The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-25
SPEECHES ON TARIFF.
Republican Meeting Hears
Forcible Arguments.
OBJECT LESSON At HOMESTEAD


Ox-SRo8kof Ee1GnoO Deuno too
Main Issues.
The Republicans held q well-attended
meeting at the Armory last evening to
hear addresses by Attorney General w. c.
Jones, Judge Charles n. Fox. of San
Francisco, and Hon. ]. w. Feighan. ex-
speaker Of the state house of representa-
tives. Though the air was chilly and a
drilling rain fell, the hall was fairly well
flied. a fair sprinkling of women being in
the audience. The speeches were pointed
and dealt with the tariff issue in popu-
lar manner. eyoking frequent cheers.
John Arthur, chairman Of the county
central committee, called the meeting to
order and announced the following
officers: President. John +. HUMPHREYS;
secretary, II. H. White: vice presidents:
8. II. Piles, Henry Van ASSET, w. X. For
rest, M. J. Neagle, w. II. Humphrey, S. ].
Collins, August Mehlhorn, n. s. Peterson,
e. J. Hawkins, Andrew J. Lee, Alexander
Allen, NJ. G. Jensen. T. c. Marvin. II. Z.
Stnmer, Frank J. Pontius, J. II. Ekstrand
and William Weight. There were on the
stage Judge Richard Osborn. Hon. Trusten
p. Dyer, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
A. g. Mcbride, James Leddy and
Robert Marshall. The speakers were
Attorney General w. G. Jones. Judge
Hon. J. w. Feighan. of Spokane.
Judge HUMPHREYS first introduced At
torney General Jones. That gentleman
began by saying that the present issue
was one of business and not Of sentiment.
as in other days; that the business propo-
sitions OF the parties were protection and
absolute, unequivocal free trade" 1t
was true, however, that the Democracy
denied the latter, and that hedging was
apparent. He prophesied that Mr.. Cleve-
land's letter Of acceptance would repeal this
implication, q proceeding which he said
was on par with the Seattle city council
repeating the state constitution. He also
recited in this connection the various con-
structions of the free trade plank for and
agaiIfst free trade, which had emanated
from Mr.. Hill, Mr.. Dana, Mr. Watterson
and other prominent Democrats. Mr..
Jones reviewed in some detail the history
Of the tin plate legislation of the Fifty-first
congress embodied in the Mckinley bill,
and stated that in framing the schedules
OF his measure Mr.. Mckinley had been
guided by the scales Of wages furnished by
the representatives of the great trades
unions. He also read extracts from
business men in Spokane, PhiIa.
deiphia, Norristown and from trade
reports in England showing the present
status of the tin plate industry and its
growth in America. Mr.. Jones finished
his address by paying his respects to the
Peoples party. His statement Of wages
and living here. quoted in connection with
the dedication of the work on "Seven FL
nancial Conspiracies; to the Enslaved
People Of Dying Republic" was received
with laughter. He concluded by saying
that tho fight was between free trade and
protection and nothing else, and that the
situation of the man who voted either
Prohibition or Peoples tickets was like
that OF o man who would refuse to stop
hoeing corn when his house was on fire.
Judge Fox, Of San Francisco, whose
white head and besrd added to the i'm
prcssiveness Of his appearance and man.
ner. spoke next. He. too, devoted him
self to the tariff, though almost exclusively
to the historic side of it. He besought his
hearers to cast their ballots ''as Washing
ton would do it." He then reviewed the
colonial history of the country, reciting
the numerous acts passed by the British
parliament to hamper and restrict
colonial industry either in manu-
facture or expectation of manufact-
ures, and declared that the revolution
was the result of these expressions.
The revolution over, he recited the state
ment that the first general legislative act
passed by congress and signed by George
Washington was tariff law. He then
followed uD the argument by reciting
various presidential expressions down to
and including Andrew Jackson, all favor
Ing the general principle Of trade encour.
agement. and stated the history of trade
depressions as coincident with tariff legis-
lation. Bringing the question down to
the opening of the war. he also recited the
agency of Lincoln and the Republican
party IN rehabiiitating the general system,
and exclaimed:
"And yet they say today that protection
is unconstitutional. I grant it. 1t was
against the constitution--.he rebel consti.
tuition"
In defense of the home market argu-
ment he asserted that of the fifty billions
OF merchandise and useful productions an
nuaily put forth bv the United States all
but one and one-half billions, or 8 per
cent, was used at home. As TO the con-
dition OF workingmen in American,
he told of the case at Homestead
where when o workman was arrested
and held to $40. 600 bail; two fellow work.
men came and qualified each in a bond for
$1,000, thing which, he said, could not
be duplicated anywhere else in the world.
Like Mr.. Jones. Judge Fox devoted
some of his speech 10 the Peoples rarty.
and made some excellent points here. He
had understood, he said, that one of the
promises made by this party was TO rid
Seattle OF Its numerous mortgages. He
asked:
Who holds these morteagesT Why. nv nex,
door neighbor in san Francisco tho C,errnsn
Savings and Loan Society. whose money comes
from bloslei bonaholders who scrub doors and
work days work in the shops, the people who
live in cottages today. in palaces tomorrow.
He also quoted from trade reports nnh.
lished in England, wherein leading
cause for the present state of trade there
was said 10 be the Barring Bros failure.
and then he asked:
And what ruined the Barring Rrose why.
the government land mortgage system NJ ths
Argentine confederation, which the paorIe.s
party advocate rs a good policy Tor the United
states to adopt. And what is the o;hsr csn.a
for Engiand's distress, according 10 thf,
Engiish sathoriiyf Why, Bill Mchiale,', Me
kiniey bill
In conclusion Judge Fox declared
Messrs. Harrison and Cleveland 10 be- men
personally good, but said that neither Har.
rison nor Cleveland could rise above or hs
better than his party; that by their par.
ties must both be Judged