The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-07-01

Work lhe interests or n cOn5tit-
leney," he wrote, "and his own Nent
IF mind led him TO study Of indt ial
lnestiors, and ne was soon recognized
IN the House rs one Of the most thor
Dngh statis;icians and one Of the ablest
defenders Of the doctrine Of brotec-
ton"
For zone OF the ablest7 we may now
well write "the foremost" The Amer
lean system Of protection 10 American
industry was founded by Hamilton
AMI his COLLEAGUES. II was formulated
and cxpounded by Clay. IL was all
vocated before the people by Greeley,
and championed in Congress for full
generation by Judge Kelley. Mr..
Morrill, gave it practical application
with marvelousIy good effect in franz
ing the tariff legislation made neees-
sary by the war But it was reserved
for William Mckinley to bring the
system to its highest degree Of perfee-
ton, to proclaim it a permanent and
abiding principle, and to vindicate it
rs such before the world.
The first speech he made in Congress
was on the subject Of the tariff, and
was in opposition to the non-protec-
tive bill introduced by Fernando
Wood, of New York, in 1878. That
speech made marked impression up
on the House and the Nation, and
theneeforth its author was looked to in
every tariff debate TO be one Of the
chief upholders of protection. An in
cident related by Judge Kelly, in his
eulOgy upon Dudley G.. Haskell, shows
how effectively Mckinley answered
this expectation. IL was when the
famous Mills bill was before the House.
Kelly was TO open debate on the
Republican side and Mckinley vas to
close it. Haskell, who was a member Of
the Ways and Means Committee, and
particularly strong debater, desired
the honor of closing the debate, and
asked Judge Kelly to persuade McKin-
ley to give way to him. The Judge
went to Mckinley and repeated Has
kelrs request. Mckinley readily con-
sented, saying that he did not care in
what order he spoke. So it happened
that Mckinley was the fourth or fifth
speaker and Haskell was to talk last.
At the conclusion of McKinley's
speech a number Of the members
crowded around TO congratulate him.
Foremost among them was Haskell,
who seized McKinley's hand enthu-
siastically, exclaiming, "MajOr, / shall
speak last; but you, sir, have closed
the debate"
With such years Of prepara ton Me
Kinley was universally recognized a
the one man of all best qualified to
frame the new tariff law, which it
seemed desirable to enact when the
Republicans resumed full control Of
the Government in lSs9. He was ap-
pointed chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee, and presently gave
to the Nation the great measure which
bears his name. OF his work in con-
nection with il he speaks modestly.
''I was chairman of the committee"
he says, ''and | performed my duties
as.be$t could. That i all. Some Of
the strongest men in Congress were on
the committee, and the eight of us
heard everybody, considered every
thing, and made up the best tariff law
we knew how 10 frame Envi0us
rivals and un>crupulous foes have
sought To bclittlc his fame by declaring
that it was not his bill at all, that it
was really framed by others, ami that
hiS connection with il was purely aC-
cilentaI. To no intelligent reader of
the history of the time can it he neces-
sary to spend much space in rcfuting
that stupid calumny. Mckinley was
the author and finiSher of that bill.
He conceived its general principles
He gave countless days and nights of
study and of toll 10 the elaboration of
it, details. BY his unsurpassed leader
ship he secured it, adoption by the
House without reS)rting t. a party
caucus-an unprecedented achieve
ment. He bore the brunt of the hos
tile criticism which was heaped upon
the law by tine free traders of Great
Britain and their obsequious vassals
here. To him, and 10 him alone, are
due the honor and the fame which the
better judgment of the world has
awarded to the author of that hist Oric
measure.
1t is not needful in this place To en-
ter into a detailed exposition of the
provisions and effects of the Mckinley
bill. The Nation knows them. The
Nation knows that il took the tax
from some of the chief necessities of
life; that it stimulated old industries
and called new ones OF vast magnitude
into prosperous existence; that il great
ly extended, by wise system Of reel
prOcity, the foreign commerce Of the
country; that it provided means for
conducting the Government and keep
ing the financial credit of the Nation
unimpaired. These are the facts now
abundantly recognized beyond all ehal-
lenge. Wemay quote as absolutely true
the words spoken by Mr.. Mckinley
himself at the time when the measure
was repealed and the present Democrat
ic product of ''perfidy and dishonor"
foisted i'm it, place;
The law of 1880 was enacted for the
American people and the American
home. Whatever mistakes were made
in it were all made in favor of the Oc-
cuDatiOns and the fireSides of the
American people. 1t didn't take away
single days work from a solitary
American worSingman. Ii gave work
and wages TO all, such as they had
never had before. Ii did il by estab-
fishing new and great industries in
this country, which increased the de
mand for the skill and handiwOrk of
or labOrcrS everywhere. IL had no
| friends in Europe. Ii gave their in
dustries TAO stimulus. lt gave no en-
piOyment To their labor at the expense
of our own.
During more than two years of the
| Administration of President Harrison,
and down To it, end, il raised all the
| revenue necessary To pay the vast eX-
| penditurcs of the Government, includ-
| ing the interest on the public debt and
the pensions. IL never encrOached up
| ON the VOld reserve. which in the past