The Penn's Grove record., 1888-05-26
Washington Letter.

"
Last week in Congress was
notable for what will be known
in POLITICAL history rs the great tarin
debate of lSsS. 1t began more than a
month ago, and has continued almost
uninterruptedly with a steadily growing
interest. 1t is q great mistake to say
that the people are not interested III
tariff talk or that they pay no at
tention to the discussion. Protracted
debates may he often wearisOme To pro
fessional politicians, but such a discus
sion as this. on Il question that touches
every interest Of every citizen, a great
attractions for the voting masses.
There has been no time n the iiery
debates of the reconstruction period
when the demand for copies Of speeches
has been 81 great as the calls for tafln
speeches within the past few weeks.
The appearance of minor participants
in the great debate has attracted COM
paratively little attention here, lnereas-
ed only when an exchange OF bitter
personalities or an exciting, interesting
bit of repartee has broken the monoton-
Gus progress OF the strife. But on Fri-
day last, all this was changed. 1t was
a day of great oratory. The tarli1 Is
sue was presented from its three sides
As in the olden times when the
bravest and the fiercest fighters were
reserved until the last, so the two par
ties in the House of Representatives
have held back their recognized leaders,
in order that only the worthiest toemen
should meet face to face. SO Mr.. Ran
dali spoke for the protection Democrats,
Mr.. Mckinley for the Republicans. and
Mr.. Breckenridge for the Democrats
who would reform the present tarif
system. And from the crowded gal
leries of the House. with their rising
tiers of seats like the old Coliseum of
Rome, an immense throng of people
looked down upon the floor as if into
an arena.
At the close of Mr.. Mckinley's bril-
liant effort the House went wild with
enthusiasm. The Republicans cheered
with all their might and even many OF
the Democrats Joined incongratulating
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 by 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. Every
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 20
brilliant probably as on the preceding
day, but long before the hour for the
House to couven the galleries we're
densely packed with people who had
come to hear speeches by the two ac-
knowledged leaders of their respective
parties, Speaker Carlisle and Mr.. Reed,
of Maine. and probably no single ses-
entertain and interest spectators in the
galleries than the hours of Saturdays
closing debate on the tariff.
Mr.. Reed kept his party friends pref
ty constantly occupied for two hours
with laughter and applause. and made
what was admittedto 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 own
image reflected by the surface and so
lost his supper in the hope of getting
more when he already had enough, to
describe what he considered the folly of
giving up the control of our W mar
kets to obtain the markets of the world,
and the illustration as he produced it
compelled even his opponents to laugh.
| believe this is the first speech MI.
Carlisle has made on the floor of Con-
gress since he became speaker of the
House. He had been closely confined
at home for several days previous grid
ing his lOins for the part he was des-
tined to take in the combat. Conse-
quently he looked a little pale and as if
he had been i'll. Yet he spoke clearly,
effectively and very acceptably to his
party friends. His cool, ~passionless
m%arshaling of facts and figures for the
bill were i'll marked contrast with Mr.,
Reeds vigorous and rather comical at
lacks upon it.
The greatest tariff debate since 1916
closed in the:House of Representatives
with the speeches of Messrs Reed and
Carlisle, and it should be said that the
conduct of the debate and the speeches,
pro and con, or the Mills bill have been
worthy of the occasion, The leaders
have agreed upon a truce for ten days,
during which the tariff bill will be laid
aside and the House will proceed with
other business. At the end of that
time We will see whether a vote will be
taken upon the Mills bill and the Rep
ublican substitute for it, or whether
the debate on sections Of the bill will
proceed, with amendments.