Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1892-04-29
LOGIC, NOT THEORY.
WHY Mn. 5RYAN'S TARIFF REFORM
SPEECH COMMANDED ATTENTION.
He Made No Concession to Protection,
and Was Above Resorting to Buncombe.
Although u New Member His Time Was

| Three.
w. J. Bryan. the able young repre-
sentative of the Nebraska Democracy,
succeeded in gaining and holding the
attention of the house on the tariff ques-
ton for three hours. The time allotted
10 him was one hour, but when that had
expired Republicans and Democrats
Joined in urging him to proceed, and
even after he had consumed thrice his
allotted hour they shouted to him TO 20
on. This was the more remarkable
from the fact that Mr.. Bryan is new
member, and his speech of Wednesday
was his first on the floor of the house.
So far rs one can judge from the
brief report of his speech, Mr.. Bryan
commanded attention not only because
he is pleasing and eloquent speaker,
but also because he took q radically
right position ON the tariff question:
position which could be defended with
consistency and irresistible logic. He
succeeded because he was master of his
subject and scorned to stultify himself
by addressing stuff 10 Buncombe county
that was inconsistent with sound doc
trine
1t does not appear that Mr.. Bryan
made any concession to protectionism
by saying that grand larceny was wrong
and petty larceny right, or that robbery
as chief purpose was wrong and in.
furious TO the victim. while incidental
robbery was right and beneficial to the |
victim. 1t does not appear that he toll |
Grated in the least the false pretense of |
the Mckinley sophists that protection"
is for the benefit of labor, and that pro
tective' taxes equal TO an unknown diff |
ference in wages are necessary for the |
defense of the workman and the indus
tries of the country.
Regarding this false pretense be |
quoted the statement made by the high |
tariff champion, Henry Clay, fifty years
ago, that il costs the same to manufac-
turc a yard of flannel in this ccuntry
that it did in England He also quoted
the statement made by Mr. Blaine in 1881
IN an official report 10 congress that
the difference in wages in this country
and in England in the cotton manufac-
turing industry was more than compen-
stated by the greater efficiency and the
longer hours OF labor of American OPP
eratives. He also quoted J. Il. Sargent,
the head Of the greatest shelf hardware
concern in the country,
who was once a protectionist, as saving
that while wages arc higher in this
than in Europe the actual la
Dor cost of manufacturing hardware Is
rot greater IN this country, and that
under free trade he could pay the same
wages and compete successfully against
European manufacturers in the markets
IF the world. Thus, by the testimony
Of the great lights of the high tariff
party, Mr.. Bryan exposed the falsenes-
IF the pretense that tariff taxes are
necessary To compensate the laborer in
America for differences in wages and to
the American standard OF
wages.
Mr.. Bryan seems to have planted him
elf on solid ground from the first, and
% have staid there 10 the last, leaving
10 weak spots in his defenses through
which the McKinleyites could make
breaches. No doubt that is one reason
Why he commanded such close atten-
ion. The man who is radically right ,
md who dares TO accept the conclusions 5
necessarily following from his right
Premises always commands attention
md respect. Mr.. Bryan may be crit A
Used for supporting bin which pro
ides protection for class of manufac- /,
urers, but he can reply that it is not in
consistent for hungry man to accept a !,
lice Of bread when he can get no more. p
nd that it would be foolish for him to
eject the slice because he couldn't get
he whole loaf. Or, when a workman a
annot collect all the wages due him it
5 better To accept a part than to go /
Herald. =