Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-02-09
Mr.. Reeds Great Speech.

The speech with which Hon. Thomas b.
Republican side, on the Wilson tariff bill,
was one of the strongest and most master
full presentations of the foundation princi-
pies of protection for American industries
ever made by any public speaker. 1t was
speech in which its author, conscious of
his own strength and of the strength of his
cause, rose above the merely partisan feel
ing of the hour and in calm dignified
way, which courteously recognized oppos-
ing views, proclaimed the higher law,
which, though suffering present defeat, he
believes is eventually to be the ruling spirit
of our American industrial life.
The speech abounds in quotabe para
graphs, in which an argument is compress
ed into an easily remembered phrase: "On
no trackess future will we venture unless
the prospect of increased happiness is large
enough to justify risk and exposure;"
"when certain manufacturers want free
trade, icy have secured large founda-
ton trade along with desire for foreign
for foreign wages for their workingmen; :"
"Let us not divide our magnificent mar
ket on the chance of getting the markets
of the world" "What country is going
to surrender the markets of the world to
u.s. "If you will give me all that capital
has made by railroads, an unprotected in
dustry, l will give you all that capital has
made on factories at often happens
t1,,t
a tariff that does not raise prices, because
they know such tariff will prevent them
from going down"
A writer upon the editorial page of a
leading eastern paper finds one of the
strongest features of what he calls "Mr.
Reeds splendid championship of protec-
ton" in the frankness and fairness with
which he approaches the solution of "that
veXed and irresponsible question, who pays
the foreign duties, the foreigner or the
American consumer?n
"This has been the battle ground of end
less tariff speakers and editorials. Mr..
Reed cleaves through the issue is his in
cisive and Characteristic way. He points
out that sometimes the consumer pays the
er. To the extent to which the foreigner
is willing to accept smaller profits to get a
market here he pays the tariff tax. SO
far as the foreigner is not willing to make
such abatement the residue of the taxes is
paid by the consumer. This cuts the sup
ports from under the free trade assumption
that the entire weight of tariff duties rests
on the American consumer.
"The speech is interesting in the histor-
ical review of the causes which led up to
the repeal of the English corn laws in the
forties, and to the adoption of the present
English industrial system. His contention
is that England had reached manufacture
ing supremacy through what was practi-
cally monopoly of steam driven meth
DDS, and in 1910 her manufacturing output
could not be consumed at home 1t was
necessary, therefore, to seek fresh fields
and pastures new. To increase wages, or
that which is tantamount, to diminish the
cost of food, England repealed her corn
laws. Mr.. Reed finds in the history of the
repeal of these laws simply crusade for
free food and makes it clear that there
is no parallelism to be found in the condi-
tions of the two countries, as to the extent
of the home market, the situation of the
workers, or in any other respect which
would warrant us IN initiating the English
system, or adopting any legislation which
may be regarded as a stride in that direc-
ton
This magnificent speech was delivered
without manuscript, but the carefulness of
its preparation is shown by the fact that a
personal friend of Mr.. Reed held his notes
in desk near by and from time to time
prompted him as to the order of the topics
to be taken up The speaker knew very
well that his effort would change no vote
in the House, but the real audience to
whom he was speaking was the American
people, that ''mightier tribunal to whom
he appealed in the hour of temporary de-
feat in an array of fact and argument
which rose to a note of triumph as Ii
closed.
1t is by no means impossible that Mr.
Reed had in mind the possibilities of 1896
in the preparation of speech which so
completely covered the whole ground of
contention, and it is not to his discredit if
such was the case.