The morning call., 1894-10-21
FOR FREE TRADE.
Standing Alone With Two of
Her Colonies.
OTHER COUNTRIES PROTECTIVE.
Even the United States, Save a Few
Men Who Follow British
Thought.

NEW ORLEANS. Oct Ex-Governor Nc
Kinley addressed en- audience of no less
than $4,000 people tonight In the big
Auditorium. There was a comparatively
small proportion of negroes, the audience
being composed in the main OF business
men of New Orleans aud nelghboring
parishes ami was conspicuously an inteili-
gent and appreciatiye gathering, which
was entirely liberal with its applause and
discriminating in its beStowal The plat
form was profusely decorated with sugar
cane. Hon. j. L. Benahm. chairman of
the Republican Stale Commit ee, presided
and introduced Governor Mckinley. who
spoke at much length. The substance of
his address was:
[ come here at the invitation OF the Republl-
can committee of Louisiana 10 address you on
a public question of great national Importance,
which concerns alike not only the prosperity OF
your section State or locality. but all sections
and parts of our common country. From 1888
to 1892, PERIOD of 103 years, there has been
II years when Democratic revenue tariff pol
icy has prevailed and sc under the protective
policy. and noteworthy fact is that the most
progressive and prosperous periods OF our his
tory were during the years when the protective
party was in control and protective tariffs
were nhdlutalueu, anu the HOSt ulSdStTOuS
years were during the free-trade or revenue
tariff years of our history.
The foreign market for agricultural products
is one of the deusions of free trade. If il ever
had any real substance as against good home
market that has long since disappeared.
We have free trade among ourselves through
out our forty-four States aud Territories. That
is because we are one family-one country. We
are one nation, have one STANDARD of citizen
ship one flag, one constitution, one destiny,
That is why we have free trade among our
selves. Our relations with foreign States are
necessarily different from our relations with
one another. They are our commercial rivals.
We deny to those foreign States trade with US
upon the same terms we enjoy ourselves.
Here in the South your people have been of
fering freedom from taxation for ten, fifteen
ana twenty years to those who would bring
their capital here and invest il in productive
enterprises. With all this work going on. the
leaders of the Democratic party are proposing
to tear down our protective tariff and iDundate
this country with foreign products to dispace
those which these very manufacturers propose
TO make and which the people were willing TO
tax themselves to establish.
Call the roll of the nations. Which are pro-
lection? Germany, France. Italy, Mex
ico Canada, Spain, Portugal, Denmark Aus
traia, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary,
States of America. Which are against protec-
ton? England, New South Wales and New
Zealand. Tariff for revenue only, or the tariff
reform, is almost exclusively an English decora-
tion.
How stand the peone of the world on this
question? AT least 100000. 900 are in favor of
protection: 100000 of Briions are against
II, to whom must be added those Americans
whose numbers are not known, who, while
living under our flag, seem TO follow another.
This is how the worlds jury stands.
The tariff law OF 1894 Is not like any Of the
early measures, but is one in which the
changed conditions OF tie country and its mar
velous growth and development are utterly
ignored and forgotten. Its authors do not re-
cognize or appreciate the manly independence
and dignity of American labOrerS and cannot
understand that the business policy OF the
country under which we bave had such splen-
did pros speriiy is not to be determined on the
lines of sectional prejudice, which appeals TO
The hatred of The past and not the hopes of the
future. The law is narrow and provincial
measure, unworthy Of the great party IN whose
name it was enacted and wholly unsHited to
The needs Of the country. Nor are The masses
of the Democratic party all satisfied with what
has been done. Congress has disappointed the
people. trifed with the sacred trust confided to
it, excited disIrust among the constituents OF
It's members and impaired their enterprises and
investments.
The country has not failed to observe that a
great change in public sentiment is apparent
throughout the South. Nothing has occurred
OF late years which has been to me more
gratifying than the action OF the planters OF
Louisiana, who, il l am correctly Informed,
have turned away from The Democratic party,
which they have been all their lives associated
with, and announced their unconditional in
dorsement and support of the great doctrine OF
American protection to American Industries.
and thereby allied themselves permanently 10
the National Republican party. You need 10
assurances of the devotion Of the Republican
party TO all the material interests of the South
No one can charge that In all its Industrial
egisatiOn for third of century past it over
looked single Southern interest In the
stormiest years OF sectional prejudice, moved
by no other consideration than the good
of the whole country, the Republican party has
sacredly guarded the smallest as we'll as the
greatest interests of the South.
My fellow-countrymen, the question OF tariff
is a business question. In the truthful words
OF true American, who spoke as seer and
prophet forty years ago. we may still declare
that industry has its campaigns and battle
fields. and is not yet beyond the need Of en-.
trenchmenrs or fortifications.
God grant US the wisdom and virtue to press
forward on the shining path thus opened
plainly before US. to the end that our labor
may be fully employed and fairly paid, and
that age after age may witness the rapid We,
substantial progress and growth OF our people
in all the arts OF peace, all the elements of ma
tional webeing.
Governor Mckinley was given a supper
at the Hotel Royal, and at midnight Left
on special train for Huntington and
Charleston, w. Va, where he speaks on
Monday.