New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-09
THE CH1TRM3NS SPEECH.


Governor McKinley's speech is the topic of
the hour His unanimous election by the Re-
publican National Convention as its permanent
chairman, notwithstanding his wel-known and
ardent advocacy of President IIarrison's renom-
nation was one of the many striking evidences
of substantial Republican unity in essentials
which the convention at Minneapolis presents.
Received with great applause in which friends
of all candidates joined most heartily, Major
Mckinley may well have felt a thrill of honor
able pride and qualification at the recognition
of his services to the Republican cause. Not
two years ago croakerS were in haste to de-
clare that in framing the new tariff he had
doomed himself to oblOquy. But this brave
leader avowed his conviction that tho next
Presidential election would be won for the
Republican party on the principles embodied
in the tariff called by his name. Many others
had a share in shaping that law. But upon
him was heaped in largest measure the abuse
of opponents, and to him rightly comes quick
and generous recognition when the people dis
cover that the great measure so misreprcsented
has given to the country prosperity and TO the
party its surest hope of triumph Champion
against great odds in Ohio, he took the lead
in converting public opinion, and his triumph
there was presage of victory in the Nation
Governor Mckinley does not waste words.
His second sentence struck the keynote. The
Nation trusts the Republican party because it
takes care what it promises, and Republican
conventions say what they mean and mean
what they saw" Ii was fine tribute 10 the
party that its pledges in past years had become
the organic law Of the land and that as much
could not be said of any political organization
in this or any other country in the world"
Moreover, it cannot be said of any other party
that it clocks backward without shame or
humiliation. and looks forward with cheer and
exultation' The right warning followed:
Gentlemen. we are here to-day to make a
platform and ticket that will commend them
selves to the conscience and intelligence and
Judgment of the American people" No leader
who forgets that ovcrmasterng duty, be he
whom he may, deserves the confidence Of the
convention.
Governor McKinleys statement of the great
issues will command the hearty approval of
all Republicans. 1t is platform in itself.
Shallow men used to imagine that he was OPP
posed to Reciprocity because he was resolute
for Protection. As carly as any man in
public life, he saw that the two must go to-
gether parts of grand whole, or neither could
win complete and lasting victory. Reciprocity
is but the complement and natural develop
ment of Protection. 1t is protecting American
industries abroad when Protection has first
established defence for them at home. Tcrsc-
ly, but with that strict accord with facts which
makes a speech irresistible the chairman de-
ID.
expenses "by taxing the products of other ma
tons rather than by taxing the products Of our
own" The proof is that not single class of
articles on which duties have been advanced
has been rendered dearcr to American cOnsum-
erS.
Not less strong, nor less brave and true to
Republican convictions, was Governor Nc
Kinleys statement of the duty Of the party
respecting free elections. There are men who
would like to dodge that issue he is not one.
The convictions of the party on that subject
grow deeper with every infamy pcrpctratcd in
behalf of Democracy for the overthrow of ma
jorities in Northern States 1t is not battle
for Justice in one State, or one set of States,
alone, but for American freedom and for the
rights Of all American citizens.
In some Oh 1tS uctaIlS thlS DrleI speech WIS
peculiarly effective. Thus in contrast with
complete and bcncficent Republican tariff Gov
crnor Mckinley described the "tariff reform"
proposed by a House two-thrds Democratic:
" First, free tin plate, leaving sheet steel from
which it is made fairfield second free wool to
the manufacturer and fairfield cloth to the con-
sumner; third, free cotton ties to the cotton
States, and fairfield hoop-iron to all the rest
of the States. How do you like it ?" That
will live, and the demand for honest elections,
"not the cold formality of constitutional en-
actment, but living thing, which the poorest
and humblest may confidently enjoy, and which
the richest and most powerful dare not deny"
A speech so strong and so broad has rarely
been put into words so few 1t was a speech
we'll worthy of any convention in the Nations
history