The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
SPEECH OF HON. THOMAS E
WATSON,
Of Georgia, in the House of Representa-
tives, Friday, April I, 1892.

and having under COOSlQeTdUlOu G1lO jill 4 ~"
5000 to place wool on the free list and to reduce
the duties on wooden goods
MI. Watson, of Georgia, said:
Mr.. Chairman, my only regret, L
think. about this tariff debate is that
no master of satire has been here to
describe it. l think that Bill Nye and
Mark Twain have lost the opportunity
of their lives. The attraction has been
so great that we have almost run from
the galleries by this p~rotracted fight
over a mythical issue the gentlemen
who daily take their afternoon maps n
the gallery and the peanut eaters have
forsaken us IN a body. Laughter
One of the amusing things about it,
Mr.. Chairman, is this: The Republl-
a n say they are in favor Of protection
as a principle, yet through reciprocity
they are trying to escape it as a prac
tice rlaughterl; while the Democrats
say that s free trade" as a government
principle is thoroughly right, but they
do not dare to adopt it as a rule Of &C
ton. They stop at tariff for revenue
with Incidental protection.
was amused, Mr.. Chairman, at the
chosen champions who were put forth
by both parties during the debate.
They selected, it seemed to me, as the
spokesman whomost thoroughly voiced
the sentiments of his party, a young
man who was required to be handsome
and brilliant. To fight a very old bat
tie, young warriors were wanted. The
old ones were retired.
On the side of the Republicans they
chose Nh. Dolliver from the State of
Iowa, young, handsome and brilliant.
Mr.. Hopkins, of Illinois. Better not
let that be heard up in the galleries.
Laughter
Mr.. Watson. Why, hat is just the
very place that it ought to be heard.
That Is the very place where it was
first appreciated. Laughter And
in all that brilliant display of rhetoric
made by him it "a curious to note
that the gentleman from Iowa madenO
defense of the protection system as a
principle and made no defense of pro
lection as a thing to be p~ersevered in
by the government indefinitely, and
his entire speech might be labeled
"DOlliver's extract, or a new way of
treating an old complaint" Laughter.
On the other hand was our hand
some and brilliant friend from Ne
braska Mr.. Bryant, who was put for
ward as the darling" of the Demo-
cratic side of the House, the prettieSt
man in all the bunch, and his entire
speech, which ranged from MOOre's
poetry to Joe Miller's Jest book, was
the sum and substance OF the old Demo-
cratic position on the tariff that ne
will practice what Is wrong while we
know what is right" Laughter and
applause on the Republican side.
Mr.. Johnson, Of Indiana. Will the
gentleman permit me a moment?
Mr.. Watson. Do you come in as L
of the pretty men?
Mr.. johnson, of Indiana. No. l
beg leave to say to the gentleman that
| am not travelling on my shape; and
[ want to ask the gentleman, when he
intimates that the Democratic party
lacks the courage of it's convictions on
the tariff question, if he does not know
that a large number of Democrats in
this debate declared that they were in
favor of free trade, and therefore
favored the present bill because it
eventuated it free trade?
Mr.. Watson. Well, l think I will
make that sufficiently clear to my
friend as I proceed. But the stagger-
ing proposition here is-and that is the
answer to his first Question-every
argument that they have made here
that IS worth q moments C%Onsidera
ton leads to free trade; defends it, for.
titles it, makes it impregnaOle; and yet
the moment it m to a declaration
that we will put it in practice they
take the studs" and refuse to travel
the road pointed out by their own
logic. Now, the third party, carrying
outline pretty man programme, was
not to be left behind.
The third party is small on this floor,
but makes up in activity what it lacks
in numbers.
Mr.. johnson, of Indiana. And good
looks.
Mr., Watson. The gentleman still
anticipates my point. Laughter. The
third party, initiating the programme
OF the other parties on This floor, in
using their handsomest members to
conduct debate, chose me to represent
them IN that same capacity to day.
Laughter Not because 1 possessed
individual and eccentric lines of beauty
not possessed by the other members of
the third party, but because in the
variety Of good looks and general
makeup of loneliness, | threw them all
into the shade. Laughter.
Mr.. Chairman, 1 invoke at the hands
Of this committee an earnest cOnsidera-
ton of the tariff system from the
standpoint from which it should be
viewed: First, as a governmental way
of raising revenue, and, second, as a
governmental way of protecting a GER
tain class of industries.
Before I go into that, however, Ibeg
the House to permit me to give them
one illustration of the practical work
ing of the tariff system. 1t is recent.
It does not belong to ancient history.
There is no moss on it.. It is fresh in
the mindsof every Southern gentleman
on this floor.
In 1888, Mr. Chairman, we had a high
tariff up IN jute bagging, an article of
prime necessity in the preparing of
cotton for the markets of the world.
Before l consider the enormity of the
injustice done to the farmers of the