The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-10-09
Mr.. McComas' Homecoming Speech.

sentatlVes would mean in the Fiftieth
Congress paralysis of general legis-
latiOn, which he said, was its condi-
ton in the Forty-ninth Congress. He
SAID that the Democratic party is in
capable OF bold Affirmative policy of
administration.
"I steadily favored an increase of
our navy" he continued, "and a
prompt and liberal outlay for the de-
Tense of our seaports. 1t would make
US safe from outside, and within
would employ the home mechanics
and help revival of business.
labored hard for this, hut while Re-
publican Senate agreed to fortify, the
House did not assent.
at is the regular annual appro-
priations which indicate the increas-
ing prodigality and the falling tenn
perature of Democratic retrenchment
and reform. In my speech at Frost
burg I gave the figures to show the
enormous increase over 1884, 1885 and
1886 of the appropriations of 1887, as
made by the Democratic. House, but
great as the increase is, it falls far
short of the demand for money made
by this administration. The heads
of the departments united estimated
that their needs for 1887 would re-
quire $293, 676, 1896. We are warn
ed by these estimates that next win
ter we may find huge deficiencies in
nearly every department. Keeping
pace with these extravagant esti-
mates of the departments and with
these lavish appropriations, we find
an increase of officers and of salaries.
"This, in brief, is the record of this
Democratic Congress. Do you want
another like it? Drifting apart into
factions. and at times frightening the
Democratic President, having no
policy of finances, no plan for a
banking system. threatening the
tariff by mere caprice, turning a deaf
ear to the weighty problems of labor
which begin to arise, and which, I
believe the next quarter of century
will bring nearer solution by the
joint aid of helpful laws and the in
telligent power of organized labor,
peaceful, lawful, irresistible. lap.
plause.]
snow that am in your service
want to go back to Congress to help
onward this legislation. l consider
these questions more vital to this
busy and generous people than five
little offices for FIVE men, which this
Congressional district might secure
by electing a Democrat in my place.
have already voted to forfeit the
unearned railroad land grants and
give them back to the people; to
keep off the horde of nonresident
aliens to restrict Chinese immigra.
ton to prevent the importation of
foreign contract labor ; to forbid pris.
on contract labor in United States
prisons to compete with the labor of
the free and honored citizens out.
side; to enforce the eight hour law
in every department of government;
to incorporate national trades; to
prevent the adulteratiOn of foods,
medicines and drugs. l want to go
back to help enlarge the scope of the
bureau of labor, to broaden and per.
feet the rights of employees to arbi-
tratfOn, to regulate and control the
railways in their interstate COM
merce to help guard American labor
from the combined effect of low pric-
ed products and longer hours and
lower wages in Europe. Applause |
The pensions of the soldiers ought
to be sacred obligation. If there he
fraud upon the pension laws, the
offender ought to be punished. The
abuse of this system ought not to be
an argument against the obligation
of this nation to its defenders. We
must rely on a volunteer soIdiery.
We keep up at a scant expense the
frame work of an army. To stimu-
late patriotic sentiments hereafter we
must keep faith with our soldiers
now. We must be true to the prom.
ises we pledged when patriotism was
more than gold or place or power,
and when our young men loyalty
gave their health and manhood to
defend the flag. [Applausel The
annual pension roll is reaching it's
climax. 1t may be S70.000,O00 this
year, but it will gradually decline
and he extinguished. 1t is the price
we pay for our defense. 1t Is far bet
ter than a standing army, which costs
for China seventy.five millions, for