The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-05

BosToS, MASS, Oct 4.-Muslc Hail
and Faneuil Hall were both filed to
oyerfowing tonight when the Republi-
cans ratified their state and national
nominations with ringing speeches by
Hon. Whitelaw Reid, Governor VIM.
Mckinley, Lieut.. Governor Halle and
Hon. Roger Wolcott, the latter being
the nominees for governor and lieut..
governor respectively. As soon as the
doors OF Music Hall were opened there
was rush for seats, and many who
came later we're thankful even to find
standing room.
Hon. W. Z. Barrett presided and was
fianked by large number OF leading
men Of tho party seated upon the plat
form.
t After a short Introductory speech,
Hon. Whitelaw Reid was presented us
the first speaker Of tho evening.
AS he stepped forward he was given a
most flattering reception by the large
audience, which was quick to note the
sharp points OF his address and bestow-
ed frequent applause.
After thanking the audience for the
hearty reception, Mr.. Reid said:
The Republican party is now in pow
err. The country is peaceful, contented
and prosperous beyond precedent.
Shall we thereupon make radical and
sweeping change? II so, why? There
is the question for the solid men OF
Boston. Up to Tuesday last it was no
question at all for our opponents. They
openly and without DISCUSSES and with
out exceptions or dissent, wanted
change as abrupt and important as can
well be conceived.
They wanted to reverse the whole
revenue policy OF the government since
1861 by a change from the American
idea, protective tariff, to the modern
English idea, tariff for revenue only.
That would mean shock to business
and disaster to labor that would ex-
coed anything this generation has seen.
RETURN TO STATE BANKS.
They wanted TO reverse the fiscal
policy OF the government since 1861 by
abandoning again part of the pre-
rogative OF issuing money, breaking
down tho best currency this continent
ever saw, the national bank notes, and
to substitute for it the worst, state
notes and shin plasters. That would
mean a shock to all banking and ex-
changes and an inconvenience and con-
stant loss to every citizen that would
belong to semi-barbarous period and
not to civilized one.
Our opponents denounce as sham
the reciprocity treaties by which we se-
cured new markets for our products in
Central America, South America and
Europe in return for the free admission
OF sugar, coffee and tea to your break.
fast tables. That means, unless their
profession Of principle is itself q sham,
the closing OF those new markets and a
high revenue tariff again on sugar, cot-
fec and tea.
There is no need to go further in emu
merating the changes they threaten.
Enough is as good as feast; and that
is the sort Of feast to which they invite
you. l challenge the judgment OF the
candid and intelligent business men OF
Boston, whatever their politics, on the
proposition that those changes, II act
ually carried out by tho Democratic
party, as they are demanded by the
Democratic platfofm, would prove, for
year or two at any rate, the greatest
and most dangerous shock to business
since tho war.
That the Democratic party demanded
these changes, everybody knows.
SOMETHING HAS DROPPED.
But something has happened. Since
last Tuesday they have been demoral-
lied and almost on the run. The letter
OF acceptance discloses figure which
our aboriginal friends OF the far west
would describe rs big-man .afraid.oi.his-
platform; and the party gazes in per-
plexity and alarm ON n candidate who
accepts its nomination, but has not yet
shown either the candor to accept or
tho courage to repudiate it's principles.
mean to speak OF Mr.. Cleveland with
that respect which all right thinking
American pooplc wish to show for one
who has passed our supreme ordeal,
and once been declared by majority
OF American voters worthy to be the
Chief Magistrate OF this nation. But 1t
cannot be disrespectful, and 1t is obvi-
ously truthful TO say that Mr.. Cleveland
now acts toward the platform of his
party as ii he were afraid that il he
should venture to stop on it, 1t would
break through. The three distinctly
vital points III the platform are state
bank currency, reciprocity and that OF
tariff On one OF thcm his letter is ab.
solutely silent, while he writes all
around and about the third through
one'hali OF his letter without once be-
ing able to say in straightforward lam
guage whether protection is unconsti-
tutional, as his party declares it, or
right and expedient, as Thomas Jeticr.
son and Andrew jackson declared it.
cLRvEEASD's POSITION.
But he does tell US that tariff reform
is still his purpose. That is to say, the
business OF tho country must have no
peace; everything must be once moro
unsettled, aud the whole tariff must be
turned over again to be tinkercd by
Congress OF that party which at Chicago
declared 5y nearly two-thrds major
iiy Tor tho English as against tho Amer
lean system, and pronounced protection
unconstitutional.
he might Just as well have stepped
boldly upon the platform. 1t would
nave looked better and could not have