Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-02
hIr. Reeds Speech.
Mr., Reed spoke as follows:

In this debate, which has extended owe
many weeks, one remarkable result has alrcad!
| been reached-a result of the deepest impor
| tance to this country. That result is that tn,
| bill before is odious to both sides of the
| house. 1t meets with favor nowhere and com
mands the respect of neither party. On thi:
| side believe that while it pretends to be fol
! protection it does not afford it, and on the
| other side they believe that while it looks to
ward free trade it does not accomplish it.
Those who will vote against this bill will dc
so because it opens our markets to the destruc-
tive competition of foreigners, and those whc
vote for it do it with the reservation that they
will instantly devote themselves to a new cru
SADIE against whatever barriers are left.
Whatever speeches have been made in de-
Tense of the bill on the other side, whether by
gentlemen who were responsible only TO their
own constituencies or by the gentleman from
West Nirgiaia, who ought to have been steadied
by his sense of responsibility to the whole coun-
try, have one and all, with hut rare exceptions
placed their aIthorS uncompromisingly, except
for temporary purposes, on the side of unre-
stricted free trade.
1t is evident that there is no ground for that
hope entertained by so many moderate men
that this bill, bad as it is, could be a resting
place where our manufacturing and productive
industries, such as may survive, can re-eStab-
lish themselves and have sure foundation for
the future, free from party pickering and party
strife. Hence also there can be no foundation
for that cry, so insidiOusly raised, that this
Dill SnOulu DE passed at once because uncef-
tainty is worse than any bill can possibly be.
Were this bill to pass both branches today, I'M
certainty would reign just the same.
Nor have we in any way exhausted the flu
ture. This country is ten times more capable to-
day of further development than it was in 1860.
So utterly undiSputed and so distinctly WISH
BILE to every human being in this audience have
been our growth and progress that whatever
the future industrial system of this country
may be the past system is splendid monu-
ment to that series of successful statesmen
who found the country bankrupt and distract
ed and left it first on the list of nations.
England No Example.
Mr. Reed here quoted at length from
English authorities, showing the strength
of their confidence in the prosperity of this
country.
These quotations also are only reminders for
you, Mr.. Speaker, and all who hear me know
that the American who has been long enough
here to know his opportunities has found the
best place for wages in the world.
We may safely assume, then, Mr.. Speaker,
that country which has become in the last
30 years the richest country in the world" to
quote Mr.. Jeans country which during
all that period paradise for laboring
men'-dOes not need to try any dubious expert
mentS. What are the reasons why any change
of principle should be had?
Is there any example in the history of the
world of any nation situated like ours that has
taken the step to which we are invited? Some
gentlemen perhaps are fastening to say that
England affords us the needed example.
After reciting the history of English tar
ifs and their relation to wages paid in that
country Mr.. Reed said:
To sum this all up, England, when she be-
came free trade, was workshop wherein was
manufactured the raw material of the rest of
the world. OF raw material she herself had
none. Her coal and iron and the invention of
the steam engine had developed her manufac-
lures out of proportion to the wages of her
workmen that she must have larger market.
After this review of the history of England's
change, will any man dare to say that he finds
therein any justification for the present deed
of violence which is called the Wilson bill?
After quoting statistics to show the great
rise in wages since 1860 Mr. Reed con-
tinued:
The truth is that this very question of rising
wages is what makes n good many men free
traders. People with fixed incomes think that
anything which raises wages is inimcal to
them, and manufacturers who have foreign
markets are naturally anxious to have wages
on the foreign standard. l confess to you that
this question of wages is to me the vital Ques-
ton. To insure our growth in civilization and
wealth we must not only have wages as high
as they are now, but constantly and steadily
increasing.
On UnconstitutioDaIity.
On the question OF the conStltutlonallty of
tariff taxation shall spend time. l have
not been here as long as l have without learn
ing that conStitutionality and demonstrations
Rlity on the other side of the chamber are mere
phrases, and that when a gentleman of the
other side, with swelling voice, denounces the
tariff as unconstitutional he merely means that
he does not like it.
If the Father of His Country, fresh from the
convention, in signing the first tariff tax bill,
signed an unconstitutional act, the gentleman
from Georgia (NIr. Turner) and the whole Dem
ocratic party are better than George Washing
ton-a thing not hitherto charged upon them.
There is still another argument which de-
sire to present out of the large number yet I'M
Issued. What has made England rich? 1t Is
the immense profits which come of converting
raw material into manufactured goods.
So long she can persuade the rest of the
world to engage in the work which is the least
profitable and leave her the most enriching she
can we'll be contented.
We are the only rival that England fears for
we alone have IN our borders the population,
the wages and the raw material, and within
ourselves the great market which insures to US
the most improved machinery. Our constant
power to increPse our wages insures us also
continuous proAStss.
If you wish us to follow the example of Eng
land l say Yes with all my heart, but her
real example and nothing less. Let us keep
protection she did until no rival dareS to in
wade our territory, and then we may take our
chances for "A future which by that time VIII
not be unknown.
We know, my friends, that before this trbu-
nal all of us plead in vain. Why we fail let
those answer who read the touching words of
Abraham linCU!n's first inaugural and remem-
Der that he pleaded in vain with these same
men and their predecessors. Where he failed
we cannot expect TO succeed. But though We
fail here today, like our great leader of other
days in the larger field. before the mightier tri-
bunal which will finally and forever decide
this question, WE shall be more than conquer
ors, for this great nation, shaking off as it has
done once before the influence of Il lower civ
iization, will go ON and fulfill its high destiny
until over the south as well as over the north
shall be spread the full measure of that amaz-
ing prosperity which is the wonder of the
world.
His closing reference to that former il
lustrious leader, Lincoln, was made in a
low voice, which could hardly have been
caught had not every ear been strained to
catch every word. AS he closed, his left
hand was raised high in one of the few
gestures which had marked his speech. AS
his hand fell and the speech closed there
was burst of applause which swelled into
a tumultuous demonstration as the en-
thusiastic galleries gave shouts, hurrahs
and sharp whistles, which are often heard
in theaters, but seldom in the halls of con-
gress.
Mr.. Reed bowed his acknowledgment to
the demonstration, and without resuming
his seat or waiting for the many hands ex-
tended to congratulate him he made his
way back to the Republican cloakroom.
Half way up the aisle he was met by page
bearing a huge basket of American Beauty
and La France roses.
Mr.. Crisp Replies.
While the demonstration was going on
Speaker Crisp relinquished the chair to
Mr.. Hatch and assumed the old seat which
he occupied in the days before he was ele-
waited to the speakership When he arose
in his place, he received an ovation. The
speaker is symmetrical in form, dignified
in bearing, with a broad, we'll poised head,
fringed with a touch of silver hair on the
sides, upon pair of square shoulders. He
booked the judicial minded man he is. I'm
til he warmed up he spoke with the hest
tation of man weighing each word and