Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-09-08
Champion Of Protection
GENERAL GEO. A. SHERIDAN ADDRESSES
A LARGE AUDIENCE ON THE P0lITI-
CAL ISSUES AT BUTTE.
he Ably Discusses the Tariff, Wages, Wool
and Lead and the Silver Question.

Butte on the 18th inst. on the politi-
cal issues of the day:
"Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men and Fellow Citizens: This is the
second time have ever been in this
city, and / note with great interest
the vast strides the place has made
since / was last here. When l was
here before, was presenting to the
best OF my ability the plan of the Re-
publican party. | am here tonight on
precisely the same mission. When /
was here before, | was strong Repub-
hcan; am a stronger Republican to
night, because | am older and have
more sense that l had then. Fortu-
nately for the Republican party in
this struggle, they know just precisely
what they have to do; know precisely
the line upon which they have to fight.
Our Democratic friends have unequivo-
cally and boldly announced the plat
form upon which they stand; without
hesitation they have declared in their
platform for tariff for revenue only.
The Republican party have declared,
as usual, for tariff not only for reve.
nue, but as well for protection OF
American labor and American indus
tries. The Republican party says to
the American people, anything we can
not manufactures, anything we cannot
raise upon our soil, or sufficiently to
meet the demands of our people
things needful to their comfort, their
happiness or their luxury, shall come
III free of duty, or tax, as our Demo
cratic friends are so fond of calling it. d.
We cannot raise tea, therefore tea
shall come in free; we cannot raise
coffee, therefore coffee shall come in
Tree: we cannot raise sugar enough to
meet the demands of siXty-iive mil
lions OF people; and therefore sugar
shall come in free. Our democratic
friends, on the other hand, declare for
these items which we cannot raise or
produce are the very items upon
which taxation should he levied: that
upon competing articles no tariff, or
TAX. should he levied.
alt is for the American people to de-
eide III this contest, which of these two
| systems they believe to be best for
| themselves. For the next three
months the claims of the Democratic
| Lhrll the Republican party, and ali
other parties, should he carefully
scrutinized by the american people,
analyzed and commented upon, and
of course as people make up their
minds, they will cast their ballots
when the final day OF struggle comes.
Now our Democratic friends have a
great habit OF finding fault with any
thing that the Republican does or has
ever done. When 1 read the Demo
cratic platfor and discover that they
have boldly announced that all tariff
: for protection Is, unconstitutional,
was startled for "a moment because
knew the American peoplecould never
| be brought to sustain n law that NIo'
lated the recognized common law oi
the land. But | was not frightened
for long time, for since the time the
Republican party was born down to
this very hour no act OF theirs IN the
| eyes OF our Democratic friends has
been constitutional.
"When in 1856, under the leader
ship OF John G. Fremont, they an
nounced that congress had the right
to make laws for the government o.
the territories, our Democratic friends
declared such declarat. on to be in VIC
lation OF the constitution of the
| United States. Then, a little later
after the election of Abraham Lincoln
our Democratic friends declared hi:
election unconstitutional, and wheI
he raised his voice to God and took {
solemn oath to protect and defend
the constitution OF the United States
in their eyes the oath was unconstitu
tional. Later, when he had preserved
the union, with one voice the Demo
cratic party cried out, 'it is unconsti
tutional.' And when we issued green
backs under stress OF war, our Demo
cratic friends with one voice, declared
such a course unconstitutional. The,
seemed to think 1t a splendid ccnstl
rutional act when the Democrati
forces strewed the ground with Unlol
dead, but it was a tremendous breacI
OF the constitution on that day whe
Mission ridge blossOmed with til
bloom of wounded and dying confed
crates.
''It seemed TO be perfectly constitu
tional for the armies OF the south t
blockade the Mississippi river, but
was utterly unconstitutional whe
; Grant, the solemn and mighty
swooped down upon that fortress an
wrested 1T from the control of the cor
federaey. All our acts are declare
unconstitutional. And now, of cours,
the Mckinley bill is in their opinion
unconstitutional. Now, it strikes IN,
and think every American who ha
examined that step carefully, almos
without an exception, will confess tina
in tnat respect our Democratic friend
are wrong. 1t so happens that I'll
lirst hill passed by congress assemble
under the new constitution, was n hi
for the protection of American indu
try and labor. 1t so happens ais
that it was introduced into that col
gress by man who had been himse
"A member of that convention thi
framed the constitution. 1t so ha
pens that there was IN that congress
number OF men who were members
o that convention and not one of the
rose to his feet and declared the b
Unconstitutional. Ii also happei
that George Washingt on WAS presidei
OF the United States when that b
J. was passed and he signed that bi
Now | have an idea that the Amel
can people will take the view TIN
George Washington probably knew
much about the constitution of Il
, United States as the president OF Il
y Democratic convention at Chicago.
can't help it. 1t also happened th
once, greatly to the glory OF this cou
try, there lived a man named Dam
:. Webster who was declared the gre
: rypounder OF that constitution, al
II fifty years ago, standing in the city
Albany, New York, had he had n
eloquently championed the clause
the constitution providing for the pr