Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-10-17


greatest American presidents, Benjamin
Harrison, Great applause), was by the de-
cree Of the American people voted out of
power and a Democratic administration
voted in. So that for nearly nineteen
months the Democratic party had been in
Federal government; and for the greater
part of that time it has been engaged in
revising the tariff.
People Anxious to Pass Judgment.
During this long period while it is only
nineteen months, they are the longest nine
teen months since the war (great applause).
The people have had an opportunity for
sober reflection, steadied by the discipline
OF adversely. And as they have had little
else to occupy them. they have employed
most of that time in sober, serious refec-
ton. Even congress must have observed
that the people have revised their opinions
and that they were not so long in revising
their views as the Democratic congress
and the preservation Of the Union. I come
tonight very much jaded from a dozen or
was in revising the tariff; and that they
are to-day burning with anxiety from one
end Of this country to the other to pass
judgment upon a Democratic president and
a Democratic congress. We have been at
school now for nearly two years. The
tuition has been free but the ultimate cost
has been very great. 1t has been a sort of
compulsory education from which nobody
has been expensive [ feel that it's lessons
have been practicable, profitable and per-
manent.
Great Revision of Sentiment.
For, after all, one of the highest forms
of education is experience, and it is the
most efficient and enduring Of all forms Of
Instruction. The people have been think
Ing, and those who have not been thinking
have been feeling Qaughter)-feeling the
stress of the hard times wrought by the
great change. Even the eyes of blinded
paTtisans have been opened, and those who
hitherto have never seen any good in the
Republican party, and who have repeatedly
voted its policy a fraud and a robbery, and
its laws the eliminating atrocity Of class
legislation, are now ready for a re-
consideration and change. Gap
pIause) Those for the most part
who voted for the change, and those who
voted against the change, have been re-
gretful and unhappy ever since. There
probably has never been in the history
ef this country such a revulsion in public
sentiment in SO short a while as in the
last two years. Beaten in almost every
state in the Union in 1892, the Republican
party never for 2 moment lowered its ban
ner. (Applause.) 1t valued its principles
no less IN defeat than in victory, for they
we're not invoked to serve in a single
campaign; they were invoked because they
rested upon the foundations of truth and
Justice for the benefit of the American
people. (Applause)
Story of Last Years Elections.
eAnd so in 1893 where elections were
held we resumed battle on the old lines.
We appealed from the judgment Of the
people in 1892 to the revised judgment OF
the same tribunal in 1898; and in Massa-
chusetts that great, strong, intelligent,
conservative commonwealth, that had
elected a Democratic governor for two sue
cessiVe terms, the Democratic governor
elected in 1892 was displaced, by the voice
OF the people of Massachusetts with Re
publican governor by a majority of So,
Q00 (AppIause)
@sIn Iowa which had a Democratic gov
ernor. the voice of the people in 189;
reversed it's former judgment and elected
Gov Jackson by majority OF more thar
So, 600. (AppIause.) In Ohio, which haC
given but little more than a Thousand
plurality in 1892 it's people having beer
moved by passion and by prejudice, aftel
u full reconsideration, gave to the Repub
Iican ticket more than $4,000 plurality
[AppIause.) Then in the state of New
York at a special election held in TIVE
congressional districts in that great city
Mr. Quigg, the Republican candidate, wa
elected by more than a thousand majority
in district that had given Presiden
Cleveland 1900 majority in 1892. Gap
piause)
And in the other congressional district
in the very strongholds of Democracy anC
of Tammany, a Democratic majority o.
more than 900 in 1892 was reduced to {
Democratic plurality OF less than 1900 il
1888. (Applause.) Then we swept on t
Pennsylvania. In February, 1894, a con
gresham at large to be elected, anC
that splendid Republican, that veteran II
the service of his country, the author o
the Homestead law Galusha A. Grow, wa
nominated by the Republicans, and received
the unprecedented majority of 1876, 900. Gap
pIause) Then across the country to tn
Pacific states Oregon's voice was heard il
the same cheerful notes for the Republi
can cause and the Republican party. Thel
Vermont, early in September. and thel