PROTECTIVE TARIFF THE REMEDY.
My friends, a tariff that protects; reciprocity that opens up a market for our surplus articles from the American farm and the American factory; a sound currency, and the business confidence which will follow, are the remedies for the unfortunate condition of bankruptcy into which the country has been submerged by political stupidity.
THE QUESTION IS SIMPLY ONE OF HONESTY OR DISHONESTY.
Shall thrift and economy be rewarded by robbery? Shall the widow's mite and the savings deposited in the banks of this country be cut in two by changing our money to silver monometallism? Shall the two and a half billions of school bonds from all over the country, held by English and American capitalists and payable in gold, be doubled, and a double tax fall upon the shoulders of the tax payers of this nation? Shall the toilers of this land, the wage-earners on farm and in factory, be robbed every Saturday night of one-half of their weekly wages?
LABORERS SHALL BE HONESTLY REWARDED.
NO. THIS BLOT OF REPUDIATION SHALL NOT SMIRCH THE UNTARNISHED ESCUTCHEON OF AMERICAN PATRIOTISM, NEITHER SHALL THE TOILING MASSES RECEIVE AS THEIR REWARD FOR HONEST LABOR A "MESS OF DEPRECIATED SILVER POTTAGE."
We are now asked to desert the old ship of state that has carried this nation through many storms, through many conflicts, and invariably anchored us in the snug harbor of safety and maintained our country on the map of the world, and added many stars to the old flag. We are asked by these new and false prophets of finance to destroy this grand old ship, freighted with the hopes and ambitions of seventy millions of free American citizens; this old ship tested by time, tried by adversity, taut and trim as a May queen and invincible as a Bessemer steel iron cladder, a ship that was launched by Washington and the patriots of 100 years ago, and piloted by such noble men as Lincoln, Grant, Garfield and Hayes. We are asked to desert this ship of known safety, and embark in an untried craft and sail away on the turged waters of an unknown sea. A craft manned by a free silver captain, piloted by free tradeism, and ballasted with bombs of anarchy and repudiation; a craft whose very slimy plank is reeking with condemnation; whose mutinous crew are ready to scuttle her in mid ocean; whose worthless and shoddy sails are fanned by the angry breath of high heaven; and whose nearest port is bankruptcy and perdition. (Long continued applause.)
MY FELLOW CITIZENS, THE TRUE SOLUTION OF THE PRESENT FINANCIAL DEPRESSION LIES ALONG OTHER LINES, AND THIS BRINGS US FACE TO FACE WITH THE REAL PROBLEM.
Perhaps you have noticed already in this campaign that no one is quite so disgusted with remarks on the tariff as a Byranized democrat or a populist? The impoverished condition of the country, resulting from the free trade crime of 1893 is so apparent on every hand that when we lay the skeletons at their doors they frankly confess judgment, but tell us that other questions of more vital importance are now before the people.
MY FRIENDS, THE ENDLESS CHAIN OF AMERICAN PROSPERITY HAS BEEN BROKEN AND NEVER WILL BE MENDED UNTIL THE DRAWN FIRES FROM OUR FURNACES ARE REKINDLED AND THE FREE TRADE SMOKE CONSUMERS ARE REMOVED FROM THE TALL CHIMNEYS IN OUR MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS. (APPLAUSE.)