Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-10
HENRY wATrERsON sERENADED
Tie Reviews the work OF the Conven-
tiOn-What lie Says of the
Platform.
by telegraph to the Dlspatch.l

LOUISVILLE, KY, June 9.-The Watlerson
and Democratic clubs, headed by q band oil
music and followed by a concOurse Of citi-
zens, serenaded Henry Watterson at his
home IN this city this evening on his return
from st. Louis. lie spoke, reviewing the
work Of the convention, the platform, the
ticket, and so on. The following are the
more notable passages in his remarks about
the tariff and the platform:
81 went to the st. Louis Convention
with the single purpose TO urge that the line
OF battle should be drawn on the message
OF the President and the position Of our
friends in Congress. met there aformida-
bic array in favor Of limiting our plan OF the
campaign TO the simple reformation Of the
platform OF 1884. and general endorsement
OF the Administration. There was, from
first to last, no other issue raised.
1t is true that I helped to make
the platform OF 1884; 1t is true that i
spoke for it In the National Convention Of
that year; it is true that for four years
have put upon il a construction which
thought to be justified by the plain tenor OF
its meaning, but IT Is also true that the coun-
try accepted 1t as a straddle, and that this In
depreciation had stereotyped Itself upon the
public mind merely TO reitcrate. /,
therefore, was 10 lose all that We
have since gained to traverse q
policy which, in Congress at least, has
brought us union where there were only de
visions, TO surrender an lntrenched position,
and to fly the held 10 the face OF the enemy.
| could not consent to this, but 1t is
not true that l proposed any advance.
On the contrary, agreed TO take
the platform submitted by Messrs. Scott
and German, word for word, II they would
agree to strike out the first clause. which,
without any qualification whatever. re-
affirmed the platform OF 1884. There was
no other difference between us; none at all
and whilst they made their argument with
extraordinary earnestneSs, plauslbility, and
power, / am bound to say they disclosed no
spirit that was not that OF honest Democrats,
seeking the good OF the country and the
party, and when we finally reached the con-
clusion embodied By the platform as per-
iected we stood as one man and not as three
men.
"But, fellow. citizens, 10 rescue usfrom the
perils that beiell poor dog Tray, and the as
cription so dangerous on their part 10 the
country, as ii would seem, OF being caught
in my company, let me haste 10 suggest that
there NAV be some mistake about my opin-
ions and purposes. have certainly done all
l could do to fix the attention OF the people
upon the ruinOus eXactions OF tariff the
most unscientihcally laid in the world.
have sought TO force upon the authors OF
that tariff redemption OF the pledges they
made when they enacted 1t, that 1t should not
outast the exgencles that called ii into be-
ing, and 1t may be that 10 the course OF the
agitation | have not always been very
sdueamish about the terms used 10 describe
what the Supreme Court OF the United States
itself has described as 'legalized robbery
But not here have | proposed anything
extreme or destructive. i am builder
by preference; conservative by nature, and
10 more than the President no more than
Carlisle, no more than my friends German
and Scott, would l proceed In the work Of
reform with any rash precipitation. L am
the friend, not the enemy, OF manufacturers;
OF mining aud industrial development; OF la
Dor, 10 the sense Of honest work for
honest wages, and II the Democrats
OF New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut
would take what think from my own lips,
and not at secondhand from lps puckered
10 lie for q consideration. they would hear
nothing 10 frighten or 10 iuiure them.
want 10 reduce the war taxes, and
NV objective point Is revenue tariff;
but In the nature Of the ease we
are bound to 60 slow. Rome was not
built in day. The protective system can
not be got rid OF for years TO come. The
Mills bin, which support, is 4 protective,
not free-trade measure. AS for tree trade
il Is not at stake and never will
be reallzed-if 1t be ever realized
until the manufacturers put themselves at
the head OF the movement and put II through.
Menace, like the chimera OF the rebel briga-
fiiers, isa tigment OF sectional and partisan
maleyo,ence got up by the Republicans for
csmpaign PURPOSES