The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-06
GENERAL HASTINGS SPEECH.

Journed.
GENERAL HASTINGS SPEECH.
The Candidate for Governor Opens ths
Campaign with an Eloquent Address.
A fitting conclusion Of the Republl-
can State league conven tion today was
great meeting tonight at which Cen
eral ID. H. Hastings. the candidate for
governor. made the opening speech Of
the cam paign in Pennsylvania. Previ.
GUS to the meeting there was short
parade in which all the local and visit
ing clubs and delegates to the league
convention took part The state candi.
dates and prominent speakers rode in
carriages and were cheersd by the great
multitudes on the streets.
Upon the arrival Of General Hastings
and his associates at the opera house
they were given tremendous ovation,
and it was FIVE minutes after he was
introduced by Major Warren. president
OF the State league. before General
hastings could speak, so continuous
was the cheering. He spoke as follows
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
CONVENTION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RE-
PUBLICAN CLUB LEAGUE;
1t was hoped that before the campaign
in Pennsylvania opened, the tariff issue
would be settled and that the long and
weary controversy would be ended at
least for the present. This would have
been great relief to the country. How.
ever much the people may have enter
tanned this desire, the country is
notified by the president himself in his let.
ter to representative Catchings that the
agitation will be resumed in December, at
least as to one of its most important feat
ures, that OF free raw materials. / think
1t is not too much to say that tho immedi-
ate dangers incident to this agitation may
be avoided if the verdict of the people at
the November elections throughout the
country will sustain the desire OF the sem
ate to drop the controversy over the tariff,
and it is that sentiment more than all
other issues in this campaign which the
Republican party is now called upon to di-
rect.
The people rarely determine more than
one issue at any given time, and the over
shadowing question now before us is that
OF American protection.
Nothing has transpired since the defeat
of 1892, that ought to change Republican
vote In 1894. The Republicans who then
voted for change apDear to be ready to
help bring about another change, and the
signs Of the times indicate that the people
generally are in favor of return 10 Re
publican supremacy.
LOYALTY IN DEFEAT.
During the past two years we have fol-
lowed our banners in defeat as loyalty as
when they led the way to victory, and it
is matter of pride and abiding satisfac-
tlon that in the campaign before u.s. there
is not an achievement Of Republicanism for
which an apology is here or elsewhere re-
quired. We have not abandoned prin-
ciple hitherto espoused, and will not. Our
party's record illuminates every page Of
our country's history since 1860 and there
is not sentence or syllable we would
eradicate if we had the power.
Today the young Republicans Of Penn
sylvauia come together to do their part for
November's conquest. The enthusiasm of
this convention is but another evidence
that our party is united in every section
with singl eness Of purpose never before
known in the history of the state. With
mistaken confidence and unbroken ranks,
we will again seek the public Judgment t
after thorough discussion.
The people are anxious to vote. They
are. desirOus of recording their judgment
and entering their protest against exist
ing conditions. In February last the op-
portunity was presented, and the people
of Pennsylvania by an unparalleled major
ity notified the country that they were not
satisfied with the ruling conditions at
Washington. Time has only intensified
the desire to enter another and more
emphatic protest.
Pennsylvania, with her great popula-
tion, her growing cities, her diversity Of
industries, her native wealth, her intel
lectual advancement and unfaltering pa
trlotlsm, has never, when duty required,
failed to blaze the way for the other states
to follow. Iu this crisis, Pennsylvania will
be looked to- to lead the way.
Nature has blessed no other state with
such wealth and boundless resources. The
founders of our country made her the
keystone OF the federal arch, and her ma
tive wealth, united with the industry,
thrift and intelligence of her people, have
made her equally the keystone Of Ameri-
can protection. Every industry within
her borders with its teeming energy and
CHEEKY music, contented and happy work
men and prosperous employer, was
monument erected to the protective policy.
Today they are the forceful but silent pro
tests against free trade. She stands, by
virtue Of her imperial position, at the
head OF the column Of protective states.
She has long set tho standard for the ma
tion, and every principle Of self-preserva-
tion and patriotism should be incentives
to hold her advanced position in the com.
ing struggle.
FAITH IN PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania stands for the fair and
rational protection of her own material
interests and her own people, but demands
nothing for them which she does not ac-
cord to every other state in the union. /
have an abiding faith that the great ma
Jority of her people are confident in the
belief that future progress, independence,
thrift and contentment are largely depen-
dent upon the sure and intelligent enforce
ment Of the protective policy. They will
first opportunity.
II it shall be asserted that national is.
sues have no place in the state campaign,
we reply that there is no citizen, no bust
ness, no interest, no occupation in the
commonwealth that Is not concerned in
these questions and there is no state in
all the union so vitality interested as Penn
sylvania.
The well intentioned citizen who has
not yet decided how to vote at the coming
election may we'll consider his ground. /
hope he will inquire of himself how he
likes the conditions since the Republican
party has gone out Of powert How has it
been with him individually Has he had
steady employment? Is he paid the old
Republican wage rate2 Does he find the
cost of living cheaper, and the ability to
meet that cost better? Is his business
Is he as contented and conf
dent in the future as beforeS When he has
answered to himself these vital questions,
let him, on his way to the polls, pass the
silent mill, the cold furnace, the broken
bank, the deserted forge, let him pass by
poverty and want, business parslyzed and
confidence vanished and then record his
judgment of the responsibility for these
conditions and his hope for the future in
the ballot which he places in the box.
Let him consider what would be left, il
1t were possible to strike out OF the coun-
try's history that which has been accom-
plished through the agency of the Repub-
of ko