Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-09
NAI~w1IMINGToN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER O. 1890

q decorum and with sense OF responri-
billy, IL not for themselves at least for
the people for whom they are acting.
But they tell you that expedition in
business is the one thing to be urged.
All, my friends, delays, deliberations,
] pausing before action, arc part OF the
cost of liberty. remember years ago o
story, when the tsar OF all the Russias,
Nicholas by name, desired to have rail-
road made through his dark and mys.
terlous country from his capital OF st.
Petersburg to his other capital oil Mos
COW. Engineers were put upon the route;
carefully they went over mill and dale,
through stream aud vale, and they laid
their course according to the require
ments Of nature and the wisdom of en-
gineering skill; and they brought that to
\ him; and he was impatient and, taking
plap and rule and pencil, he marked
straight line from st. Petersburg to MOS
COW and said "lhat shall be the route"
Well, suppose that as the road was paid
for by the sweat of unhappy peRsRntry,
that there were those then who thought
ii a fine thing to exercise such power in
an arbitrary way; but, fellow country
men, never believed that should live
to see the day when a cross cut was made
across the limitations OF the constitution
OF our fathers, and to find anybody in
the United States to justify aud applaud
it. [Applause.l
THE PROTECTION OF MINoRTT1Es.
The tsar's Impotence oos nothing
but money. But the Impotence Of q
party, led by an audaoious, unscrupulous
man, costs more than money; it GOSH
those liberties for which our forefathers
gave their lives and their blood, aud
which, If we ever part with, difficult,
indeed, will be our road to return. II it
were money, should say but little; but
can see, in this arbitrary and monstrous
execution OF power, danger not only to us
in this generation but to our children's
children. For what was the constitution
ordained? For the protection of minori-
ties. 1t is the weak who need protection,
and not the strong. The man at the head
OF an army has no use for constitutional
liberty; but the citizen, who covers in
dread lest his property bs taken from
him, is the man to raise on high the sh ii
OF the constitution and to ask that hs
may find safety under it. [Applause.l
AN UNwIELDLY DEsPoT.
So, you have the strRight-cut to power
of the Reed rules. Over the constitution,
over the rights of the people, over all the
carefully balanced checks upon power,
that were so carefully arranged by our
fathers, you have the heavy, coarse foot
of this unwleldy despot; and you can
read, if you will, in what he has shown
himself capable Of dong under chose
rules, that which ia to come hereafter.
THE LODGE ELECTION BILL.
Now, what was the next adjunot2 So
much for the scBholding; so much for
the machlnery to rush bills through Con-
| gressj and now something to secure the
bill when it has gone through; something
that will prevent the sober second
thought Of the American people from
coming to the rescue and teaching them
to undo the unwise things that have been
done. The thing proposed for that ia
that excresoenoe upon decent American
legislation known as the Lodge Election
BILL that is the next step. You know
that il passed the House; and as IL passed
the House, it went to the Senate, and
before the Senate it is now; and but
for the determined front of such
men, as him who so honor
ably and faithfully represents the
State OF Delaware in that Senate Tgreat
applause but for the attitude and the
we'll known determination OF George
Gray renewed applausel and men like
him, il would, to-day, be a law of the
United States, and our elections in
November would have to be held under
such machinery. Thank Goa for the
delayl Thank God for the presence OF
men in the Senate who could compel the
delayl In November we have our chance
to vote our will, according to that will,
undismayed by Mr.. Lodges bill, or the
force OF troops, or the army of satellites
that he may assemble to execute it. And
this is why, before that bill becomes
law, before we are to strip for the con-
flict that that bill will produce, want
the quiet and the determined expression
of the voice of the people Of the State
of Delaware on that subject. APP
plause.
THE MEASURE is ONLY POSTPONED.
must say to you, in all frankness-
for 1t was never my nature, nor did
ever believe it was wise to blink the
truth or fail to face it--that 1 do believe
that the bill Is only postponed, and what.
ever amendments may be thrown in, to
secure its passage by the votes of certain
senators who may not think it expodient
to create all the difficulty which the bill
is evidently intended to create, yet, the
bill must go into conference; and you
know, and all the American people know,
that conference committee is nothing
but q manufacture for legislation repre-
senting the extreme wishes Of the extreme |
majority. The bill of 1888 and the tariff |
proved it, and this bill of Mckinley to |
which l shall presently come, proves it.
The bill came from the House to the Sen
ate. 1t was yariously amended. 1t went
back 10 the conference committee, aud |
nearly every amendent that the House
wanted was put back upon it. And SO it
would be with any bill, and especially
with this Force bill. The more conser-
vative minds OF the Senate, the more
gentle, the more sorupulous, might hest
tate and might well hesitate, as to many
features of the Lodge bill; but, depend
upon it, when it should come to them in
the shape of conference report, OF the
close of session, they would do as as
they did with the Mckinley bill; they
would stifl9 their consciences as thev
would vote with their party. (Applause.
sTRp FORWARD AND MEET THE ISSUE.
So that it is to meet this issue, this ag-
gressive attitude Of Mr.. Roed and his
party, that I invoke you, my brother
Democrats, to step forward and meet it
now. Applause. Make up Your minds
that in this canvass 1t is no ohild's play;
1t is no common, idle election as to VINO
shall fill an office; 1t means something
that appeals to the manhood of every
citiz.n of the State of Delaware who is
worthy of the name. rApplsuse. In
such a cause it ia delightful to fight fer the
right. Insucha cause no other reward, no
other incentive is needed than the fact of