The record-union., 1894-08-30
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

MARTINsBURG (W. Va.), Aug. 29.-
Chairman Wilson of the Ways and
Means Committee, the Democratic tariff
leader nl the House of Representatives,
was renominated for Congress to-day.
Wilson made notable address to the
convention, in which he declared the
President had scrupulously abstained
from interfering with the work OF tariff
revision, but held out steadfastly for the
fuIfillment of the platform pledges in
letter and spirit.
Mr.. Wilson was greeted with tre-
mendous cheers when he arose to deliver
his address. He said he should ask for
an honorable discharge from iurther pub
lie service, but for what seemed duty
and call growing out of the tariff strug-
gle. 'sThe Congress which adjourned
yesterday he said, twas charged by
the people with duty, clear, unmistak-
able, transcendent, to secure from the
grasp of the selfish hands the power of
Federal taxation; to lift from the backs
of the American people burden of tri-
butte to privilege and monopoly which
under thirty years of Republican legisla-
ton has grown constantly heavier, until
it far exceeded their legitimate and
necessary taxation for the support of the
Government; to reclaim and make for
ever sure that heritage of American
youth which is the true meaning and
priceless boon of Democratic institu-
tions-equal opportunity in land Of
equal rights.
This was the inspiring mission which
the Democratic party had long sought
from the American people power and au
thority to perform, and to this mission
the immediate representatives of the peo-
111a uo fho,nSa1uau rlxvo n fa5 h
fully. In that work they were at all times
cheered and encouraged by their great
leader, who for eight years. in defeat and
victory, had led in the movement Tor
tariff reform. While he scrupulously
abstained from interference in the
work of those intrusted with the re-
folm legislation, he was inSistent, in
season and out of season, in urging that
the pledges on which he had come into
power should be fulfilled in the letter and
in the spirit, and that the blessings of the
reduced and just taxation should be fully
and honestly secured to the American
people.
You know this, for you have followed
with watchful interest the varying his
tory of our attempt at tariff reform. You
have followed with rising hopes and
hearty approval the action of the House
OF Representative in the framing and
passage of a measure bearing the badge
OF Democratic principles, and fought
with waning hopes ana angry dlsproval
the tedious and tortuous passage of the
bill through the Senate, and have seen
that, despite a nominal Democratic ma
jority in that body, the great trusts and
mOnopolies were still able to write their
taxes as they had done under Repu blican
rule, under some OF the most important
schedules. But the burden upon you is
the same. whether they use Repu blican
or a Democratic a1nanuensis. But the
wrong done you is greater when those
who bear the commission of your own
party prove faithless to its highest duties.
Il could not recite to you the successive
steps, the material and baleful relations
through which the House bill quietly
passed into a law yesterday morning
without the signature and approval Of
the President, who was elected upon the
issue of tariff reform, and who antici-
pated as the signal triumph and historic
achievement of his administration the
privilege of affixing his name to genu-
inc and thorough reform bill. You know
by what influences this was brought out.
The country knows this and history
will know where TO put the responsible
lty Tor our partial measure TO redeem
our pledges 10 the people and our partial
failure to dislodge the great privileged
interests from our tariff. l am not sure
that this very failure may not be the
harbinger and assurance of a speedier
and more complete triumph OF CONNER
cial freedom than the smooth and unob-
structed passage of the House bill would
lave been.
''The American people are aroused as
hardly anything else would have aroused
them to the deadly menace which pro-
lection begets to the purity and the very
existence OF free government. They
have seen a single great trust empow-
cred by our tariff laws to control the
production and sale of necessity of life,
pareeling out the country with its part
ners and using its 1ow-made wealth and
power to thwart the best efforts of the
people to reduce their own taxation.
They have seen IL hold up Congress for
weeks and have heard its representa-
tives boldly declare that there would be
no tariff bill in which their interests
were not protected, and they have real
lzed the final fultilment of the boast.
When the sugar trust thus challenged
the American people to a contest OF
strength its days were numbered. Its
temporary triumph is its speedier and
complete overthrow, and with its over
throw will vanish its sinister brood of
monopolies that are strong through its
support.
'But, as the President we'll said, we
have vantage ground from which we
shall continue TO shell the camp of monop-
oily. The day Of mad protection is over
IN this country. MckinleyISm Will dis
appear in the dark and from the statute
books. The Tight will go on; not, may be,
In such general engagement and pro-
tracLed struggle as we have just passed
through, but that steady and resistless
pressure that will take another strong
hold until it shall disappear befofe the
advance of public opinion and public
emancipation. Ii the closeness of the
vote in one House of Congress gave op-
portunity for few to combine against
the people and against ali the rest of their
party, and obstruct its faithful efforts to
redeem its pledges, the overwhelming
mass OF the Democrats in the country
are subject to no just criticism. They
have kept the faith. They have been
true to their principles. We may de-
nounce those that failed US in the fight;
we are not therefore subject to condem-
nation by our opponents. Ii we have
done less in the way of relieving the peo-
pie of burdens than we had hoped and
promised, they would have done nothing
at all. If We have anywhere favored
trust and found it too strong for our COM
plete dislodgement IN the first attempt,
we have never failed to find them sturdiiy
and soiidly arranged for its defense. The
weapons with which monopoly has
fought us have forged and tempered and
supplied the entertainments OF fortresseS
behind which privilege has shielded it
sell from our attack; they have builded
for it stone by stone and stronghold TOR
stronghold
Strong resolutions indorsing Wilson's
course were adopted.
PRESIDENT AND MRS. CLEVELAND
Expected to Visit Berkshire, Massa-
chusetts. in September.