New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-22
ministration's dishonor their own ana 'heir
party's.
------.-------- ,.ouug
THURMANS SPEECHES

IL is ndin1nI 10 stt u ui"h VA ""No~
mans natural capacities, man VINO mas re-
Elected long and often to good purpose upon the
problems of government, checrfully embracing
the sophistries which his party has put into its
platform and its chief measure OF ieglsla-
tion. at the command of leader whom
il distrusts. From his special car between
Columbus and Toledo on Monday Mr. Thur
man responded to the greetings Of his political
followers in series Of short speeches, most OF
which consisted merely Of grateful acknowedg-
ments These simple expressions OF pardon
able qualification were singuarly clumsy but
with that we have nothing to do. The forced
sprightincss Of n venerable man is not proper
subject for ridcule.
At two or three places, however, Mr.. Thur
man gave deliberate and emphatic uttefahce
to tho oft-repcatcd theory which is the KEY
note of the Presidents message, namely tha'
the price Of an imported article is Increased 10
the consumer by precisely the amount OF the
dutv laid uron IT, and that the price OF SIM
liar article of American manufacture is CORE
spondingly inflated through the same agency.
It is not surprising that President Cleveland
should have been led into such trap hav-
! ing no knowledge Of his own Of Industrial facts'
nor the intellectual capacity to pursue theory
| 70 its logical conclusion and thus discriminate
against the absurdties which false theory IN
wolves he is compelled to make blind choice
between conflicting counsels, and take the
consequences as best he may Bnt MI lhur-
man suffers from no such Disability lie Is
Of course. a Free Trader and bis place on the
Democratic ticket estops him from re1utng Id
| nuhlc the gigantic error which the head OF the
ticket has proclaimed for gospel truth. But
be might have kept silent on that subject lie
was under no obligation Of morals or courtesy
to make himself ridiculous because the Presi-
dent had set him the example. Very few OF
his Free-Trade brethren in Congress or out
If Il have ventured to appeal on that point
from the plain verdict of everyday facts. Mr..
Thurman must have forgotten that ten-dollar
suit of clothes in which Congressman Morse
Of Massachusetts, took so Just pride' uhu'
Major Mckinley made him put 1t on in open
session. He must have forgotten thousand
conclusive proofs OF which this was the most
picturesque example But Mr.. Thurman, hav-
ing given the President the original text for
his solemn sermon upon the appalling evils OF
hat second term which he is now endeavorng
to inflict upon the country, perhaps feels him-
self impelled by sense Of delicacy to help
carry this more recent burden.
Remove the ponderons pleasantries to which
we have alluded and this labori0us defence OF
false theory by Notifications which the con
slant experience OF every citizen demolishes'
and there is literally nothing left in the
snccches Of Mr.. Thurman. They must be
~
ers. who have looked to them for the inspira-
ton which their campaign. by their own con-
fesson, so sadly lacks. They are in consplc-
HONS contrast to the graceful, sympathetic and
coeent addresses of General Harrison. every
one of which has carried to the heads and
, hearts, of his hearers a conviction OF his own
sincerity and of the truth and wisdom Of the
political principles he represents Our COL
umns testify how widely they differ from the
speeches which Republican leaders are daily
making in Congress and on the stump IN de-
fence Of the American system-from the speech
!, for instance which Major Mckinley delivered
Yesterday at the Georgia Chautauqua he
rlving to the particular fallacy which the Pres
deut proclaimed and which Mr.. Thurman has
= now made his own, the Ohio Congressman said
3, ! " Duty or no Qutl, NIInVut u'h'N SN''f~
u the consumer would fare worse thar be fare
;. now. There is not in the long line OF staple
= products consumed by the Aople single one
=, which has not been cheapened by competition
:, at home, made possible by protective duties
y There is not an article that enters into th
EVERYDAY uses of the family which is produced
IN the United States that has not been mad
e cheaper and more accessible as the result 0
; home production and development. which wa
e to be secured only by the sturdy MAINTENANCE
: of the protective system" Not his Southern
e audience alone but the whole country may we!
% take TO heart the sentence with which MaJo
~ Mckinley closed his calm. lucid ard convinc
II ing address: My fellow-citizens in this con
lie Gict, influenced by patriotism National IN
y terest and National pride, let US be Americans