The San Francisco call., 1896-02-13

Mckinley tariff will give victory to the
Republican party thousand men rose
from their seats and repeated the scene
which followed the presentation of Nc
Kinley.
| Mr.. Thurston said in part:
There are so many impending contests just
! at present that I am not at all certain as to
which one my toast refers, but whatever the
contest may be, if it involves the honor or dig
nifty or welfare of my country, the maintenance
and permanency OF American institutions or
the prosperity and happiness of the American
people, / am enlisted in 1T.
am reminded that there is an impending
contest to take place in this city next July.
The contest which takes place in the next
Democratic convention will furnish spectacle
for gods and men. The Democratic party is
rent asunder. Half of it is for gold monomet-
tallism and the other half is for silver mono
metalsm.
our democratic friends console thems elves
with the thought that there is the same con-
test pending in the Republican party as in
their own, but nothing could be further from
the truth. The Republican party of this coun-
try stands to-day practically united, pledged
to the policy of American bimetallism
But l have an idea that I am expected to
speak tonight of that contest which is not i'm
pending, but which is now on between protec.
ton and free trade. The great political con-
test OF 1896 will be fought on the same lines as
have all other recent contests between Demo-
cratic ana Republican parties The protection
OF American industries American markets for
American products, American prices for
American labor, is the battle cry of the Repub-
liean party for the coming campaign. Two
million idle men in the United States demand
cnance to vote upon this issue in the full
knowledge of bitter experience.
The free coinage OF silver must wait for the
Tree coinage of muscle. The opening of Ameri-
can silver mines can wait for the opening OF
American manufactures
Since the Republican party went out of
power there has been a shrinkage OF at least
20 per cent In the manufactures of this coun-
try. This means reduction of one-fourth of
the labor forces of the United States and the
withdrawal of one-fourth of the wage money of
the country from daily circulation. The funds
in this country which were formerly used for
investment in agricultural products hav
been diminished in exact proportion to the
Shrinkage in the American labor market. The
decrease in American consumption has, of
course, increased the amount of agricultural
products offered to the foreign market and the
result has been constantly downward ten
dency in the foreign and American prices
There are thousands of people who insist
that the tariff question has been settled per-
manently; that the Wilson bill will be per-
mitted to stand; but the Republican party has
never consented to the settlement of any great
question until it has been settled rightly. The
Republican party will never consent TO the
settlement of any great question until every
American factory is reopened; until every
American can find unemployment at decent
wage; until every American home is once
! more filed with the comforts of life.
But, Mr.. Toastmaster, the impending con-
test between the Democratic and Republican
parties on the issue of protection is not enough
of a contest TO dignity the name. There is not
an intelligent American who does not know
and rejoice in the knowledge that the Repub-
lican party is coming back into power to re-
build the ediice OF American prosperity.
Mr.. Thurston closed by suggesting as
the proper man for the next President and
leader of the Republican party the Hon.
William Mckinley of Ohio.