The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-01-10
Ex-Speaker Reed on the Tariff.

The article of the greatest interest in
the North american ReUie,C for January
is ex Speaker Reeds paper on "Tariff
and Business" Whatever the ex-
speaker says or writes is distinguished
by force and clearness of statement, a
strength and incisiveness of argument,
that few public men can equal and none
surpass. A vein of bright humor en-
livens his discourse. The dullest and
dryest subject becomes bright and in
teresting under the magic of his treat
ment. A man of Mr.. Reeds phenom-
email equipment for political discussion
and political warfare, whether on the
stump, in the periodicals, or particu-
larly in the hand to-hand conflicts on
the floor of the house of representatives,
is host to the side whose cause he es-
pouses, and to the enemy " more terri
BILE than an army with banners" The
following extract is from the opening
passage of Mr.. Reeds paper:
"Men were found, as they are in all ages,
much given to hero-worship and much dis
posed to believe that no harm could happen
so long as man whom they had worshiDed
filled the most important place in the re-
public, and therefore they shut their ewes to
the real facts of the case, or, what was still
worse, opened their eyes to behold facts
which never existed, and listened only to
theories which were mere creatures of
prejudice and Imagination. Other men
looked about them and fanced that the
cause OF disaster was to be found on the sur
face, and concluded that the shipments of
gold which were but the incidents and har-
bingers of the coming disaster were the dis
aster itself. AS they had fastened upon
course of action on the part of congress
which did not meet the hopes of those who
consented to it or to the expectations of
those who forced it, they found it very easy
to convince themselves, and afterwards the
people of the country, that all that troubled
us was the Sherman act, and congress was
called together in hot haste to remove the
cause of the disaster and restore peace to
the land. All the thought of the nation was
bent upon that object. Those of us who
yentured to suggest that the causes lay
deeper and the reasons were more funda-
mental were regarded, where we had de-
served II, as well-meaning gentlemen some
what addicted to politics, and therefore in
capable OF business view of the situation.
The first shock to this feeling came when it
a.
fender of our liberties was poweriess to
speed the repeal and the second shock was
when the actual repeal did take place,
which happened after much struggle and
only with the aid of his political foes, who,
regardless of the possible advantages their
actlon might give to their adversary, did
their full duty by the people. If these
shocks, and others likely to follow, will only
teach the American people that their sole
dependence should be on themselves, and
that a good party is better than the best
man that ever lived, we shall not have gone
through this valley Of humiliation entirely
in vain"
Mr.. Reed refers to the result of 6 the
remarkable series of elections which
followed the adjournment of the
extra session of congress, (which
showed neither republicanism nor de-
mocracy in strict party expression, but
deep sense of the utter incapacity of
those in power" He would have sup.
posed, he remarks, that after so marked
an action on the part of the electors, so
widespread, so universal where the
polls represent the result of thinking,
that no committee of the ways and |
means would have dared to take incau-
tious action even, let alone the making
of a fierce attack upon industries al
ready staggering under the mere dread
of their anticipated action. Mr.. Reed |
alleges that had the ways and means
committee been northern democrats
familiar with our northern industrial
centers, and appreciative of the disas-
trous winter which now threatens our
workingmen, heed would have been
given to the voice of warning. But, as
if anticipating such a possibility, the
committee had been so made up that
the few northern men were swallowed |
up by the southern contingent; and the
bill which now vexes both the present
and the future has come to the light of
day."
Concerning the manner in which the
Wilson bill was framed, Mr.. Reed says
"When the bill reached the committee
not table had been prepared, not a single
comparison had been furnished, and i'm
mediate consideration was urged, so that a
longing country might taste the new con-
coction at the earliest moment. That the
bill, with all its original imperfections, was
not launched upon the world just as it came
from the minds which, in Arkansas, West
Virginia and Missouri, had famliarized
themselves with the intricacies of manufac-
lures, was due to the determination of the
minority that the people OF the country
should have at least one week to find out
what was to happen to their business The
result has been that il the bill as whole is
still uncomfortable, some of the mistakes
which showed that the committee did not
know how to carry out its own intent have
been rectliied, and cease to be monuments
OF obvious error. Any one curious to see
the changes made, and curious to follow
them to their sources. will see that the