The Portland daily press., 1892-04-04
At FEVER HEAT.
Political Pot Boiling Briskly in the
Smallest State.
MANY RHODE ISLAND REPUBLI-
CANS HEAR MIR. REED.

He Tells Them of the Workings of Pro-
ocrats to the Great Principle of Vote
Catching-The ex-Speaker Enthusias-
tica1ly Received-AIr. Cleveland Preach
es from His Favorite Text.
PROVIDENCE, R. l., April 2.-The po-
litical excitement is at fever heat in the
state. The Republicans held rousing
rally in Music Hall tonight and gave ex-
Speaker Reed tremendous ovation. The
Garfield Club of Pawtucket escorted the
ex-Speaker and others to the hall. Fol-
lowing came Gov. Ladd, Lieut.. Governor
Stearns, Hon. Roswell G.. Horr, Isaac L.
Golf, Henry E. Tiepke and other Repub-
licans of local prominence. Gov. Ladd
presided and presented MI. Reed. The
ex-Speaker was received with tremen-
dous applause, and said: ''To think that
we have to fight for Rhode Island seems
to me something grotesque. Here is a
state small in area but full of success
and prosperity owing to the fact that it's
manufacturers have secured them by
protection in the markets of the United
States. Yet some people are simple
enough to listen to this wandering collec-
ton Of Western and Kentucky Congress-
men who are trying to persuade you that
the best thing for Rhode Island is to give
up her manufactures and let England have
her markets. Here you are, built up by
the system of protection, and yet
it is coolly disputed whether
you are going for your interests or
against them. Democratic orators from
the West and South in Congress a week
ago were speaking for free silver. But
while here
They Tell You Nothing
on that point.
'For the past 50 years the Democratic
party has simply been turning over
things. Two years ago, every one Of
their leaders was shouting like mad for
free silver. The people, as general
thing, know what they want and, in 1890
did not wish anything done. So they
elected Democratic House. The people
were right. Nothing has been done.
They marched up to the 70-cent
dollar and then they marched back
temporarily. They were going to reduce
UllO udllH. why uiA liOU. OuOJ 1AOyt
want to catch the Rhode Island manufac-
turers' vote by giving him free wool.
They say it will be better to have wool
cheaper. In the same breath they turn
around to the former and say that wool
will be higher. Democratic legislation
always works both ways. 1t catches
people both going and coming. That's
why it never becomes law. They want
to take the tax off binding twine on the
Great Principle of Vote Catching.
They want lumber on the free list to.
catch the lumbermen's vote.
When they have got these
things they will abolish the
duties all over the United States and
crush out high wages. Great Britain is
on the same footing with us on all mat
ters save wages. It is surprising that
those most interested in this contest can
not see that the tariff has an influence in
bettering wages. I make this assertion
and defy contradiction. The laboring
man today has higher wages than he had
in 1860 by so per cent. Everything that
the laboring man buys today he can get
25 per cent cheaper on an average than
32 years ago.
Mr.. Reed continued, speaking on the
tariff issue and making a powerful and
interesting argument.