Huntsville gazette., 1892-11-05
FORAKER'S FIRE.
It Is Poured Into the Ranks of
the Democracy.
Ohio's Ex-Governor vigorously De
nounces Free Trade Before q
Vast Audience of Chica-
go Republicans.

Gov. Foraker of Ohio, spoke upon
the history of the tariff anc the politi-
cal parties before an audience that was
limited by the confines of the great
building only. He roundly scored the
democratic candidates and handled the
free trade policy mercilessly. The fol-
lowing is the major portion of his
speech:
THE questions in this campaign are OF busi-
ness character, SO much so that they hardly be-
long within the domain Of politics. They are
questions that affect democrats rprecisely as
they affect republicans There should be no
differences with respect to that along party
lines They questions that touch the
pccketbook Two questions are Of command
ing importance. They are the currency ques-
ton and the tariff question. ! shall talk to you
tonight about the tariff question, and want to
talk to you about that without any political bias
or prejudice. want to talk to my democratic
friends more particularly than to republican
friends, for my mission to Illinois is TO make
votes. to do good The republicans don't need
any talking to. / want, therefore, the conf
dence of every democrat who hOnors me with
his attention here tonight
Now, with respect to the tariff, we have had
great deal of discussion of late years, but this
year the discussion takes wider range During
recent years with respect to the tariff we have
been discussing the merits of various bills.
few years ago you will remember, we were dis
cussing the Morrison bill, it was called. a
bill framed by democratic representative in
the house from your own state. 1t was the
Horizontal Reduction bill Then four years
later in 1888, we were discussing the Mills bill,
and two years ago we were discussing the Nc
Kinley bill. The Morrison bill and the Mills
bill are both dead. The Mckinley bill is taking
care Of itself. But this year our democratic
friends, when they met in convention in this
city, went farther in their opposition TO
a protective tariff than they have ever
before gone in the history of their political
organization. They not only resolved that tar
if for the sake of protection was impolitic, not
intended to subserve the best interest of the
country, but they denounced it as unconStltu-
tional Hence i. is that we have to discuss this
year not simply the wisdom of such a policy
but the legality of it. If ever it be true that
tariff duties, levied for the sake of protection,
are unconstitutional. that is the end of the de-
bate. / might take the constitution Of the
United States and make an argument to you as
to what should be the proper interpret tatiOn of
that instrument as bearing upon this subject.
might contend here with elaboration that the
provision which authorizes the general govern
ment to provide for the general welfare was
broad enough, as We think it is, to authorize
tariff duties for the sake Of protection but in
tend to content myself by simply pointing to
what history teaches.
I'm the first place there was George Wash
ington. He was the president Of the conven-
tion that framed the constitution of the United
States He heard all the debates with respect
to that instrument and each provision in it, He
was pretty well acquainted with all that oc-
CURED in connection with it. He was the irst
president OF the United States after the adop-
ton of the constitution. In view of all that we
may safely assume, think, that he was pretty
well informed on that subject. The second law
enacted by the First congress of the United
States was signed By him notwiths tanding the
fact that it contained in its preamble the re-
cital that it was intended, among other pur-
poses, TO promote and foster American indus
tries 1t is a great pity, il the levying of du-
ties for the sake of protection is unconsttu-
tional, that Grover Cleveland or Adlai Stew
enson or some other great democratic conStitn-
tional lawyer was not there to keep George
Washington from making that kind Of provi-
sion.
There were some other men whose names
are worthy of mention in this connection who
thought it constitutional Among them was
Alexander Hamilton. He was supposed to
know good deal about the constitution, and he
of the opinion that tariff duties for the sake
OF protection were constitutional. Then there
was James Madison, who was reputed to be the
father of the constitution. He was simple
minded enough to think it was constitutional
James Monroe was Of the same opinion, and
neither last nor least Thomas Jefferson and
Andrew Jackson were of that opinion And
Jackson came very near hanging John c. Cal
boun because he would not agree with him A
little later there were some very emin
ories we revere and whose opinions
we have confidence in. Among
them was Henry Clay, and one Of his associates
you will remember, in the senate Of the United
States was Daniel Webster. He some
thing OF constitutional lawyer in his time, Is
it was thought A man by the name of Haynt
| from the state OF South Carolina found that ou
| on one occasion. Then there was Rufus Choate
Justly celebrated as one Of the greatest lawyers
New England has ever produced. He though
| it was constitutional Only few davs ago
| read letter published IN all the newspapers o.
| the country from George Ticknor Curtis, one O
the greatest living lawyers Of this day. He sait
| that he had always been a democrat until hi:
party adopted that plank in its Chicago plat
| FORM and having adopted that plank he fel
called upon to part company with that organiZa
| tion-a sort of Offset for some people that they
claim have been leaving u.s. Then there wat
Abraham Lincoln. He studied the constitution
| OF the United States with great deal OF care
He had more occasion to study IL than an,
other president since Washington, be
cause everything Abraham Lincoln under
| took to do our democratic friends claimed
was unconstitutional Especially did the,
| claim it was unconstitutional for him 10 say,
| the constitution. He not only said he believed
| in the protective tariff but he believed in
| high protective tariff, and then Ulysses s
| Grant was of the same opinion. So with Jane.
| A. Garfield and all his distinguished associate.
| in public life in his own party. Now amonl
| the living OF to-day are Benjamin Harrison ant
| James G. Blaine. Jefferson Davis thought i
was unconstitutional and Howell Cobb though
| it was unconstitutional AS against these wht
| thought it constitutional you have Calhoun anC
| Davis and Cleveland and Stevenson. [i
| voice: 'And Larry T. Neal''l Ant
Larry r. Neal. l know him better than yol
! DO. We in Ohio propose without further argu
| mcnt TO continue 10 stand as have beer
| standing with respect to this question in the
| company of the George Washingtons and tht
/ Abraham Lineolns. Ii you want to go with tht
| other crowd the way is open, but may the LorC
have mercy upon your souls.
There was in this country for awhile a con
| stitution which unconstitutional, and tha
| was the constitution of the confederate states
| of America-Jef. Davis constitution Some
| thing happened to that instrument. These
| boys in blue got after it and they punched
| hole in il. We are not doing business under
4 that constitution now. but under the constitu
| ton of George Washington
"We have a good deal of experience with tariff
| and free-trade legislation respectively. We
i have had in the history of this country four pc