Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-05-31
STRONG TARIFF TALK.


One Of the ablest and best Of the tariff
speeches made in Congress during the dc,
bate on that subject was that delivered by
Col ID. b. Henderson, of the Third Iowa
District, The speech was delivered in
the House April Both, In his usual frank
style Col Henderson sail; Il am bound
IN say. at the very outset, that men may
honestly differ ON this great economic
question, going On, after this generous
concession, TO say that only few years
ago. in his own adoIc"Cent day, he too
was firm believer in the free trade doc,
,rinc so captivating 10 youth aud mex
pericncc.
The keen double edge ~ this master,
piece OF sarcasm can only he apparent to
those who have sat in the House day
after day, and noted the gray heads that
have been lifted there MS opponents OF
this very dclusiye theory,
There was not u single personality, or
the least resort to Billingsga,e in his
whole speech, hut the lies that were
nailed, nevertheless, aud The hides that
were stretched out u tan were most raw.
ishing TO the protection heholdcr Every
statement was followed by proof, every
charge by inconlrovortablc testimony, aud
one could have heard u pin drop, Ia use
bull ms an unusually full house hung
upon the words that were all the more
wcighty because OF their sincere polite
ness; so very rcfrc,hng after the many
stormy scenes We have had over the dis.
cusson of this question, That most OF
these storms were brcwcd On the Demo.
cratic side, Mr.. Henderson did not fail to
remind them Said he: You snap and
snarl nj our tariff laws rs things deadly
aud to be hated Not one Kind, generous
word has cmnnatcd from your committee
In charge " this bill, or from any Demo
cratic speaker here in favor of that rcyc'
nue. policy which took bankrupt treas
ury, IN impoverished aud suffering
country languishing IN all her industries,
out OF Democratic hands aud made her
the imperial, Incompatible, prosperous,
happy country Of the earth" That
charge 80 eloquent, aS asimrlG statement
Of facts. would have been rs convincing
rs Holy Truth 10 any but those who are
said to he the blindcsl ol all mankind
those who will not See But II Is safe Ia
promise that all cluQucnce IL thrown
away upon those who do not need mental
conviction half 50 much ~ y change Of
heart, else the fumes from the flesh pots
Of Egypt could not thus hrguilc citizens
Of great manufacturing States 10 go
against every interest Of their own people,
ut the bidding Of party leaders, only for
the sake Of uniting on u political issue,
Still one could see them sQuirm ms Col
Henderson poured out perfectly i"rcsist
ible tide of cloquencc and iru,h for their
benefit; the hide was coming of, and
there was no kind hand 10 apply the
cocaine. Our representatives. clever
speech gave not a single chance for sue
Ccssful interruption, as he piled proof
upon proof while defending his own noble
State from the false change OF bankruptcy
lie traced that unhappy infant 10 its
swaddling clothes, but, alas there was
found no man IN all the great Democratic
party 80 lost TO shame ms Ia father II, and
It's mother had drowned her infamy IN
the sea of oblivion. In short, the story.
said TO have originated IN the Agricultural
Department, that Iowa farms were mort
gagged TO the enormous sum Ot S35l 600, 600
proved on investigation 10 he lie oui Of
whole cloth, with Mr.. Norman j. Colmnn
made to appear as u witness Ia the inCi,
Again he said Il have more interest
in the happiness and prosperity of the
farmers of my State, and especially Of
my District. than has any free trader liv
ing out Of Iowa My business interests
and my political interests are linked 10
the welfare Of the farmers Of Iowa If !
believed TINT protection was injuring
them would oppose II II every mau in
this House were against me. Aud so he
would, for the tough fibre Of his Scotch
origin gives him the courage Of his con
yclions every time. Then he went on
in the broadncss OF true wisdom, aud.
using the wool industry rs an example,
showed how each State Is benefited by
the protection OF the industries OF each Of
the other States. rather than by the nor.
row guagc idea Of those who protect none
for fear they will thus give them some
sort Of possible advantage oyer some
individual who has nothing TO
protect--thc Lord bless me and my
wife, my son John aud bis wife; us four
and no more, theory preached from the
Democratic pulpit Said Henderson; II
cannot limit the application Of protection
to tho waters OF the Mississippi and the
Missouri, nor to the State lines of Min.
nesGta and Missouri My duty Is to stand
by the farmers OF the United States"
After paying his respects to every class
that Is benefited by protection. he then
proceeded to rip the padding out Of the
free trade scare crow, known as the war
tax" and showed how the Republican
party had cut this revenue taxation down
ill nothing remained. bu, the tax on
spirits, beer, tobacco aud National banks.
This ventilation OF OF the free trade doc.
trinc should convince any but the most
obtuse, and IL probably has. but alas "A
man convinced against his will is OF the
same opinion still. when he il Demo
crat Still there Is comfort in the rciiec.
ton that such speeches rs the one under
review live and the work OF such men rs
Col ID. u. Henderson will follow them;
and the great good accomplished thereby
is. thcrefo fore. beyond computation,