Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-08-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Senator Aldrich Sounds "a Keynote
in his Great Speech.
Filibustering Against the Worlds Fair
Appropriation.
From our Regular Correspondent
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 90. '92

1--WE speech, WnlCn Will uOuDtleSS Dt
considered Republican keynote fol
1892. He opened with the declaration
that the tariff question was to become
by common consent the leading issue
of the campaign. Mr.. Vest took up the
gauntlet and announced as the deter
mination of the Democratic party tC
make issue in every township in the
land. The debate also participated in
by Senators Allison, Hale and Palmer
1t lasted between four and five hours
and, at its close, the resolution on which
it was based was laid on the table to
be taken up again as soon as Mr.. Carl
isle is able to speak. The Kentuckian
gave notice that he would reply tc
some of Mr.. Aldrich's assertions and
conclusions before adjournment, ,
which means at a very early day. II
may therefore be expected that these
speeches will form the basis for cam.
paign work, and that tons of extracts
from the Congressional Record will be
scattered from one end of the country
to the other by the literary bureaus OF
the two parties. In beginning his speech,
Mr.. Aldrich said that at no time in the
history of the country had the lines
between the two great parties upon this
question been SO clearly defined. The
Republicans entered the campaign dis.
tinctly favoring the continuance of the
protective policy while the Democrats
denounced protection as a fraud, de
clared the unconstitutionality of pro.
tective tariff duties, and made special
and vicious attact upon the tariff act of
1890 as the eliminating atrocity of tariff
legislation. This clear alignment of
parties greatly simplifies the discussion
of the question. Friends of protection
would wage aggressive warfare upon
the revolutionary doctrines, which, al,
though long secretly cherished by Dem
ocratic leaders, were now for the first
time openly avowed. The attack upon
the indefensible Democratic position
must be vigorous and persistent.
AS soon as the Senate assembled
Tuesday Mr.. Quay moved an executive
session. Mr.. Quay s voice which is not
strong at any time, was heard but in
distinctly, nevertheless the purport of
his remarks caused some surprise to the
older Senators. He deliberately re-
quested an executive session Ito con
slider a nomination for the Supreme
bench of the United States" This open
announcement of the purpose of the
session, following closely upon Mr..
Sherman announcement of Monday
that he desired an executive session ito
receive report from the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, seemed to let down
the bars of unnecessary secrecy in re-
gard to- the public business transacted
by the Senate in private. The action
on the part of Mr.. Quay attracted the
more attention from the well known
position of his colleague, Mr. Cameron,
as antagonizing and seeking delay on
the nomination for the Supreme Court
of the United States" The outcome
was more surpressing still, for after a
session behind closed doors lasting bare
ly ten minutes, the Senate emerged with
the announcement of Mr.. Shiras' con-
firmation.
There is nothing startling or unex-
pected in the announcement that the
Republicans of the first Maine district
have unanimously nominated Hon.
Thomas B. Reed for Congress. When
the Fifty second Congress adjourns sine
die Mr.. Reed will have served sixteen
consecutive years in the House of Rep
resentatives, and the highest compli-
ment which can be paied him, is the
mere mention of the fact at no time
during that long continued service has
his name or vote been tainted with the
least suspicion of dishonesty. That
Mr.. Reed has made many enemies in
the course of his Congressional career
there is no room for doubt, but q man
of his vigor and courage can not help
leaving scars in the range of his politi-
cal opponents and occasional sore spot
on his own side of the party wall. In
the Maine Congressman the Republi-
cans of the House have always found
an able and aggressive leader, and at
the same time he has given to the coun-
try many hours of valuable and pa
triotic service. No matter what may
be the political complexion of future
Congresses, they will be all the better
for having Tom Reed, of Maine, on
their membership list
Mr.. Holman's s motion to reconsider
the vote by which the House agreed
Wednesday to concur in the Senate
Worlds Fair amendment to the sundry
civil bill is the signal for the filibuster-
ing upon the appropriation that, if per
sisted in with the desperation exhibited
by some of its opponents, may result in
the failure of the whole bill, and the
serious embarrassment of the Govern.
ment. While such tactics may under
certain circumstances be tolerated in a