The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-02
DUTY OF CONGRESS-.
A Correspondent Deprecates the Re-
cent Utterance Of Speaker Reed

To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:
AS a private in the rear ranks of the Re
publican party desire to file remon-
STRANGE against the speech made by Mr..
Reed in accepting the Republican caucus
nomination for speaker of the House of
Representatives. Among other things he
had this to say: History will accord us
praise for what we did in the Fifty-frst
Congress and it may accord us its praise in
this for what we do not do" The people,
of whom am one, are led TO believe from
this sentence that Mr.. Reed does not think
it good policy or politics for the present
Congress to frame or present tariff bill
because the Senate is divided and because
President Cleveland is liable to veto the
bill If 1t reached him. / have been taught
from early manhood that one of the car
dinal principles of the Republican party is
protection TO American industries and the
preservation of the home market for the
American people. The Fifty-first Congress
distinguished itself by passing the Mckin-
ley bill, that measure being the Republican
war cry and watchword. The passage OF
that measure was true Republicanism, the
opposite being Democracy. Without going
into details as to why, il Is only necessary
to state the fact that when the Democratic
party assumed control of the government,
true to their principles and true to their
promises, they repealed the Mckinley tariff
it's stead. Another shift has been made.
The Democratic party has again been con-
demned by the people. They have been
swept from the lower house of Congress,
the Republican party once more assuming
control of that branch of the government
by an unwieldy majority. 1 deem 1t now
the duty of this Congress to proceed in
the same lines II would III the President
was a Republican / think il is their duty,
not 0ny their dgy but ut their ys o Sns
a protective tariff bill and pass Ii. 1t is not
for the Republican party TO surrnise what
may S
has been guilty of some very cratic acts.
The truth of wise. men change their
pressed itself on our President (though this
is doubtfuD. and as last act, by chance.
he might sign the bill. If he vetoed the
measure then the fault would rest with the
Mr. Reeds advice the Republican party
would be in fault, and when We go into
newspaper every Democratic speaker would
hurl in our faces the charge that we were
afraid to pass protective tariff bill. They
good w thing Why we faied to stand by it,
Our only answer would be, what was the
use when President Cleveland would veto
good one 1t is our duty to be aggressive
We must stand by our principles and force
the issue on President Cleveland and his
presidential election ahead. Even the devil
hates a coward. IL We commence TO vacil-
late on this question II may mean trouble.
II the country is without protective tariff
law when next national convention
meets our skirts should be clear and the
odium attached to the Democratic party.
The way for the Republican party to restore
confidence is for them TO act: the way for
them TO forfeit confidence Is the attempt to
shift responsibilities 10 others II sounded
very pretty for Mr.. Reed to say. There are
times when rest is as healthful as exer-
cise,' but IL would have sounded much
for Ia To hav Coi6 a hox
great work before US, We must be vigilant.
we must be true TO our principles" IL is
my opinion MIR. Reed speech will not find
a responsive chord .mang the masses of
T. E. GOODRICH.
Shelbyville. Ind. Dec. /.