Smyrna times., 1888-05-23
Far the Smyr7tq Times.
Washington Letter.
THE GREAT TARIFF DEBATE.


WASHINGTON, May DIST. 1888.
The past few days in Congress have
been notable for what will be known
in political history as the great tariff
debate Of 1888. 1t began more than
a month ago, and has continued almost
uninerruptcdly with steadily rrow
ing interest. 1t is a great mistake to
say that the people are not interested
in tariff talk or that they pay no atten-
ton 10 the discussion. Protracted de- |
bates may be often Wearisome to pro- |
iessional politicians, but such a discus |
sion as this, on question that touches |
every interest Of every citizen. has !
great attractions for the voting masses. |
There has been no time since the |
hery debates of the reconstruction ne
riod when the demand for copies of
speeches has been so great as the calls
for tariff speeches within the past few
weeks
The appearance of the minor partic-
ipants in the great debate has attrac-
ted comparatively little attention here
increased only when an exchange of
bitter personalities or an exciting, in
terestlng bit of repartee has broken the
monotonous progress Of the strife.
But on Friday last, all this was
changed. 1t was a day Of great oratorv.
The tariff issue was presented from it,
three sides.
As in the olden times when the br,.
vest and the fierce-t fighters were re-
served until the last, 50 the two par
ties IN the House Of Representative
have held back their recognized lead.
ers, in order that only the worthiest
! toemen should meet face to face. So
Mr., Randall spoke for the protection
Democrats, Mr.. M'Kinley for the Re
! publicans, and Mr.. Breckenridge for
! the Democrats who would reform the
| present tariff system. And from the
crowded galleries of the House. with
their rising tiers Of seats like the old
! Coliseum Of Rome, an immease throng
OF people looking down upon the floor
as if into an arena.
At the close of Mr. McKmley's bril-
liant effort the House went wild with
enthusiasm. The republicans cheered
with all their might aud even MANY of
the Democrats joined in congratulating
him at its close. 1t was conceded to
be the great speech of the debate on
the protection side Of the question.
The greatest Democratic speech fol-
lowed immediately-and was bv Mr..
Breckenridge, of Kentucky. His
speech had been looked forward to in
and out of Congress. 1t came fully up
to the expectations Of the public, and
at its close three cheers went up from
the floor and from the galleries. Ev-
cry member arose from his seat and
there was a general rush to seize the
orators hand.
Saturday was another great day in
the House The tariff talk was not So
brilliant probably as on the preceding
day, but long before the hour fol the
House to convene the galleries were
densely packed with people who had
come to hear speeches by the two ac.
knowledged leaders of their respec-
tive parties, Speaker Carlisle and Mr.
Reed, of Maine, and probably no single
session since 1876 has furnished more
to entertain and interest spectators in
the galleries than the hours of Satur-
days closing debate on the tariff
Mr.. Reed kept his party friends
pretty constantly occupied for two
hours with laughter and applause, and
made what was admitted to be a great
speech against the Mills tariff bill. He
: used the story of the dog who dropped
his bone in the water when he saw his
L own image reflected by the surface and
so lost his supper in the hope of get
ting more when he already had enough,
5 to describe what he considered the
, folly of giving up the control of our
! own markets to obtain the markets of
the world, and the illustration as he
, produced it compelled even his oppo-
nents to laugh.
| believe this is the first speech Mr..
= Carlisle has made on the floor of Con
9 gres since he became speaker of the
' House. He had been closely confined
5 at home for several days prpviou.
girding his lOins for the part he wa.
E destined to take in the combat. Con
E seQuently he looked a little pale and a,
D if he had heen ILL., Yet he spoke clearly
: effectively and very accepta.ly to hi.
party friends. His cool, passionles.
marshaling of facts and figures for the
bill, were in marked contrast with Mr.
+ Reeds vigorous and rather comica
attacks upon it.
The creates tariff debate since lS4(
! closed in the House of Representative
II with the speeches of Messrs. Reed ant
D Carlisle, and it should be said that th,
conduct of the debate and the speeches
: pro and con, on the Mills bill hav,
been worthy of the occasion. Tn,
Z leaders have agreed upon truce fo
! ten days, during which the tariff bill
will be laid aside and the House will
= proceed with other business. At tn,
end of that time we will see whether ,
! vote will be taken upon the Mills bill
> and the republican substitute for it, o
4 whether the debate on sections of tn,
bill will proceed, with amendments.