The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-03-30
THE CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
Extract from Hon. Chaunccy ~. De.ew's
Chicago Grafton.


Extract from Hon. Chaunccy n. Des.w's
Chicago Grafton.
The speech Of Hon. Chauncey M. De-
pew, of New York, at Chicago on Wash.
ington's birthday has attracted wide
spread attention, has been literally quoted
from and il generally regarded as the
most intensely patriotic and thoroughly
American utterance OF the present day.
He designated President Cleveland's mes
sage to congress as n challenge to debate,
and az one Of the most fortunate issues Of
the campaign Remarking that doubt
and debate are the safety valves Of free
dom,' he took up the message I'm the
course OF his Grafton and discussed 10 as
follows:
1t IL vital to the success of our mission
that all questions be boldly met, fearlessly
discussed, and promptly acted upon. The
area OF arabic acres in the United States
is 20 per cent. larger than that OF China,
which supports n population of nearly
400, 600, 900. AS time is reckoned in the
history of nations, in the near future there
will be 200, 600, 600 Of people in this coun-
try. All Of them will be dependent upon
industrial condition, and the larger part
of them will be wage earners- Our prob
lem is not, How can they be controlledf
for they are the majority, and the
majority is the government; but, How
are they to be satisfied? Macaulay's pre-
diction has been supported by the ablest
political economists of the Old World.
They claim that with the conditions
OF crowded populations always on the
brink OF starvation, with hopeless pow
erty'and chronic distress, such as prevails
under European governments, the repub-
lie will end in anarchy, and anarchy in
despotism. Cheap transportation has OBJ
liberated the lines which formerly divided
the planters and the manufacturers, and
engendered and embittered the sectional
controversies. The new south thrills
with the movement OF mighty industries
which IRE developing her mines, utilizing
hel great forces and resources, and found
ing her cities. The flames of busy fur
naces illumine her wasted fields, and near
and quick markets awaken to hitherto
unknown activities her dormant agricult-
ure. The hum Of the spintlles and the
inspiring music Of machinery sounds over
the prairics and along the lakes, as well
as among New England hills and Penn
Bylvania mines.
Ninety-nine years ago, ON the fourth day
Of July, 1889, George Washington signed
the first tariff act passed by the yeung re-
public. Political independence had been
proclaimed by the immortal declaration
Of 1915, but the country was still depend
ing on Great Britain for every article of
manufacture in metals or fabrics. With
more gloomy forebodings than those
caused by the separation Of the empire
was this news received in England. 1t
was the emancipation of raw materials
and the birth of manufactures in the
United States, and without them the re-
public had no manifest destiny" At the
close Of IN exhausting war, with an I'M
paid, half clothed and riOtous army,
worthless currency, shattered credit and
an empty treasury, Alexander Hamilton,
great in every department of mental
activity, but the greatest of finance minis
tiers, was called upon to provide the moneys
for carrying on the government, meet
ing its obligations and restoring
its credit In report, whose Argyll
meDts have never been answered
or equalled, he gave as tho solution of
the present problem and of future pros
perity, protection to home industries as q
continuous policy, and, when necessary,
bounties and premiums besides. The
closing year Of the century of Hamilton's
idea finds thirteen states grown to 81, 400.
900 people increased to 10000, 600 and
nominal national wealth to $50, 600, 000,-
900. A manufacturing plant not worth
$500, 600 has expanded until its annual
product is $4,000, 0O0, 900, and the con-
sumption per year by our own people Of
the output Of our farms and orr factories
is not less than five times the consolidated
capital Of 1889. From an increasing in
debtednees to foreign nations, which
drained oil our resources, the returning
ia s,ft ha hfl nf 10 6nWfntv IN
enriching currents through every artery
OF our industrial life. Upon this golden
monument, with 800 000, 600 Of surplus
in the natiO1sl treasury, md proud and
prosperous EQUATIONS oil around, the
eliminating century finds President
Cleveland prHlaiming with equal bold
ness, il less originality, the new depart
ure. The celebration of the birthday Of
the father Of his country recalls at this
juncture the peculiar signiflcances Of the
language of the law which received his
first signature as president, and which
had his heartiest Approval:
'Whereas it is necessary for the support
Of the government, for the discharge OF
the debts of the United States, and the
encouragement and protection Of manu-
facturers, that duties be levied on goods,
wares and merchandise imported" Since
that most fruitful legislation, whenever
theory has overcome the plain teachings
of practice, the penalty has been panics
and distress. "The friend of the many
against the profits of the few" il the Sc
ductive role which captivates the free
trader, and its glittering allurements OH
a subject new to his thought and studies
have led out to sea the strong common
sense Of Mr.. Cleveland. 1t is the basis of
the policy upon which he has staked his
own fortunes and those of his party.
'The tariff raises the price to consumers"
he says, 'of ali articles imported or sub
ject 10 duty, by precisely the sum paid
for such duties;" and, MS the consumers
are enormously in excess of the laborers
upon purely protected articles, he PUSHES
naturally and triumphantly To the con-
clusion that tariff laws are "the vicious.
;nequitable and illogical source of I'M
necessary taxation" In 1915, 1882, 1876,
the weapons which the president found in
1883 won great victories, but like Sam
sons arms about the pillars Of the temple,
the result involved all In common ruin.
The mill closed. the furnace fires ont, the