Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-09-18

most extensive and expensive war in his
tory, will not turn their backs upon the
soldiers of that war, nor seek to pay their
pensions in dollars worth only half theri
face value.
A people who emerged from that war
with an Understanding debt of $685.
100000, or $40 per capita for our entire
population in 1865, will not now, after
having honestly paid three-fourths of that
great debt, ever seek, directly or indirect
ly, to repudiate one dollar of it or cheaper
the coin of payment.
A people, say, who proceed ed in good
faith to pay off that debt with such un-
paralleled rapdity, which, it was estimated
in 1888, up TO that time they had paid 1923
for every minute of every day of every
year from 1865 to 1883, will not now pal
ter, bargain or scheme to defraud any
creditor of the government, whoever or
wherever he may be.
A people who had the satisfaction of
seeing that debt reduced to $685., 100000
on March 3, in 1898, at the close of the
splendid administration of President Har-
rison will readily and quickly meet both
the remainder of the old debt and all that
has been made since. And it paid off
principal and interest in the best money of
the world, and recognized by the civilized
nations TO be the best at the time of pay
ment; Just as President jackson paid off
the last of the Revolutionary debt 80 years
or more after the first OF 1t had been con-
| tracted.
This, my fellow citizens of Vermont, is
the faith that the election in your state in
spires in me; but that is not all.
In that verdict | see the unalterable de-
| termination of the people of the United
| States, for whom she had the honor first to
speak, TO restore the protective tariff sys-
TEN once more to our statute books.
Vermont is an agricultural state, but
her keen, sagacious and honest farmers
know full well the value of protection and
! its twin sister, reciprocity. They have
profited by experience They have exam
| ined both their stock books and their store
| books, and they have had plenty of time TO
do it in the last three years, and have
learned that their products have been
worth less than at any time for long Sc
res of years. The farmers of this country
want protective tariff and they mean to
| have it. So, too, will our farmers every
where decide. They are naturally conserv-
alive and their unerring common sense and
common honesty will lead them quickly to
detect the fallacies of free silver, just as
they have learned the falsity of the falla-
| ces of free trade.
Citizens of Vermont, | congratulate you
on the example and courage Of the Green
Mountain boys who fought at Bennington
and Gettysburg. The long line of emf
nent and worthy men who have contrib
uted to the national galaxy, the great
worth of your present distinguished public
servants, both in state and national coun-
cils the many great names you have given
to literature, arts and sciences, and espec-
tally to mechanics and inventions. But of
all, | congratulate you upon the high
character, not only of the population you
have sent to other states, but of that which
you have kept at home.
Your devotion to your best interests,
your love of liberty and the enlightened
principles of free government, your love OF
social order and respect for law, come to
us of the newer states most gracious in
spiration and positive strength. No poor
words of mine could express the debt of
gratitude | feel so richly due you in the
pending contest. Your acts speak louder
than words and point the way to grander
results. You have set the pace; you have
lifted up the standard of public honor.
appreciate most highly your call upon me
at such discomfort and trouble; but val
lie far more the proud services you have
rendered your country in this emergency
in our history.
Fellow-ctizens, assure you that it gives
me pleasure TO welcome you here to my
home. cannot find words to express my
appreciation of the courtesy and cordiality
of this call; and it will afford me sincere
pleasure to greet each one Of you person
ally.
After the great cheering had subsidized
and Gov. Mckinley had personally well
coined the visitors, he was presented with
a huge case Of Vermont butter.