Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-02

and handing his top coat ner
veusly to page, hastily left the
floor and sought the seclusion of the pri
vate corridor in the rear of the chamber
He did not reappear until the session be
gan.
A generous round of applause greeted
the arrival of Speaker Crisp.
Mr.. Wilson was reported to be in very
mel vous and exhausted condition as ths
consequence of the severe labors in connec
ton with the preparation of the tariff bill
during the past four months. He spent s
restless night and is suffering from severe
cold.
arose and reported the Wilson bill to the
House.
At IL NJ, the Speaker recognized Mr.
Reed of Maine. This was the signal for 8
spontaneous outburst of applause, which
the Speaker made an effort to check
Cheers and applause rang out over the gal
leries which continued for some time. Few
speakers in the House have ever had Q
grander audience hanging upon their
words.
Mr. Reed stood for while quietly and
self possessed beside his desk, and when
the enthusiasm had subsided, began slowly
and impressively.
Mr.. Reed sail:
"In this debate, which has extended over
many weeks, one remarkable result has al
ready been reached, a result of the deepest
importance to the country.
That result is that the bill before us is
odious to both sides of the House. 1t meets
with favor nowhere and commands the re-
.pect of neither party. On this side we be
i've that WI lie it pretends to be for protec-
ton it does not afford it, and on the other
side they believe that while it looks toward
free trade it does not act omplish it.
"Those who will vote against tLis bill
will do so because it opens our markets t.
the destructive competition of foreigners,
and those who vote for it do it with the
reservation that they will instantly devote
themselves to a new crusade against what
ever barriers are left.
Whatever speeches had been made in
defence of the bill on the other side,
whether by gentlemen who were responsible
only to their own constituencies, or by the
gentleman from West Virgins, who ought
to have been steadied by his sense Of
responsibility to the whole country, have
one and all, with but rare exceptions,
placed their authors uncompromisiugly .ex-
cept for temporary purposes, on the side of
unre. tricted free trade.
s'It is evident that there is no ground for
the hope entertained by so many moderate
men, that this bill, bad as it il, could be q
re sting place where our manufacturing and
productive industries, slch as may survive,
can re-pstablish themselves and have a sure
foundation for the future, free from party
bickering and party strife. Hence, also,
there can be no foundation for that cry, 80
insidiously raised, that this bill should be
passed at once. because uncertainty is
worse than any bill possibly can be. Were
this bill to pass both branches today, uncer-
tainty would reign just the same.
sThis result was inevitable. Although
this bill professed to open to the manufac-
turers . new era of prosperity and professed
to be made in the interest of some of them,
the moment it came to be defended on this
floor the great bulk of it could not be de-
Tended on any other ground than the prin-
ciples of free trade. Hence, in this discus
sion the precise terms of this proposed act
count for nothing, and we are left to the
discussion of the principles which underlie
the whole question. That question may not
be decided here and now upon these princi-
Piles, bat the ultimate decision by the peo-
pie can have no other foundation.
1.-THE history of protection has been most
remarkable. Fifty years. ago the question
seemed to be closed. Great Britain had
adopted free trade, the United States had
started in the same direction and the whole
world seemed about to follow. Today the
whole situation seems about reversed. The
whole civilized world except Great Britain
has become protectionist, and the very year
last passed has witnessed the desertion Of
English principles by the last English col
ony which held ont. This has beer done