The Portland daily press., 1894-02-02
MIR. REEDS SPEECH.
Closing Chapter in the Argument
Against the Wilson Bill.
THE POLICY OF PROTECTION
ELOQUENTLY CHAMPIONED

And the Weakness of the Tariff Bill I'm
sparingly Pointed Out = Americas
Greatness and the Part Protection Has
Played in Building 1t Up-What Con-
The Democratic Argument From Over
the Sea Refuted.
Washington, February 1.-The follow
ing is the full text OF Mr.. Reeds speech
on the tariff bill today. The speech re-
ceived close attention, and the points
were frequently greeted with applause.
At the close he received an ovation which
has rarely been accorded to any man.
There was tumult of applause in the
galleries and on the floor, save that the
Democratic side there was silence.
When Speaker Crisp rose to reply there
was also applause, but 1T was limited to
the Democratic side of the floor. In the
galleries, which are occupied by those
ominous silence. Mr.. Reed said:
In this debate, which has extended
over many weeks, one remarkable re-
SulU Has dlIodOy D0tu ECdCucu, d IcSulO VI
the deepest Importance to this 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 respect of neither party. On this
side we believe that while it pretends to
be for protection it does not afford it,
and on the other side they believe that
while it looks toward free trade it does
not accomplish it. IS
UThoSQ WI hn will aUnJnSt this hill
will 90 so because it opens our markets to
the estructive competition of foreigners,
and those who vote for it do it with the
reservation that they will instantly de-
vote themselves to a new crusade against
whatever barriers are left.
Whatever speeches have been made in
defense of the bill on the other side,
whether by gentlemen who were -respon-
siblesonly to their own constituencies,
or by the gentleman from West Virginia
who ought to have been steadied by his
sense of responsibility to the whole coun-
try, have one and all, with but rare ex-
ceptions, placed their authors uncom-
promisingly, except for temporary pur-
poses, on the side of unrestricted free
trade.
at is evident that there is no ground
for tha hope entertained by SO many
moderate men, that this bill, bad as it
is, could be resting place where our
manufacturing and productive INDUS
tries, such as may survive, can re-estab-
lish themselves and have a sure founda
tlon for the future, free from party
pickering and party strife. Hence also,
there can be no foundation Tor that cry.
SO insidiously raised, that this bill
should be passed at once, because uncer-
tainty is worse than any bill possibly can
be- We're this bill to pass both branches
today uncertainty would reign just the
same.
"This result was inevitable. Although
this bill professed to open to- the manu-
facIurers a new era of prosperity and pro-
fessed to be made in the interest of some
of them, the moment it came to be de-
Tended on this floor the great bulk OF it
Could Not Be Defended
on any other ground than the principles
of free trade. Hence, in this discussion
the precise terms of this proposed act
count for nothing, and we are left to the
discussion of the principles which under
lie the whole question. That question
NAV not be decideded here and now upon
these principles, but the ultimate de-
cision by the people can have no other
foundation.
"After this statement it would be en-
tirelv natural that feeling of WEAKNESS
should come over this audience, for 1t
ANYTHING seems to have been discussed
until human nature can bear it no more,
it is the tariff. Nevertheless the fact
that the subject is still before the people
shows that the last word has not yet
been said, and that the subject has not
vet been exhausted or understood.
"The history of protection has been
most remark a BILE. Fifty years ago the
question seemed to be closed. Great Brit
ain had adopted free trade, the United
States had started in the same direction
and the whole world seemed about to
follow. Today the entire situation
seems to be reversed. The whole civil
lied world except Great Britain has be-
come protectionst, and the very year last
passed has witnessed the desertion of
English principles by the last English
colony which held out. This has been
one in defiance of the opinions of every
political economist in England who
wrote prior to 1850. and of most of those
who have written since.
When you add to this that the argu-
ments against it have seemed so clear
and simple that every schoolboy can
comprehend them and every
Patriot With Suitable Lungs
could fill the atmosphere with the catch
words. the wonder increases that in every
country it should flourish and maintain
it's vigor. Ten years ago it was equally
true at one and the same time that every
boy who graduated from college graduat-
g pefree trader, and that everyone, of
them who afterward became producer
or distributor of our goods became also
protectionist
THE arguments of the political econo-
mist, clear as crystal, do not seem to