The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-06-26
Speech
or Charles W. Fairbanks at st. Louis
Convention.

jackson Herald
Having carefully read the speec
of Charles w. Fairbanks, tempora
ry chairman of the Republican cor
vention al st. Louis, we are NOR
thoroughly convinced now, tha
ever, that ii is blessing for tina
party that the common masse
have not access to books and sta
tistics, and are heirs of that failing
that none escape, forgetfulness; TO
if the masses had these, or did no
forget, no such speeches would b.
made, and if they were they wOulC
ia II as fiat as day-before-ye yesterday
flap-jack.
The burden Of his speech was tt
throw the blame Of the present
hard times on Democracy, and
point out the road to better times
as lying through the Republican
darty. Well now let me see: al
must admit that laws have much
to do with the times. Mr.. Fair
banks says this, that we must look
for relief through law.
Let US treat him fairly and take
his own statements. He says "for
quarter Of century, prior to the
present administration, we have
lived under Republican laws"
We agree with this, and on the
head of it, ask when did these hard
times begin? What law that effects
trade are we living under now, save
the tariff law alone, that is not Re-
publican in all its parts?
Has not times been growing
closer and closer for over twenty
years? And did not the present
panic begin under the Harrison ad-
ministration, and the highest tariff
he L. S. has known?
MONEY.
"Since the resumption act of 1879
every dollar of our money, paper,
silver and gold has been equal the
world over"
This is remarkable. Does not
Mr.. Fairbanks know there is no
such thing as worlds dollar? And
does he forget that by that state
ment he gives his own party the
lie when II claims there is one dol
lar and one fifty cent dollar?
He says under the Republican
tariff there was enough money to
run the government and times
were good. Let us see, he surely
fOrgets the labor strikes under Har-
rison. Has he forgot Homestead
so soon? But again, did it produce
enough revenue? If figures are to
be believed when Cleveland hand
cd over the Treasury on March 4,
1889, it contained $l50,000,000 or
thereabouts of free gold, and was
paying its way. During that ad-
ministration the Mckinley bill
was passed, and when Harrison
turned the Treasury back to Cleve-
land March 4, 1898 the $l5O,OO0, 900
had gone, $I7, 100000 debts due and
unpaid, and Secretary Foster pre-
pairing to strike bonds to sell to
meet the deficit. But that is not
all, the Mckinley bill remained on
the statute books, in full force, for
nearly twenty months under Cleve-
land before it was repealed, and |
the revenue fell of so that Cleve-
land had to do just what Foster
was preparing to do when the 4th |
day Of March 1898 relieved him
and cast the duty upon Cleveland,
sell bonds. Says he that Wilson
bill struck down reciprocity, the
highest achievement in American
craftsmanship.
What is reciprocity? Does he
not know it is the rankest of free
trade; not one iota of protection in
1t. But more, did he not have any
feelings for Mckinley? Does he
not know that by advocating recip.
rocity he is plungIng the knife into
the heart Of Mr.. Mckinley, the
very man he is championing for
President today? Does he not
that Mr.. Mckinley at
the head Of the Ways and Means
committee refused this reciprocity
olause when proposed by James G..
Blaine? Does he not remember
The remarkable statement of Blaine
after examining the Mckinley bill
1T does not open a single market
10 barrel OF -four. or pound of
pork, and then Blaine. presented
Ihe reciprocity clause, and the com.