Telegram-herald., 1890-10-04
WATKINS ANSWER
The Democrats Led 70 the Top ef
Aount fisgah.
A PEEP IyTO TIE PROMISED IlsD
A ksasina Meeting al isnis-oar Next
te1grsssn Addresses Ssaris 800
PsePis-A Diseasston on ths Tariff
Ma EnthssiastieSuy Resolved

IosaA, Oct. S.-A rousing Republiesn
meeting vas held in this city tonight.
Nearly $500 people gathered al the
rink 10 listen 10 what proved 20 be one
OF the best speeches ever delivered IN
the state. II was discourse by Hon.
c. w Watkins. answering Democratic
charges recently made in that district.
''fhe Republican party has for Yeas
been trying TO enlighten the Demo
cratic party on the causes OF our na-
tionsl prosperity. and we tell them why.
1t still grovels IN Darkness" he said.
"For years We have taken them by the
hand and led their steps TO the top OF
Mount Plsgah, letting them take peep
over into the promised land. They
have seen the prosperous condition OF
the garden we have cultivated, but We
could not deliver 10 them the keys,
and they have gone back to the same
darkness.
Every article enumerated in the Dem
ocrat's inquiry is cheaper today than
twenty years ago, under Democratic
free trade. Every article Is not less
than 20 per cent. cheaper today than
ten years ago. | do not know that
they are cheaper IN this country than
IN England. I'm not interested IN En-
gland. Pm looking to the prosperity
Of America, and l believe that, taking
into consideration the difference IN
wages, on will find it amounts to more
than the difference OF the price OF ar
ticIes.
In 1860 there were few carpets man.
ufactured IN this country. The greater
part of those we used were imported.
1t was not until 1867 that any tariff WAS
placed on wooden goods, or on wool
that enters into the manufacture OF
carpets. That year tariff was put on
wool, and we began TO manufacture
carpets. The industry continued TO
grow, and more labor was employed.
In 1860 we manufactured thirteen mil
lion yards OF carpet, consumed eight
million pounds of wool, employed 6,6Sl
hands, and paid wages no less than ST.
500, 900. We continued to build up and
develop that enterprise, and today NE
consume 90,000,000 pounds of wool,
making Il 900, 900 yards of carpet, en-
ploylng $4,000 hands, and paying S9,-
600 900 per annum for labor. We did
this 10 build up the prosperity OF Amer
lea. We kept at home the money that
under free trade was sent to other
countries.
In 1872 tapestry Brussels cold at
SI.20. Today tapestry BRUSSELS sells At
so to 90 cents; best ingram, 40 to 90
cents.
This is my answer to this query of
the Democrats. We not only employ
our own labor and develop our own re-
sources, but sell the goods at cheaper
prices. Take another item. In 1870,
there was but one pottery making
earthcnware and china ware In the
United States. Congress levied a tariff,
and in 1873, under the announcement
of tariff, we had increased to seventy
potteries, and III 1889 there were eighty
potterles, producing over SO 0o0, 900 in
products and employing IL 900 men, to
whom were paid over 90 per cent of the
value of the entire product IN wages.
This is 100 per cent greater than Is paid
in Free-Trade England.
$50 might go through the list and
enlighten my Democrat friends, but
while we have been growing and de-
veloping, the prosperity has not been
confined to any one section. For
twenty-five wears since the war the
south has grown under the protection
principle and has developed as never
before in the history of the Nation. In
1880 the entire product was valued At
81 .O00, 600, 900, and IN 1890 1t was 81 .900,-
coo, 900, an increase in ten years of
nearly one hundred per cent.