Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-05

SHELBY II. CCLLoM-
that the incidental features very nat
urally outshone the chilly old fossil
who posed as the star OF the occa-
sion.
Prior to the meeting, the Flambeau
club and the Lincoln republican club,
under escort OF Bleuer's band, pa
raded the streets, finally accompany
ing the speakers to the place of meet
ing-Harper' theatre.
The Theatre.
The interior of the house was
neatly and artistically decorated in
honor of the occasion. On the left of
the stage was bronze bust of Lin
coin, while on the right was a COM
panion one of Douglas. Along the
front of the stage interviewer with
flags and bunting were portraits of
Lincoln. Grant, Logan, Sheridan.
Garfield, Blaine. Seated in a semi
circle about the stage were the
speakers of the evening, and also
number of representative republi-
cans. After selection by Bleuer's
band. Chairman S. j. Collins. of the
congressional committee. opened the
meeting by introducing +. d. Swee-
ney as chairman. Mr.. Sweeney had
risen to his feet as soon as the band
stopped, preparatory to assuming the
ordeal awaiting him. Il want to
say" he remarked, as he stepped for
ward. '.that l am very glad today,
and | think I see in the faces of those
before me a similar feeling of glad
ness that an election is to occur Nov
g." Then he stopped for applause.
He got it, and then as fitting pre-
amble to the introduction of the
star of the evening, he took occasion
to annouce railroad puff and forth
with to present the senator. Mr..
Cullom's mind was evidently agitat-
ed. He began by referring to The
ARGUS appellation, Chilly Cullom, -
and said he was going to make i. hot
for the party the paper represented,
and that there would be plenty OF
Notwithstanding the bitterness with
which these words were spoken and
the ruffled condition of the speaker.
they had the effect of amusing the
audience and a shout of laughter was
inconsiderately given. The speaker
deprecated the fact that he was to be
restricted in his remarks. owing to
the presence upon the platform of
other distinguished speakers, each of
whom he introduced to the audience
in very graceful manner. Then he
launched upon the discussion of his
topic, the tariff. The people of the
country today were in much the same
condition that our colonial fathers
were $50 years ago. In those days
the founders of the republic were en-
gagged in establishing and building
up Industries such as we now have
scattered over the land. and they
were oppressed by the mother coun-
try until the foundation of the ma
tional government on protective
basis resulted. The establishment OF
customs duties for the raising of rev.
enue for carrying on the government
and the encouragement of American
manufactures was one of the first
things done; so that a protective
tariff was established at the very
outset of our national existence
Yet it remained. he said, with at
tempted sarcasm. for modern democ
racy to declare that protective tar
if was an unconstitutional act. HI
then declared the history of the
country since had been good times
and prosperity under a protective
tariff and under low tariff, distress
poverty and hard times. In fact
under the protective tariff law, ouI
industries had prospered and gon'
forward. He referred to the frs
election of President Cleveland il
1885, and when with democratic
majority in the house the peopl,
were apprehensive of the effect of thu
possible introduction of low tarif
law, but .'we, the senate" he said
would not allow such acts ant
hence nothing came of any -sucl
threatened enactment. Then comm;
down to the Mckinley law, he mad
brief apology for it, stating that il
it there were some things too higl
and some too low, vet it re
suited in continued advancement an
prosperity. The year 1898, b