The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-08
SPEECH BY BAYARD
OUR FREE-TRADE EMBAssADOR
TALKS TO PHILOsOPHIC SCOTS.


EDINBURGH, Nov. THE United States
ambassador. Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, de-
livered the inaugural address this evening
to the Philosophic Society. II was entitled
individual Liberty the Germ of National
Progress and ~Permanence.' The paper
read by Mr.. Bayard was a scholarly and
patriotic address, in which the Institutions
of the United States were g~lorifed, and
on il Mr.. Bayard had evidently devoted
much labor. 1t made fifty pages of printed
matter. The most striking passages were
those in which he denounced socialism and
protection. During the course of his re-
marks he said: The deep movement will
not rest in the breasts of men. The weight
OF armed repression and the upheavals
Of popular discomfort are plainly dis
cernible. While in some countries the con-
solidation of the empire progresses re-
markably in others its disintegration is
equally significant. The old dynasties are
drifting hopelessly or sinking palpably."
After referring to preparations for war
on land and sea, which. he asserted. were
never so formidable as to-day.
to the increasing burdens of mill
tarism and TO the hostile at
titude assumed towards each other of
capital and labor. Mr.. Bayard remarked:
The movement of to-day is towards state
socialism as an opposing force TO autoc-
racy, either of which is despotism."
Mr.. Bayard then dwelt at length on
the theme Of his address. saying that.
however society is framed, it is by per-
sonal characteristics and individual quail
decided. He continued: I'VE are witness
ing the decline and fall of once mighty
empires as the result of despotic govern
ment and the destruction of personal free
guarded the freedom of the individual
have changed the face of the world" Mr..
Bayard spoke at length OF the wonderful
growth and development of the United
States. which, he assured his audience,
was due to this cause, and he earnestly in
voked the opposition of his hearers to
state socialism in all forms. he also
sounded a note of warning against the
many proposals of political interference
and state management under the garb Of
philanthropic aid or paternalism.
After discussing what ne termed the
tyranny of labor organizations Mr.. Bayard
said: I'm my own country 1 have wit
messed the Unsuitable growth of that form
of state socialism styled protection,
which, 1 believe, has done more TO foster
class legislation and create inequality of
of independent mind and character from
public councils. blunt public conscience and
place politics upon the low level OF a
mercenary scramble, than any other sin
gle cause. Step by step and largely ow-
Ing to the confusion of civil strife. it has
succeeded in obtaining control of the SOW
| ereign power of taxation. creating the
revenue into an engine for selfish and
private profits. Its allied beneficiaries and
combines are called trusts and gradually
the commercial marine of the United
States has disappeared. the few vessels
lately built being an exception and prov
ing the rule as they were only built by
making a breach in general tariff and
navigation laws Mr.. Bayard quoted at
length from the address OF a former COM
missioner Of navigation, read at the re-
cent national congress of farmers at At
| lanta, I'm confirmation of his views. 1T is
Incorrect" said Mr.. Bayard, Ito speak
Of protection as a national policy. That
can never be, as il will never be anything
but a fostering Of special interests at
! the expense OF the rest. 1t is fatal to
hopes of advancement or even to the re-
| tention of what has been gained by civ
ilization."
In conclusion Mr.. Bayard acknowledged
the debt owed by the United States to
Scotland for Hamilton and others and paid
a tribute to the memory of Scott and
Burns.