Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-11-01

| those feelings Tor the good or the country
What we need to-day Is to take calm and sem
sible view Of our situation, with view Of as
certaining what Is wisest for US to do, Remem-
Der that we are not now to discuss questions Of
sentiment, or the principles which underlle
the government or land OF liberty, What We
are to discuss are matters which relate to our
personal h pp.Ic' = and our personal comfort.
And yet believe talt questions OF material
wealth, questions OF material comfort under
lie all that Is best In our institutions. believe
/ that people with comfort and well-distributed
wealth-and history bears me out in that opn-
ion--lead on to larger freedom and loitier
liberty. lApplause.i
"But, however that may be land men may
differ with me upon that question:, there is no
doubt that In next November the election Will
turn upon business questions, and upon busi-
ness questions alone. Let u.s. therefore, con-
slider them in the cold light Of business duty.
Business has long ago ceased to be gambling.
There was time when 1t was not SO. There
was time In the old days when we traded with
far India and China, when single adventure
might mean for man wealth for all his life, or
an utter and complete ruin and prostratlon.
Gold and silver mines, stock purchases and
sales, were less gambling than tho business Of
the days Of old. But to-day, the day we live
In, business Is founded upon different princi-
pies. What the business man demands Of his
country Is ability and certainty Profits never
come to him to-day in great lump sums but in
the aggregate OF smaller sums. Did II ever 90
cur to you to ask yourself why 1t is that the
business man pays the larger freight to have
what he wants brought by rail instead Of be-
ing water bornes Why docs he not save his
money? For by water you can carry with q
greater degree OF ehcapness. 1t Is because
water-borne transportation Is long in arriving.
and the element Of time enters into the trans
action ind time is the breeder Of uncertainty.
Uncertainty IL Not Wanted.
why Is it that modern business to-day de-
mands Of the railroad company faster trains for
freight than 1t used to demlnd for passengersS
| Why must we have the swftest steamers2 1t
| Is because the business man must have the
element Of time obliterated SO far as he can,
He would rather pay more money and take less
profit to have uncertainty removed from his
calculations. Applause. And II that Is SO
with the business man, how much more Is 1t
with the manufacturer. To-day the manufac-
turer does not mike large profit but he de-
pends upon bis smaller profit upon large
number Of articles. Whenever man makes q
product OF machinery he has to pay for his
labor, he has to ply for iils material, he hasto
know what competition he will have when he
brings his article to market, [Appause.
"Uness he knows 1t he does not dare to make
the article This is tho unfortunate condition
L.. ~. fark l,a
years No man dared to Luy materials, for no
man buys materials for amusement No man
dared to hire labor, except from hand to mouth,
for no man can pay for labor unless his money
Is to come back to him, That has been the
cause Of the stagnation In business That Ia
what has been the cause Of what We sum up In
two words, fraught with misery to the people,
hard times. Applause.
Nov there are to-day two elements Of un-
certainty, two great causes Of this temporary
curse Of the American race. The first 10 that
we don't know what the senate bill Is about
yet. Applause. And we never can know un-
| I'll we have trial OF ii, and we have got to
have trial for one simple reason, that is that
the constitution Of tho United States doesn' I
| permit repentance In certain cases, even
/ luUuBu M0 etOh ~ VuiStuil1t Wilh toNio' lhf'
plause We have president OF the United
! States In for two years more Now have no
desire to speak unkindly Of him or to detract
| In any way from any Of the virtues he may pos
sess Laughter For this Is time for
reasoning and not for scolding but ! do say,
upon this particular question, II you believe
himself he Is worse than his party, Therefore
we can have no rectIilcation Of the senate bill
| as It stands under the most favorable clrcum-
stances for the next two years. II that be So
| and am obliged to appeal to the Intelligence
OF this audience whether II Is or notf that be
so, the next question Isl Is this thing to grow
no worse II II cahnot be made any better' Can
IT be made worse, and II so, how'
No Hope Of Redress In Sight
"Uncertainty, Us have already shown you
Imight venture to say with your approval, II
proved to you--is the bane Of our existence to-
day One would suppose that every thinking
man from one end OF this coutry to the other
would be satisfied Of this, More than that one
would suppose that every man who had the re-
sponsibllty OF this government upon his shoul-
der would be permeated moro than all the
rest with this belief and sense OF duty. Nev-
ertheless the chairman Of the committee on
ways and means Of the United States house OF
representatives decided amid the applause Of
his friends that this Is only the first attack,
and that he means TO pursue this suject until
the bitter end,
1.-THE leader Of the party, the chief magis-
trate Of this nation, has declared that this Is
only vantage ground for new attack Now,
YOU either believe those leaders or you do not.
| II you don't believe them what Is the use OF
| having them around2 Laughter If you do
believe them then you have to face the ques-
tion; What do you want for the next two
years, certainty or uncertainty
nNow. mark you, am only speaking Of the
temporary subject Of this present election.
When the whole broad subject is opened In
1895 we shall have learned wisdom enough and
have gained strength enough to take care Of
| that question them trust in o manner that will
be convincing forever. IGroat applause.l But
| let US endeavor, II We are wise and sensible
men to have wisdom enough for to-day and
trust to providence for wisdom enough for TO-
morrow, for those who have sense enough TO
aet through yesterday should have sense
enough to get through to-day. [Applause.l
There are two things which are absolutely
necessary for good law upon this and upon
avery other subject. First the law must
have sound principles which can be depended
upon, and second, those principles must be
satisfactory TO the public sentiment OF
the community This Is a government
Of laws, This Is government by the people
1t Is not always the highest sense Of the peo-
ple that governs Ii Is very seldom the lowest
sense that governs, The very ideal Of govern
ment Is the average sense OF the people. How
shall that sense be made good sound common
sensef BY educationf Yes; education at any
price. During the last two years we have had
education Laughter,] It has been bitter
cost. Nevertheless II II has taught us that the
solid foundations Of this country rest upon
protection, then we shall not have paid the last
two years penalty In vain Applause. And
when we have come to the consideration Of this
question In its broader aspect, we shall be able
70 base our future action upon the solid sup
port OF on intelligent and instructed people,
and once based there II will give the country
certainty, not for particular time, but al
ways. lApplause,l
The Protective System Defined.
Upon what Is protection basedi For my
part have always believed In the system Of
protection as It IA the best system In this
world for the distribution Of the wonderful
gifts Of God. which are strewn all over this
mighty land It's not barrier set up against
our people.
ut Is not an attempt to tax the many for the
benefit OF the few. II Is on attempt TO get oil
the profit that we can possibly have out Of our
business and out Of the gifts Of God In this
country. [Applausel / have already told
you how business has changed. There have