The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-09-24
REID ON THE TARIFF
A Speech by the Republican Nomi-
nee for the Vice Presi-
dency.
HE ROASTS THE DEMOCRATS.
What He Knows About Protection
and the Wages of Working
men.
Reid on the Tariff.

- '''',"S
ic hall, at Buffalo, Friday night.
Hon. J. S. Clarkson introduced
Whitelaw Reid as the next vice
president of the United States. The
announcement was received with
loud cheers. Mr.. Reid spoke at
some length on the issue of the cam
paign. He said there is one vital
question-"Are the people so dis
satisfied with the present prosperous
course that they are ready to invite
a dangerous shock by suddenly re-
versing the engines we have been
running 20 years in the direction Of
a high tariff? How serious dis
turbance even a modification of that
course has made. You all remen-
ber the long suspense and arrest of
operations attending debates on the
Mckinley bill. Its opponents, now
that the bill is working well, declare
it unconstitutional and reciprocity a
sham and demand a reversal. They
also demand the abandonment of our
magnificent system of national bank
ing currency. Such is the sudden
shock our opponents invite you to
bring upon yourselves, and it is
proposition to be considered by
practical business people in practical
business-like ways.
''The presidential year always has
been considered bad business year,
because the future is so uncertain.
Now for the first time the presiden
tial campaign, far from causing stag
nation, is attended by general pros
perity and brisk business. Not even
the unusual and radical threats of
change and the unexpected specter
of cholera combined have this year
been able to cast a general chill over
general confidence or slack the acti-
vities of buoyant business. Why?
Is it not because the business world |
has made up its mind there is to be
no change, with an abiding faith in
common sense and sober second |
thought of the average American
Does not every business
man, whatever his party convictions
or his political prejudices, absolutely
know as a cold business proposition
that a complete reversal of the ex
isting order of things demanded by
the democratic party in its present
platform as to tariff, reel procity and
the national banking system, would
unsettle business for the
next IS months Or two years?
"In view Of our having adapted
to the Mckinley bill and
our practically Y unbroken conduct Of
business since 1860 under a high
protective tariff system, most men,
whether free traders or protectionists,
know that anything like a broad
and thorough execution of the
scheme laid down in the democratic
platform would be a precipitation of a
business chaos. Is it wise in pros
porous times to let we'll enough
alone or to upset everything and 60
lunting for theoretical rainbows:I
The present activity of busines in
he face of cholera and the demo
,ratic campaign combined, is the
oest proof of the peoples faith that
both invaders will be repealed.
"For the first time the policy is
boldly enunciated and frankly de-
ended by the national democratic
party, that tariff should have no re-
alton to wages and no protection to
American industries; that it should
'e solely arranged for the purpose {
If raising revenue and have all the
of the revenue tariff ,
which presses only upon the articles
We are bound to import from abroad, {
ike coffee, tea and sugar, and SO /
hat tariff should be as direct tax
md as directly felt by every Ameri-
,an citizen as if imposed on the
watch in your pocket or the flour in
your pantry. In brief it is the dem
ocratic demand at last honestly made
or an EnUlish tariff with. of course