The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-02
The Missouri Senator Delivers a
Speech at Kansas City.
He Has No Qualms Over His
Public Life.
DEMOCRACY.
Democrats Must Stand Together
Against the Enemy.

an audience which had gathered to
listen to the speech of United States
Senator George g. Vest, who opened
the Democratic campaign
Senator Vest spoke for over two
hours and was frequently interrupted
by applause He prefaced his re-
marks by a tribute to Congressman
Tarsney, testifying that he occupied
q high place in the councils of his
party and was a faithful, conscien-
tious and able representative.
Referring to local affairs, he said.
''Since my arrival in the city L have
been informed that religious opinion
is being made a criterion in this cam
paign- If there is one principle to
which every true Democrat clings as
the Musselman to the Koran it is that
no religious convictions shall bar
man from the enjoyme Mt Of his rights
would fight to-day as earnestly to
defend the faith of a Catholic as =
Protest ant though I have been all my
life a mem Der Of the Presby terian
church"
The senator then branched out into
his set speech, dealing exhaustively
with the silver question and the tariff.
Referring to the fact that Governor
Mckinley Will speak at the Audito-
rum to-day, he called upon the gov
ernOr to give his opinions on the in
come tax and silver and also to ex-
plain the fact that the duties on the
products of every one of the ninety
nine trusts which exist were lowe red
by the recent Democratic tariff bill
The sena tor prefaced his remarks on
the tariff by an elaborate explana-
ton of the history of the fight be-
tween the senate and the house and
declared that, though the bill which
became a law did not suit him, he
ret u0faH far r. IL IA ST that farrIH
be obtained
He defended the income tax aud
advoca ted the repeal of the law
which taxed state banks out Of exist
ence- He charged that Republican
legislation was Response bic for the re
cent panic and that the Repu blicans
had turned over an empty treasury
to the Democrats He denoup ced the
pension legislation OF the Repub lican
congress as criminal appropriations
which had been fastened upon the
Democrats. He declared in favor of
admitting every thing free Of duty if
the revenues Of the government could
be otherwise provided for Senator
Vest said:
IF any one is here with the expecta-
ton that l Will attack the president
of the United States, or any other
Democrat, that expectation will not
be realized Whatever differences Of
opinion as to public questions may
exist between the president and my
self, they shall not in Interfere, SO far
as I am concerned, with my duty in
the hour Of conflict and danger My
contest is now with the enemy=nOt
with Democrats No word from me
shall furnish an excuse for luke
varmness or hesitation by any Demo
crat, nor give any ENCOURAGE to
our enemies
1.-The Spaniards have a maxim that
you should not throw dirt upon
breakfast which must be eaten, and
whatever may have been my hopes or
opinions as to the legislation recently
enacted, / will not increase existing
difficulties and embarrassment BY de-
nouncing that legislation and there BY
furnishing ammunition to the Repub-
hcan party
II am not here to apologize for my
action In my public life there is
nothing which gives me more salts
faction than the consciousness that
have honestly done my duty as a sen
ator in the struggle through which I
have just passed IN looking back I
have nothing to retract. and, so far as
my personal action is concerned, to
regret
1.-THE Democratic party in 1892
pledged itself to certain reforms
First. the repeal of the federal cleo
ton laws which authorized the use of
United States marshals and soldiers
Sherman act; third. the reduction OF
tariff taxation to revenue basis;
fourth, the lessening Of government
al expenses
Governor Mckinley in his re
cent speech at Bangor, Me,
makes the statement that not
a single pledge Of the Dem
ocrats mad been redeemed When
we reflect that his speech, efully
prepared and made as bid for the
presidency, contains no allusion to
his views on the two great issues of
silver coinage and the income tax, it
is not surprising that he should add
mendacity to cowardice.
The Democratic party has. in fact,
repealed both the federal election
law and the Sherman act, while the
oppressive provisions Of the McKin-
ley tariff have been either entirely
eliminated or greatly modified and
governmental expenses largely de-
creased"
He then devoted considerable time
to tariff legislation, in which he gave
a history of the Wilson bill and the
amendments adopted By the senate
and eventually accepted by the house
In this fight he played an important
part and that part OF his speech
bearing upon the amendments was
largely personal. He reiterated a
statement made by him in the SEN
ate that, but for the assurances that
the administration would accept the
action, he would not have taken part
in what was done He said.
II knew that Mr. Cleveland, as
head of our party. could defeat any
bill we might offer, and thereby dis
credit those Of Ms who prepared il,
and I knew that in the silver fight he
had actively interfeEed to secure the