The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-04-06
RIyfRIls OF TIE BANQUET.


It was not even suspected In advance
of the event that the Tariff banquet
would turn out 10 be a tariff reform
banquet. But such 1t was. During the
war it was often said, in view OF the
many startling events in legislation,
that "war leaislates." Probably that
crash of cannon shot against the walls
OF Fort Sumpter, did more to educate
the American mind on the atrocities of
human slavery than all the OratoIy of
all the Aboiitionists for quarter of
century And old John Brown wrote
the Emancipation Proclamation
on the mountains of Virginia
before Lincoln dreamed of 1t, or
dreaming, would have dared to ut or it.
But he wrote it not with pen, but with
his blood of life
In peace, popular elections are our
most potent educators. We graduated
a great lot of talent in the November
election of 1892, and we saw it and felt
1t, even in the speeches of the Canton
banquet of the Mckinley Club. IL was
the banquet of the Mckinley Club,
with Mckinley present, but with Nc
Kinleyism left out It is quite remark
able that not one speaker mad the cour-
age to endorse the Mckinley bill On
the other hand two OF lne conspicuous
speakers distinctly stated that the bill
needed modification. Oue of the
speakers Games A. G8riield) said the
taritf haa ceased to be leading
issue, and that the two leading issues
were immigration and the suffrage
On the suffrage question Mr.. Garfield
attacked the Republican polIcy of un.
iverSal suffrage, aud took the position
that suffrage should not be based
on manhood, but intelligence. Mr.. Gar
fields theory OF the suffrage, if en-
acted into law, would wipe out the Re.
publican party in every state south of
the Ohio river. The education imbib-
ed in the Novem er election last, was
seen In all the toasts. For instance.
there were no toasts like the following:
"Protectj0n and High WdgeS.'
:, We Stand 6y Bill McRinLey and
the Mckinley BdI."
"Protection and PtnkertonisDa f,Lu
Brothers and Sisters In Starvation and
Blood at homestead"
"Americ0 for americans, and the
Home Market for the american Pro
dtIcer,"
American Noodle Soup in american
TIN"
None of the above toasts were on the
egantly printed programme, and not
a speaker referred to the tin tariff, and
not even tin soup plate, or a TIN cup
was seen on the elegantly garrished
tables. Not one guest wore q tin badge.
This is why we say that the November
election has been great educator.
A bull that has been butted off the
track by locomotive, and
landed in the ditch, with both horns
broken and several ribs fractured,
always avoids another cont ct with the
COW catcher, and has only a startled
ear for locomotive whistle. And
even the most bull headed of Pro-
tectionlsts has seemed 20 learn by the
rough and ragged experience of last
November.
The locomotive that smashed so many
idols of brass aud clay and tin is still
on the track. Even the foremost
champion OF Protection was not given
q toast last evening IN consOnance with
his constantly consonant consistory
When the Major arose, with his manu-
script, and looked over the solemn as
sembly 1t reminded one of Milton:-
ITO council summons all his mighty peers
Within thick clouds and dark teufold Involved,
gloomy consistory."
The absence of the spectators in the
gallery was much commented on.
Usually the galleries, which were only
% cents, would have been filled. This
second story vAcuity of admiration and
applause, had depressing effect upon
the orators, and tepded to solemnize the
guests around the tables with fune-
raj aspect:
Another feature attracted some
casual remarks. For home market
banquet, why were the walters import
ed, when the home market has already
an over-prOductiun. Again the only
drink of the banquet, (coffee) was inn
ported. No native wines were served.
| This caused some embarrassment to
the toast master, Judge Fawcett, as
after every speech many of the guests,
who were athirst, were compelled to go
out and patronlze the home market.
| Another feature, Tor rather the lack
Of feature), was the fact that Candi-
date Cassidy, now at the head of the
Republican party Of Canton, was not
called on for an Grafton. Why was
this, when Thomas f. Turner was al
lowed to fire the initial gun of the
oratorical fusillade; even before the
aroma of the coffee and the fumes of
the cigars had reached the galleries.