Page:The Economic Journal Volume 1.djvu/351

 THE MCKINLEY TARIFF ACT 32 became President, and the Republicans secured control of the House of Representatives by a majority which was small, but suf- ficient to enable them to carry out their policy. The Republican victory probably was not due to any strong popular preference for the Protectionist policy. The ties of party attachment, which are immensely strong in the United States, held many thousands to the Republican party merely by force of tradition. These voters have been Protectionists because they are Republicans, not Re- publicans because they are Protectionists. This rooted hold of the party amon the 'respectable' classes of the North was reinforced in 1888 by other causes. Many independents who had refused to vote for Mr. Blaine in 1884, had become dissatisfied, in part cer- tainly on good grounds, with President Cleveland's administraticn of the Civil Service, and refused to vote for him again. Moreover, the Republicans had a very effective party organization, and the command of large sums of money for campaign purposes. The election of 1888 was characterized by a free use of money on both sides, and the demoralization of the lowest class of our voters during the campaioo was so great as to cause some pessimistic feeling as to the future work of universal suffrage. It has been frequently said that the leaders of the Republican party secured large sums of money for campaign uses from manufacturers and others having a direct interest in the retention or increase of the duties; nay, it has been charged that there was a direct bargain, under which subscriptions to the campaign fund were to receive a quid pro quo in the form of higher duties. It is not probable that any such compact was made; but there seems [o be little doubt that considerable sums were subscribed by those engaged in pro- tected industries to the campaign funds of the Republican party, which never would have been subscribed but for an expectation that the duties would be increased. The final result has been the new tariff act. That act was passed in fulfilment of the pledge made by the Republicans to the people and to the protected industries. It was not passed without grave misvings within the ranks of the party. Not a few of the Republicans doubted whether the country was really with them in the measure. Especially in the West, the Repub- lican leaders feared that the measure would not be popular. But after the pledges made in the campaign, the Republican party would have weakened itself and impaired its political prestige, if it had failed to carry through some tariff act. The presu'e of party tactics carried through a measure of which the danger. s.were considerable, and were ot unforesee. '