Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-18

ton. There comes IN The great doctrine
of protection. More than that, let me
say here that the principle of protection
is not always in every country alike
profitable. The principle of protection
cannot be applied in every country with
the same value and the same profit, and
I will tell you why, it has
become of lasting profit to the
United States. It is because the
United States is world within itself.
Now, if we were little narrow country
that only had one or two products, prob
ably if we sought to protect those pro-
ducts we would only raise the price up
on ourselves; but we have country
that extends from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, from the Gulf to the Lakes,
from latitude % degrees on the borders
of the Tropic of Cancer to latitude 40 de-
grees. away off on the borders OF British
Columbia. We have the seml-tropical
products in Southern California. and in
the Northern ATTITUDES we have the cere-
ais; we have the fruits, we have the cot
ton, we have wool, we have hemp-we
have world within ourselves. And so
large does this principle of protection
become and so varied is its application
that no man can say that this man or
that man is protected at the expense Of
his neighbor, because every pursuit, ev-
cry calling lnwhich man engages. comes
in for share of the great benefcent in
fuence which protection gives to a Ma
ton situated as the United States is
situated. So that when they talk to us
about free trade [ tell them in Engla land
that as compared with US they know
nothing about it. We have got abso lutte
free trade among 65,000,000 of our own
people, and we have protection against
the 400, 900. 600 Of people that live out
side of US. Applause and laughter.
Now I understand my duty to be to
look out for these Go. 000,0 of people at
home. The old saying used to be that
the City of Prague was the cleanest city
in Europe, and the reason was that
every man brushed his own doorstep.
Cheers and laughter. Now these phi
1anthropic statesmen, like President
Cleveland-if [ may say so daughter.
who want to look out for trade beyond
the sea and to benefit mankind beyond
our keeping, think have got larger
job on hand than they will accomplish,
and know that the Nation which most
and best looks out for itself is acting not
only according to the law Of intelligent
selftshness but according to the best law
of brotherly love and ph1lanthroplc re-
gard for man; for the richer we grow
the more we impress ourselves upon the
entire world as an exhibition and 3
proof of what intelligent men can dc
under self-government without the aid
of noble or a king. [Cheers.1 That Ii
what this country has done. [Cheers.
We framed our government without the
protection of kings and in spite Of them.
We grew up without the favor of the
great in Europe and in spite of them.
We grew up without the patronage of
nations in Europe and in spite Of them
and to-day we have grown so large thai
the little Nation of 100000 in the
struggle of 1776 has become so great and
grand and so powerful that it over
shadows them all The example of this
Nation is worth more to struggling
nationalities and to suffering humanity
throughout this world than an, thing
that it was in the power Of the Ameri.
can people to produce. The policy which
has done that is the policy of protection
| which has caused our wide interchange
of domestic products, and which has
surrounded our interests by great
power against injurious intrusion from
abroad and with perfect safety at home
| (Checrs.