Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-10-10

Baltimore Democrats formally opened
| their campaign Monday night by largo
massmeeting in Music Hall, held under
the auspices of the Hurst Business
| Mems Association. Mayor Latrobe pre-
sided, and John E. Hurst, Democratic
candidate for Governor, was the first
speaker. He was followed by United
States Senator George Gray, of this
city, who was enthusiastically received.
Senator Gray said there was peculiar
fondness in Maryland for Delaware,' as
she was one of the original 13 States.
"When | received the invitation to
come here" said he, although it was
an off year in politics with us and we
were out of harness, could not refuse
10 come to Baltimore TO assist at least
in ratification meeting of the Demo
cratic State convention. i did not
know single man on your ticket l
| had heard of your candidate as God
fearing, honest man, such as, God be
praised, Maryland abounds in. / did
not come to speak for them; came
because there are more than State
issues at stake. / came as Delaware
Democrat to tell you of the perils
ahead. The distinguished antagonist
of your Democratic candidate for
Governor himself says that this contest
is to settle the place where Maryland
will stand in the great national fight
ahead of you. | came also because
saw in your platform that you still held
unwavering confidence in this patriot
ism, wisdom and fidelity of Grover
Cleveland. | am with that platform,
and | shake hands with every one of
you. When Mr.. Cleveland sent forth
his great tariff reform measure to the
Congress in 1887 he planted the party
standard to the front, and compelled
| the Democrats to march forward TO 1t.
There was timidity, assure you, even
among Democrats. They thought, per-
haps, our leader was too bold, too pre-
cipitate, but he left nothing for the
timid to rest upon behind him. We
came to the fight of 1888, and ont Of
ii we grew stronger and more united.
We were not dismayed by the result.
We buckled our belts little tighter
and prepared for the future fight, Ger
tain that we would win and dpYn this
monstrous her ssy that a few could tax
the many for their own benefit. We
thus arrived at the fight of 1892. and
the seed sown four years before had
done its work, and, under our old leader,
we won.
"You cannot down party with such
an issue as tariff reform. Our great
leader made this issue the only one.
Then what followed? We had both
branches of Congress, but ii was only
an organizing, not working majority,
With this small working majority of
two in the Senate, we were called upon
| 4x. ~ .,,A DO inr,;.lofiau A turiH
bill was framed in tho House of Repro
sentatives. 1t was no radical measure.
Every interest was considered. 1t was
not desired that any harm or hardships
should bo worked upon them.
SENATORIAL COURTESY
'tTbus the bill came to the Senate.
That body is conservative one; 1t
conserves all interests. When you at
tack privilege in its stronghold dom
forget that you have determined fight
against you. 1t is built upon selfish
ness, self-love, the narrow view of a
class against the broad view of the
many--some of the strongest motives
in the human breast. Thus, when the
Tariff bill came to us it was met by
these men holding such privilege.
They came there with money, and
power, and arrogance to defeat this
bill. They came not in thoir pomp of
power, but as supplicants, gentle as
purring kittens. They held before
them the poor man. They said that he
would be turned out of work, that in
forests would be beggared, manufac-
tories closed. These appeals had their
effect on some. / and some others
many, perhaps-told them that they
InE 81. rxr
into honest business. Others, how
ever, said that the bill could work ON
certain interests, but we must let, alone
certain pet interests of theirs and their
constituents. We had splondidly or
ganized Republican opposition in the
Senate, working to compel concessions
from us.
We worked hard TO sec how we could
reform the tariff in the interest of the
people of the country, and in so doing
carry out the pledges of the party. So,
we made little concessions here and
there, and finally the bill went through,
and the Mckinley law was repealed.
Whero would the Mckinley bill be il
Maryland had been represented by Re.
puplicans? Cheers. Now they ask
you to put back Republican Senator
to vote the Mckinley bill back. We
got that bill through by edging anC
pushing. That is what we did in the
Senate, and that is what your Demo
cratic Senators helped to do. That bill
was never decided on the floor. II wa!
decided after three days of debates il
Democratic caucusses. The full his
tory of that fight and who bore thu
brunt will never be known. No law Sc
Just and fair has been put on the stat
ute books since 1916. The Republicans
were there to ieer us, to oppose us, Il
challenge us, for they had sworn tina
we should not pass it. They knew tina
we We're pulling the bill through sand
and that our tug was heavy one
Well, we passed it. Then the Repub
licans said that TO it was due that darl
cloud of depression which swept owe
, the country. Now, when Mr.. Cleye
j. land took charge he found the Treasury
bankrupt. The government was thei
in no condition to resist this way,
!, which swept upon us in 1893 from tn
outside world. We were then livinJ
under the Sherman act, which put thi
government into a banking business
When the depression began people com
menced to hoard their gold. The none
panic was on, and the Republican
, said that is was due to the Democrati
. administration. This waa ,prett