The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-05-23
Speech Of w. f. Mason, of the Third
Illinois District, on the Mills
Measure.
Northern Doug hfaces and Their South
ern Allies, In Humorous Way,
Hit Hard.
Striking illustrations Given, Which Bring
Rosrs Of Laughter from Floor and
Galleries.
IsAsHrNaroN coRREsPoNDENcE. /


since he had 90 follow Sunset Cox. who has
had standing reputation as Congressional
clown for nearly quarter OF q century, when
comes prosy. and parts of his two hours speech
on this occasion were tiresome and the audi
humor at the start ne left Mason a tired and
impatient audience, but that gentleman made
such n success OF his witty drives and stinging
remarks about the Democrats that every
one was soon in a good humor good many
people in the galleries started out when Cox
had concluded, but Mason mado humorous
hit ut the New-Yorker right ut the start which
caused the people in the galleries to stop short
and resume their seats, which thoy held TO the
close. Mason had MS good an audience as Cox,
and he succeeded in getting rp more laughter
on the Republican side than any man this
session. Once Breckenridge OF Arkansas. and
later Allen Of Mississippi, Cox's rival humorist
him, but both were compelled TO acknowledge
that Mason was too much for them to handle.
The House was in committee of the whole
on the tariff bill. Mr.. Mason took tho moor, ana
started out by saying that he looked with sus-
picion upon all efforts OF the Free Trade party
60 reform the tariff. The Northern Democrats
asserted that they were not in favor OF free
trade. but the tail goes with the hide. He
cited the deadlock OF a few weeks ago upon the
direct tax bill. stating that Northern Democrats
said they would rot in their seats before they
would DO bossed by the Southern Democracy.
but when King Caucus tapped the bell the
Democrats all scooted
The BriSadiers ring the caucus boil,
The doug bfacs cr.es -For shame!
I'll not be bossed by tho Brigadisrs,"
But he gets there just the same.
When the Democrats party gained posses
sion of all branches OF the Government and
announced tins doctrine OF Tree trade the
Northern Demo ,racy, who were but the tail
to the great Democratic dog would meekly
fold itself between the hind legs-of It's owner
and wait for instructions from the business
end of that dog. whether to wag for protection
or free trade. Mr. Mason then attacked tho
proposition made by Mr. Mills that the people
ought TO have the right to buy where they could
buy the cheapest; and gave description OF tue
work king classes calling on Mr. Mills to ask him
why he wished to buy the product OF labor III
England where he could buy 1t 30 much
cheaper1 He made Mr.. Mills say
want to buy my shoes in England,
where ] can buy them cheaper TO help
the poor shoemakers OF America and
that he wanted TO buy his cloth OF other coun-
tries to help the spinners and weavers OF Amor
ica and that he wanted to buy his machinery
and iron too.s in England. where the wages were
Just half what they were in this country To
help the poor IRON workers OF this country de
said: Il have never been in favor of sending
TO the penitentary for preaching free
trade. but when he asks to buy the product OF
gabor I'm other countries, and announces as the
reason that it is to help the laooring men OF
this country. think he ought to be sent down
for six months twice "A year for nifty years for
He attacked tn, Mills bill. saying that it
was I'm the interest OF trusts and syndicates,
ana cited the sugar trust which he said was
one OF tho largest, If not the largest, trusts in
the world that affected the price OF any OF the
man from Mississippi tMr. Allen that the
comic opera he quoted from was not suited to
his style OF voice and form, and suggested that
instead thereof no should sing:
Rock-a-by Sugar Trust you're on the tree,top,
While we are in power your cradle Will rock;
But II the tariff bursts the cradle Will iail -,
And down Will come sugar Trust, Mills Dill,
aud all.
Or il he insisted on rising to that higher
realm OF Mother Goose, we would suggest:
Little Boy Blue, come blow your HON nice.
Blow sheol out OF mutton but don touch our
He also suggested that the gentleman hold
the infant t. ust in his arms and say: Darling,
threatened to roast you the other day, but that
was bluff !" and tnat he pass the infant su7 ar
trust to Mr.. Mills, who would fondle It and say :
~BaDy, dear, dent cry. You shall have all the
sugar in the United states. The Golden boys
have everything else but sugar. And then he
would pass il TO the gentleman from kentucky,
who would say: Don't cry, little popsie- wop-
sic. Ii our poor little popsie-wopsie should die
we would not have anything else to throw at
Mississippi COMPLAINED bitterly because the
cows in his State did not give as much milk as
they did in New England, and the hens did not
lay as many eggs. IL there was anything un-
der the heavens that would stop laying hen
or dry up n COW it was to be brought up under
the influence of free trade. The gentleman,
however boosted OF their beautiful women and
their brainy men. They may have brainy men
ia alississil pt but IL they did, then II was an
other illustration OF the saying that GU never
can tell the kind OF goods q man keeps by the
samples he puts on the road.
Mr. Allen or Mississippi-Are we to judge OF
your fathers skill by his products?
Mr.. Mason-lou are. Anybody who doesnt
like my style OF architecture knows what he can
do when am not busy,
jority OF the Committee ON Ways and Means
six out OF eight anne from States lately in re-
beilion and when he went through his district
and the prosperous manufacturing and
business men there, and realized that the gen
tiemen on the committee had no sympathy and
no interest in them, 1t ground him TO think that
ba af Ia Of district should hands
OF such men. few years ago, when the Brig
adiers got back into Congress- the prodigal- son
act worked we'll, but now IL did not Mt their
case" Said he: you are back In your father 8
house because he caught you by the nape OF
tho neck and seat OF your pants and brought
you back. You did not say, Father, have
sinned against thee. am not worthy to be one
OF the family make me hostler That is not
the kind of prodigals you are You come in ut
the front door. wipe your feet en- the carpet,
and try to drink out OF the fre-exting her.
You do not wait Tor the fatted calf you put
your feet on the table and say, What want is
yoal'
w hen the Republicans talked about protect
ing any OF the enterprises in the manufacturing
States the Democrats insisted on incorporating
into the laws OF the United States plank that
in the constitution OF the Southern Con-
federacy The people were getting weary Of II,
and next fall they would take the proligal son
and gently send him back To the husks of n do
feated Democracy. -while your leader will 10
promoted to the highest position in the world
that OF an American citizen in private life. He
also declayed himself against the proposition OF
free whisky, saying that whisky was not only
paupsr breeder but multiplied OF Democrats
and that he was in favor Of taking of the tax
on alcohol used In the manufactures and the
arts Ho then attacked the Committee on
Ways and Means, charging that he had been
informed. and believed and that they had
not denied 10. that agent OF the English
manufacturers had been in consultation
with the committee. and ha been infuen-
tial In fixing some parts or the Mills bill
He said IF IL IL true that any representative
OF the English manufacturers has secured the
adoption by the committee Of one item OF this
bill, then the man who consented TO IL upon
that committee is as much traitor TO the in
dustries OF his country rs his ancestors were
twenty-five years ago. who tried TO destroy the
Union, but without the redeeming feature Of
bravery. Kisses on the Democratic side, 4
You charge me nov with drawing sectional
lines. I deny 10. 1 am simply calling atten-
ton TO the sectional lines which you have
drawn. You have drawn this bill in every par
ticular attempting to benefit the people Of the
South, wholly regardless Of the interestsof the
North East, and West
Mr. Mason closed by saying that the sleeping
giant. the Republican giant, would awake. and,
standing in every hnrbor and port of entry,
would say to the importers OF goods produced
by cheap and pauper labor: THUS far and no
farther and under the influence OF kepub-
lican administrat on the country would have
new life and new hopes, aud make greater
strides I'm the march Of civilization than had
heretofore been accomplished i'm the history OF
the world.
Eloquent Figures.