The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-08-24
Mr.. Reid's speech.


Republican League clubs of Illinois,
Hon. Whitelaw Reid, candidate for Vice
President, spoke as follows:
This great assemblage of young Republi-
cans Is most cheering. They who have the
young men on their side have taken bond or
rate and have insured the future. The ma
tional work, of which this convention Is an
early expression, is doubly valuable, because
II Ia the associated and well-organized effort
OF young men. 1t means far more, therefore
than merely success in one campaign. The
adhesion OF first voters and the active interest
OF other young men fix the associations and
determine the tendencies OF those TO whom the
near future belongs; and 30 this inspiring mo-
ment carries with IL the promise and the
potency OF many successes and or long-pro-
tracted rule
No patriot can fail to rejoice at your politi-
cal activity. Ii is, or 1t should be, one OF the
Iurest and best forms OF manly endeavor
Next to the service of God, the service OF the
people-that IL 10 say, the work OF polttics-is
the highest of human interests and the noblest
or human occupations.
Among the surprises which this marvellous
country presents to a citizen who has been alb
sent from il for a few years. not the least Is
this amazing league development In the In
terval between one Presidential campaign and
another the land has been covered with a net
work of 1900 clubs, with an active member
ship of nearly two million young men. Two
million young meni Who can calculate-who
can ever estimate that force In human aifalrsf
There is the hope OF the republic, there Is the
real defensive army of the country; with Its
drill and its discipline; with its unity OF Belief
OF purpose and of action; with It's alert, buoy
ant, courageous and confident membership
Above all, IL has its recruiting stations; and 1t
grows at a rate for which there Is, In the his
tory of such organizations, no parallel
Young Men tn the Front.
Your league methods are imbued with the
true spirit of Republicanism It's inspiration
silove OF country rather than love Of office.
1t appeals to the social and refining Instincts
1t utilities the literary and educational aspira-
tions OF every community 1T enters. 1t avoids
SlAs IT, nf hn oil
littcal campaigns by keeping up the work or
education and recruiting throughout the year
and thus making the whole winter and spring
and summer the seed time for our November
harvest. IL has the open-mindedness OF hon
est and generous youth IL welcomes discus
Sion encourages campaign or discussion
and throws wide its doors and its platforms TO
those OF opposite beliefs. 1t preserves the
best traditions Of the Republican party and of
the republic by bringing young men TO the
front. Ours has always been a young mems
party But the generation that enlisted with
the Pathfinder and went through the Red Sea
with the Emancipation is passing away. In
sptred by their example, afiame with their
spirit, ready in turn for equal responsibilities
on the grander scale that heralds the twentieth
century, new generation is mastering under
the Joshuas OF this day for the promised land
that lies before them.
Greeting from New York.
To the advance guard OF this great move
ment in the State of Lincoln and Grant L bring
greetings from the State of Seward, Weed and
Greeley; and since we are speaking OF the
younger generation, take particular pleasure
In adding that every living descendant of those
scendant of your Illinois heroes of all time,
supports now the principles and the nominees
of the party their immortal fathers led
A practical friend says he would like to hear
also about some other New York men of to-
day, and asks what about the Big Four. Well,
bring you their greetings-united and author
and of Warner Miller, of Thomas c. Platt and
of Chauncey Depew, of Morton and Horace
Porter and Cornelius Bliss and sherman
Rogers, of our candidate Fassett, and of
EFT. With the assurance that while
we do not undervalue our opponents or
underestimate the hard struggle before us, we
believe we have an organization and a situa-
tion making our prospects for victory this fall
in New York as good as yours in Illinois. We
have no Quarrels but healthy ones, and no fac
housekeeping in the eager reports of our
friends the enemy. Our organization is well
advanced. and the column is moving. The
enemy boast that, like themselves, we have
laggards do not know it, and do not believe
1t, but if we have the thing which will happen
to them is the thing which has happened to
laggards before. They will get left. The Re-
publican work in the State of New York is so
far advanced that with the earnest and enthu-
siastic continuation till November of the CAM
paign already begun IL Is beyond the power of
anybody in the enemys ranks, or in our own,
to defeat il.
Not Campaign Speech.
But / am not here 10 make campaign
speech. Indeed, have no purpose and there
Is no need for me to attempt that work at all
during this contest / had originally planned
to come West at this time merely on a family
errand, but thank you for the opportunity to
witness the fine young enthusiasm of this Re-
publican revival in the State which led the
nation TO the first Republican victory, and
within the radiance OF the tomb which glorifies
this city and Is shrine, like Mount Vernon
for all Americans and for the lovers of liberty
throughout the world.
Neither am here to utter one word against
hn nnain artx
sents for the popular suffrage. l come from
the State oAone OF them, and am, at this mo-
gives pleasure TO know that both of them are
tried able and sincere men-too sincere and
too honorable to take a nomination without
incurring its full party obligations, or to stand
on a platform without accepting and main
tanning It's doctrine.
To that doctrine gentlemen, IL will be your
privilege and your opportunity to hold them
on that doctrine your campaign will be fought
and won. We do not need TO turn our faces
even in Renaissance, to the past. We may
leave out OF the discussion the whole history
OF the Republican party, which Is through
thirty years the history OF the most glorious
and the mos. prosperous period of the repub-
lie. We may even overlook the record of the
Democratic party for the same time, record
which they are apt to consider it unkind and
unfriendly to mention. We need only fix at
tention upon the policy for the future they
have at last openly and manfully avowed TO
insure their renewed defeat.
Candor of the Opposition.
We may well thank them for the clearness
and candor with which they have for once
stated their precise position on the tariff.
They are opposed to the Mckinley act and de-
mand its unconditional and iinme d ate repeal.
Ask the business world which has adjusted it
self to the Mckinley law and is getting on adj
mirably under il, whether it wants that
They opposed to any protective tariff.
Ask the the country, which has seen its great
est prosperity under protective tariffs whether
IL wants such an absolute reversal of the ma
tional policy as that. They demand q tariff
tutional, and proclaim this the fundamental
principle OF the Democratic party" We are
bound TO take them at their word; but how
that party has changed. They cite what they
call the long and illustrious line of Demo-
cratic leaders, from Madison to Cleveland"
Well, Madison reported and George Washing
ton signed the first protective tariff bill in our
history, and it il stated specifically in its
title that IL was for the encouragement and
protection of manufactures" But then the
Democratic party of to-day knows that Wash
ington and Madison did not understand the
Constitution they had just made. Andrew
Jackson deliberately argued the constitutional
right and duty to make protective tariff, and
cited his predecessors Washington, Jefferson,
Madison and Monroe, as his authorities. But
the democratic party Of to-day knows that
Andrew Jackson did not underst and the Con-
stitution. Down TO this day, indeed, there has
been but one great representative body which
did understand the Constitution, and i'm the
long line of leaders the Democratic platform
proudly refers to, from Madison to Cleveland"