The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1888-02-01
Senator Frye's Speech.

:
ate in review of the Presidents position
on the tariff question, was listened to with
the closest attention by the Senators and
full galleries.
lie said that the President had clearly
thrown down the gauntlet of free trade
lie then quoted from the London Times,
Herald. News, Post, Saturday Review.
Spectator, Scotsman, and other British
papers, to prove that the message had
been received with unbnunded JOY in
Great Britain, which country had been
seeking the American market for years.
lie quoted from the Pail Mall Gazette t.
show that eXultation in England over the
message was suppressed lest it injure the
prospects of American free traders Eng
/ land never permitted an opportunity IL
injure this country to pass unimprOved.
The counsel advice and friendship Of
Great britain in commercial matters had
always injured the nation accepting it,
The leading free trade speaker in England
declared years ago that the greatest
triumph f Great Britain would he the
subjngadion of the markets of the United
States. In the promises of the Pres
idcnt's message they could see that sub
iugaton was near EnIiand's i'll luStries
were falling of through competition.
The silk industry had decreased from
10000 employees fifteen years ago To
5000 now, Cotton manufacturers were
crippled. Germany and Belgium were
,cizing the iron and steel industries, and
were controlling half her forcing trade in
that line. Her agricultural lands were
depreciatin@. Half the agricultural labor
crs were Out of employment, and those
OIL "a IN
one and six pence n day. But now they
had tine president.
He promised to open the American mar
kct To them. This would start their
halting looms, and feed their hungry and
unemployed men and women. The Dem
ocratic party would probably endorse its
new chief The members of the party
had been Incorporating for years as re
formers, favoring II tariff for revenue
only, with incidental protection, or Il
tariff for revenue exclusively. In the
manufacturing districts of New Jersey
and elsewhere they had masqueraded a.
mild-mannered protectioniSts In the
| South and they had more holdness. Less
diversity of industry existed there but
even there within the last year of two,
blinded probably by the smoke of newly
built furnaces, or disturbed by the hum
| of looms there was here and there a
| friend of protection.
Senat rs Vest, Voorhees, and Harris
| had endorsed the President in full. The
| speaker believed the Democratic party of
the country had really shared the Pres
| dent's convictions, ana really believed
the tariff was vicious, Illogical and in
equitable and that the duty Was tax
paid by the consumer Why shouldn't
| it, The South control the Democratic
party and the South had always opposed
| protection and hounties. Since the Dem
ocratic party secured control of the
| NLINth Congress it had been seeking.
! TO ruin the protective tariff The speak
cr showed this by Il review of attempted
| legislation and the award of chairman
shis. All the Democratic leaders agreed
with the President, except they had not
the Presidents holiness or honesty. If,
by cheating the people in the next elec-
ton as to their position they could get a
new lease Of power and obtained control
of the Senate then the people might bid
farewell TO every principle of protection.
The Republicans took up the PeSidcnt :
gauntlet with great pleasure, and dcClar-
| ed, instead of the tariff being vicious,
/ illogical and inequitable, it increased
marVcllously the prosperity of the coun-
/ try; that instead of the duty being a tax
paid by the consumer, no instance could
! be found in which the duty had not de-
creased to the consumer the cost of the
| article consumed.
| The duty ON sugar, the speaker declared
| himself in favor of taking oil, but said he
would give bounty of equivalent to the
present duty. But if the purpose of the
/ Democratic party was to destroy the
tariff and cripple many and absolutely de
/ strov some industries of the country, the
/ Presidents method could do that Amcri-
can workin4men would be reduced to The
DEGRADATION almos. of the working men
and women of Europe. But here was n
splendid country, perfectly marvellous. in
its possibilities. Why should not this
country lead the world in civilization,
religion, education, temperance, the art,
and material progress; Who doubted it
would if men only remembered that they
were Americans in the administration of
its affairs, in the legislation they under
took. in an honest purpose to provided in
the hes, possible manner for their own
people:
1t is The duty of government so To
adjust it, international trade and com