms　as　American　labor　could　afford。　There　were；　however；　notorious　facts　showing　that　certain　corporations　had　taken　advantage　of　the　situation　to　impose　high　prices；　especially　upon　the　American　consumer。　It　was　a　campaign　taunt　that　the　tariff　held　the　people　down　while　the　trusts　went　through　their　pockets；　and　to　this　charge　the　Republicans　found　it　difficult　to　make　a　satisfactory　reply。

The　existence　of　such　economic　injustice　was　continually　urged　in　support　of　popular　demands　for　the　control　of　corporations　by　the　Government。　Though　the　Republican　leaders　were　much　averse　to　providing　such　control；　they　found　inaction　so　dangerous　that　on　January　14；　1890；　Senator　John　Sherman　reported　from　the　Finance　Committee　a　vague　but　peremptory　statute　to　make　trade　competition　compulsory。　This　was　the　origin　of　the　AntiTrust　Law　which　has　since　gone　by　his　name；　although　the　law　actually　passed　was　framed　by　the　Senate　judiciary　committee。　The　first　section　declared　that　〃every　contract；　combination　in　the　form　of　trust　or　otherwise；　or　conspiracy；　in　restraint　of　trade　or　commerce　among　the　several　States；　or　with　foreign　nations；　is　hereby　declared　to　be　illegal。〃　The　law　made　no　attempt　to　define　the　offenses　it　penalized　and　created　no　machinery　for　enforcing　its　provisions；　but　it　gave　jurisdiction　over　alleged　violations　to　the　courtsa　favorite　congressional　mode　of　getting　rid　of　troublesome　responsibilities。　As　a　result；　the　courts　have　been　struggling　with　the　application　of　the　law　ever　since；　without　being　able　to　develop　a　clear　or　consistent　rule　for　discriminating　between　legal　and　illegal　combinations　in　trade　and　commerce。　Even　upon　the　financial　question；　the　Republicans　succeeded　in　maintaining　party　harmony；　notwithstanding　a　sharp　conflict　between　factions。　William　Windom；　the　Secretary　of　the　Treasury；　had　prepared　a　bill　of　the　type　known　as　a　〃straddle。〃　It　offered　the　advocates　of　free　coinage　the　right　to　send　to　the　mint　silver　bullion　in　any　quantity　and　to　receive　in　return　the　net　market　value　of　the　bullion　in　treasury　notes　redeemable　in　gold　or　silver　coin　at　the　option　of　the　Government。　The　monthly　purchase　of　not　less　than　2；000；000　worth　of　bullion　was；　however；　no　longer　to　be　required　by　law。　When　the　advocates　of　silver　insisted　that　the　provision　for　bullion　purchase　was　too　vague；　a　substitute　was　prepared　which　definitely　required　the　Secretary　of　the　Treasury　to　purchase　4；500；000　ounces　of　silver　bullion　in　one　month。　The　bill；　as　thus　amended；　was　put　through　the　House　under　special　rule　by　a　strict　party　vote。　But　when　the　bill　reached　the　Senate；　the　former　party　agreement　could　no　longer　be　maintained；　and　the　Republican　leaders　lost　control　of　the　situation。　The　free　silver　Republicans　combined　with　most　of　the　Democrats　to　substitute　a　free　coinage　bill；　which　passed　the　Senate　by　forty…three　yeas　to　twenty…four　nays；　all　the　negative　votes　save　three　coming　from　the　Republican　side。

It　took　all　the　influence　the　party　leaders　could　exert　to　prevent　a　silver　stampede　in　the　House　when　the　Senate　substitute　bill　was　brought　forward；　but　by　dexterous　management；　a　vote　of　non…concurrence　was　passed　and　a　committee　of　conference　was　appointed。　The　Republican　leaders　now　found　themselves　in　a　situation　in　which　presidential　non…interference　ceased　to　be　desirable；　but　president　Harrison　could　not　be　stirred　to　action。　He　would　not　even　state　his　views。　As　Senator　Sherman　remarked　in　his　〃Recollections；〃　〃The　situation　at　that　time　was　critical。　A　large　majority　of　the　Senate　favored　free　silver；　and　it　was　feared　that　the　small　majority　against　it　in　the　other　House　might　yield　and　agree　to　it。　The　silence　of　the　President　on　the　matter　gave　rise　to　an　apprehension　that　if　a　free　coinage　bill　should　pass　both　Houses；　he　would　not　feel　at　liberty　to　veto　it。〃

In　this　emergency；　the　Republican　leaders　appealed　to　their　free　silver　party　associates　to　be　content　with　compelling　the　Treasury　to　purchase　4；500；000　ounces　of　silver　per　month；　which　it　was　wrongly　calculated　would　cover　the　entire　output　of　American　mines。　The　force　of　party　discipline　eventually　prevailed；　and　the　Republican　party　got　together　on　this　compromise。　The　bill　was　adopted　in　both　Houses　by　a　strict　party　vote；　with　the　Democrats　solidly　opposed；　and　was　finally　enacted　on　July　14；　1890。

Thus　by　relying　upon　political　tactics；　the　managers　of　the　Republican　party　were　able　to　reconcile　conflicting　interests；　maintain　party　harmony；　and　present　a　record　of　achievement　which　they　hoped　to　make　available　in　the　fall　elections。　But　while　they　had　placated　the　party　factions；　they　had　done　nothing　to　satisfy　the　people　as　a　whole　or　to　redress　their　grievances。　The　slowness　of　congressional　procedure　in　matters　of　legislative　reform　allowed　the　amplest　opportunity　to　unscrupulous　business　men　to　engage；　in　the　meantime；　in　profiteering　at　the　public　expense。　They　were　able　to　lay　in　stocks　of　goods　at　the　old　rates　so　that　an　increase　of　customs　rates；　for　example；　became　an　enormous　tax　upon　consumers　without　a　corresponding　gain　to　the　Treasury；　for　the　yield　was　largely　intercepted　on　private　accounts　by　an　advance　in　prices。　The　Tariff　Bill；　which　William　McKinley　reported　on　April　16；　1890；　became　law　only　on　the　1st　of　October；　so　there　were　over　five　months　during　which　profiteers　could　stock　at　old　rates　for　sales　at　the　new　rates　and　thus　reap　a　rich　harvest。　The　public；　however；　was　infuriated；　and　popular　sentiment　was　so　stirred　by　the　methods　of　retail　trade　that　the　politicians　were　both　angered　and　dismayed。　Whenever　purchasers　complained　of　an　increase　of　price；　they　received　the　apparently　plausible　explanation；　〃Oh；　the　McKinley　Bill　did　it。〃　To　silence　this　popular　discontent；　the　customary　arts　and　cajoleries　of　the　politicians　proved　for　once　quite　ineffectual。

At　the　next　election；　the　Republicans　carried　only　eighty…eight　seats　in　the　House　out　of　332the　most　crushing　defeat　they　had　yet　sustained。　By　their　new　lease　of　power　in　the　House；　however；　the　Democratic　party　could　not　accomplish　any　legislation；　as　the　Republicans　still　controlled　the　Senate。　The　Democratic　leaders；　therefore；　adopted　the　policy　of　passing　a　series　of　bills　attacking　the　tariff　at　what　were　supposed　to　be　particularly　vulnerable　points。　These　measures；　the　Republicans　derided　as　〃pop…gun　bills；〃　and　in　the　Senate　they　turned　them　over　to　the　committee　on　finance　for　burial。　Both　parties　were　rent　by　the　silver　issue；　but　it　was　noticeable　that　in　the　House　which　was　closest　to　the　people　the　opposition　to　the　silver　movement　was　stronger　and　more　effective　than　in　the　Senate。

Notwithstanding　the　popular　revolt　against　the　Republican　policy　which　was　disclosed　by　the　fall　elections　of　1890；　President　Harrison's　annual　message　of　December　9；　1891；　was　marked　by　extreme　complacency。　Great　things；　he　assured　the　people；　were　being　accomplished　under　his　administration。　The　results　of　the　McKinley　Bill　〃have　disappointed　the　evil　prophecies　of　its　opponents　and　in　large　measure　realized　the　hopeful　predictions　of　its　friends。〃　Rarely　had　the　country　been　so　prosperous。　The　foreign　commerce　of　the　United　States　had　reached　the　largest　total　in　the　history　of　the　country。　The　prophecies　made　by　the　antisilver　men　regarding　disasters　to　result　from　the　Silver　Bullion　Purchase　Act；　had　not　been　realized。　The　President　remarked　〃that　the　increased　volume　of　currency　thus　supplied　for　the　use　of　the　people　was　needed　and　that　beneficial　results　upon　trade　and　prices　have　followed　this　legislation　I　think　must　be　clear　to　every　one。〃　He　held　that　the　free　coinage　of　silver　would　be　disastrous；　as　it　would　contract　the　currency　by　the　withdrawal　of　gold；　whereas　〃the　business　of　the　world　requires　the　use　of　both　metals。〃　While　〃the　producers　of　silver　are　entitled　to　just　consideration；〃　it　should　be　remembered　that　〃bimetallism　is　the　desired　end；　and　the　true　friends　of　silver　will　be　careful　not　to　overrun　the　goal。〃　In　conclusion；　the　President　expressed　his　great　joy　over　〃many　evidences　of　the　increased　unification　of　the　people　and　of　the　revived　national　spirit。　The　vista　that　now　opens　to　us　is　wider　and　more　glorious　than　before。　Gratification　and　amazement　struggle　for　supremacy　as　we　contemplate　the　population；　wealth；　and　moral　strength　of　our　country。〃

Though　the　course　of　events　has　yet　to　be　fully　explained；　President　Harrison's　dull　pomposity　may　have　been　the　underlying　reason　of　the　aversion　which　Blaine　now　began　to　manifest。　Although　on　Harrison's　side　and　against　Blaine；　Senator　Cullom　remarks　in　his　memoirs　that　Harrison　had　〃a　very　co