The San Francisco call., 1896-04-19
CHAUNCEY DEPEW
TALKS POLITICS.
An Interesting Speech Made
at His Birthday
Dinner.
PROTECTION TIE THEME
Predicts the Success of the Party
Championing This Wise
Policy.
NOT FOR FREE SILVER COINAGE
Approves of Cleveland's Course Only
So Far as It Relates to
Sound Money.

BROOKLYN, n. Y, April 1S.-A din
ner was given by the Montauk Club OF
this city tonight in honor of Hon. Chaun-
cey NJ. Depew's birthday. A large num-
ber of distinguished persons were present.
After an address of welcome had been
delivered by the chairman Mr.. Depew was
introduced. He was enthusiastically re-
ceived and spoke as follows:
1--WE are again, as we were four years
ago, in a Presidential year. We will all
admit that the conditions are reversed.
Then the handwriting was upon the wall
which marked the success of the party
which had held power in the Government
for a generation. Then we all felt that
there was to be condemnation of the sys-
tenn of protection as a principle of public
policy and the trial, in some form, of the
theory of free trade. We all know that
the cravings,for more currency would find
expression either in the debasement of
the currency or in ombination of forces
as powerful and so threatening as to
endanger the continuance of settled stand
ards. But the handwriting is equally clear
upon the wall to-day that there is to be
another trial and vigorous one of the
principle and practice of protection; that
there is to be a defeat, and an overwhelm-
ing one, of the friends of fat money, of q
debased currency or of the free coinage of
siver.
1.-The retirement from power of the Re-
publican party after thirty-eight years of
rule was an event CT no ordinary import
ance; the advent into the possession of
every department of the Government OF
the Democratic party and allies was an
event of extraordinary interest. These
four years will be remarkable for the
elimination of the facts and theories which
have come to the front since the Civil War.
Fifty years from now the story will
read like q romance of the rise of the
Populist party, its wild, vague, imposing,
impracticable theories, the singular pub
lie men whom it threw to the surface, its
capture of several States and its ability
to hold the balance of power in the Con-
gress of the United States and then its dis
integrstio and dissipation almost as rap
idly as it was organized.
mo less interesting will be the history
OF the movement in favor of the free coin
age of silver and the great proportions
which it assumed. While I differ entirely
from President Cleveland on almost every
point of his public policy, while think his
theories, SO far as they have been prac-
tically carried out, have been disastrous
and if wholly carried out would have
been fatal to our industries, never
theless, in the frankness and the
fairness of this platform it is
due to him to say that the rout of the free
coinage, of silver policy and the energiz-
ing of the National credit by the triumphs
OF sound money are more largely due to
his throwing upon the winning side with
magnificent courage and ability the whole
strength and power of mis- great Office and
of his administration than to anything
else.
"While we have had period of distress
which has brought SO much suffering to
millions of homes, and while the cost has
been more than that of a disastrous war,
yet the suffering has not been in vain and
the cost has not been lost if it shall have
gained for Us in education by discussion
and by the experiences of our people the
death of the absurdities of Populism and
the triumph of that sound money and un-
questioned currency which shall keep this
great trading business and commercial
republic in honorable relations with and in
the lead among the great trading, business
and commercial nations of the world.
"But that will not be the only compen-
sation. The experience of the last twelve
months has enforced the lessons OF the ne
cessity of ability in diplomacy, and of a
foreign Office which shall have in its per-
manency and its power both the conf
dence of Congress and the country ana
the, ability to cope with dignity and
honor with every question which affects
the relations of the United States
with foreign Governments. We do
not differ as to the Monroe doc
trine as explained by Monroe and
Jefferson anu Madison and Webster and
Calhoun. being the settled policy of the
country to be sustained at every cost and
every sacrifice. We do not differ in SYM
pathy and the practical measures possible
to support it which should be given to the
suffering Christians of Armenia and the
stoppage of the horrible massacres taking
place in that territory. We do not differ
in the feeling we all have that the
proconsular Government OF the Ro-
man Empire of the second GEN.
tury of its distant provinces with its
despotic authority and crushing exactions,
ought no longer to exist anywhere in the
world. and especially in our neighboring
State, the island of CUBA. But at Wash
ington these most delicate, most grave and
most difficult questions have been met by
resolutions and speeches which in the
language of diplomacy and the, custom OF
foreign offices means declaration of war.
THAT magnificent revival of business so
hopeful for every industry which began
In the fall had become paralyzed by
March by the country daring neither to
invest nor employ nor to buy because of
continuing refusal to provide the Govern
ment with the means for meeting its or
binary obligations in the time of profound
peace, or buying great guns or building
fortifications for the protection of our
coasts and harbors, while at the same
time Congress was practically declaring
wsr every few days and call
ing to some power to come on
and submit all differences whether
formulated or not. to the arbitra-
ment of war. There must come out OF the
terrible cost Of this method of diplomacy