The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-11-04
FORAKER'S FIRE.
It Is Poured Into the Ranks of
the Democracy.
Ohio's Ex-Governor vigorously De-
nounces Free Trade Before
Vast Audience of Chlca-
go Republicans.

At the First Regiment Armory, Chi
cago, on the night of October %, ex-
Gov. Foraker of Ohio. spoke upon
the history of the tariff anG 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 arc Of q busi-
ness character, so much so that they hardly be-
long within the domain OF politics. They are
questions that affect democrats -precisely as
they affect republicans. There should be no
differences with respect TO that along party
lines. They are questions that touch the
pocketbook. Two questions are OF command
ing importance. They are the currency ques-
tion 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 10 my democratic
friends more particularly than TO republican
friends for my mission to Illinois is to make
votes. 10 do good The republicans don't need
any talking To- I want, therefore, the conf
dencc OF every democrat who horors me with
his attention here tonight
Now. with respect TO the tariff, we have had
q
year the discussion takes wider range. During
recent years with respect 10 the tariff we have
been discussing the merits of various bills. ~
few years ago YOU will remember, we were dis
cussing the Morrison bill, as il was called, a
bill framed by democratic representative in
the house from your own state II was the
Horizontal Reduction bill Then four years
later. in 1855 we were discussing the Mills bill.
and two years ago we were discussing the Nc
Kinicy bill The Morrison bill END the Mills
bill are both dead. The Mckinley bill is taking
ssarc OF itself. But this year our democratic
friends, when they met in convention IN this
city. went farther in their opposition to
1 protective tariff than they .have ever
before gone in the history Of their political
0rganizat ton. They not only resolved that tar
III for the sake of protection was impolitic. not
intended to subserve the best interest of the
country but they denounced il as unconstltu-
1oual. Hence j: is that we have to discuss this
year not simply the wisdom OF such policy
but the legality OF it. II ever it be true that
tariff duties, levied for the sake of protection,
arc unconstitutional, that is the end of the de-
bate. 1 might take the constitution of the
United States and make an argument to you IS
TO what should be the proper Interpretation OF
that instrument as bearing upon this subject
might contend here with elaboration that the
provision which authorizes the general govern
ment 10 provide for the general welfare was
tariff duties for the sake OF protection, but IN
tend TO content myself by simply pointing TO
what history teaches
IN the first place there was George Wash
ington. He was the president of the conven-
ton that framed the constitution Of the United
States. He heard all the debates with respect
10 that instrument and each provision in it He
was pretty well acquainted with all that oc-
CURED in connection with It He was the first
president of the United States after the adop-
tion 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 Notwithstanding the
fact that il contained in its preamble the re-
cital that il was intended. among other pur
poses, TO promote and foster American indus
tries 1t Is q great pity, il the levying OF du-
ties for the sake of protection is unconstitu-
tional that Grover Cleveland or Adlai Stev-
enson or some other great democratic constitu-
tionsl lawyer was not there 10 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 il constitutional Among them was
Alexander Hamilton. He was supposed TO
know good deal about the constitution. and he
was of the opinion that tariff duties for the sake
OF protection were constitutional Then there
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
.houn because he would not agree with him. A
little later there were some very emin-
ent men of that opinion whose mem
ories We revere and whose opinions
we have confidence in. Among
them was Henry Clay, and one of his associates,
You viii remember, in the senate Of the United
States was Daniel Webster. He was some
thing of a constitutional lawyer in his time, as
il Was thought A man by the name Of Hayne
from the state Of South Carolina found that out
oil one occasion Then there was Rufus Choate,
Justly celebrated as one Of the greatest lawyers
New England has ever produced He thought
1t was constitutional Only few days ago I
read a letter published II all the newspapers OF
the country from George Ticllnor Curtis, one OF
the greatest living lawyers OF this day. He said
that he had always been democrat until his
party adopted that plank in its Chicago plat
form. and having adopted that plank he felt
called cpon 10 part company with that organiza-
tion-as sort OF Offset for some people that they
claim have been leaving US. Then there was
Abraham Lincoln. Hc studied the constitution
of The United States with great deal Of care.
He had more occasion to study il than any
other president since Washington, be
cause everything Abraham Lincoln under
took 20 do our democratic friends claimed
was unconstitutional. Especially did they
claim II was unconstitutional for him 10 save
the constitution. He not only said he believed
in the protective tariff, but he believed in a
high protective tariff, and then Ulysses :.
Grant was OF the same opinion. So with James
a Garfield and all his distinguished associates
in public life in his own party Now among
the living Of to-day are Benjamin Harrison and
James G. Blaine. Jefferson Davis thought il
was unconstitutional and Howell Cobb thought
il was unconstitutional As against these who
thought il constitutional you have Calhoun and
Davis and Cleveland and Stevenson. "A
voice: And Larry 7. Neal And
Larry 7. Neal. I know him better than you
do. We in Ohio propose without further argu-
ment 10 continue 10 stand as we have been
standing with respect to this question in the
company OF the George Washingtons and the
Abraham Lircolns. II you want 10 so with the
other crowd the way is open, but may the Lord
have mercy upon your souls.
There was in this country for awhile con
stitution which was unconstitutional, and that
was the constitution Of the confederate states
Of Amcrica-Jef. Davis constitution. Some
thing happened 10 that instrument These
boys in blue got after il and they punched a
hole in IL. We are not doing business under
that constitution now. but under the constitU-
ton Of George Washington
I'VE have good deal Of experience with tariff
and free-t-ade legislation respectively. We
have had in the history Of this country four pc
RODS OF free trade or tariff for revenue only.
and we have had an equal number Of periods OF
protection, tariff for the sake OF protection.
Now let US look and see what our experiences
have been. In the first place we had free trade
under the colonial system before the revolution
and until the adoption of the constitution after
the revolution. During the colonial period we
were subject 10 the legislation OF
Great Britain, and Great Britain seemed
TO be then as now-and as il is with the demo
cratic party-of the opinion that il should have
the hives Of industry there, and that we on this
side should deal onlv n the raw material. and
hence il was that when some enterprising New
EnplanderS Fpdinsr irort ore and coal and lir- q