The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-13
Delivers an Address Before the
Marquette Club.
The Chicago People Welcome
Him With Cheers.
TALKED PROTECTION.
The First Gun of His Boom
Touched Off.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS States
men Present.

CHICAGO, Feb. 13.-When William
Mckinley arose to speak last night at
the banquet in the Auditorium, giveu
by the Marquette club in commemora-
ton of the birth of Abraham Lincoln,
1850 men cheered the Ohioan with the
vehemence of enthusiastic admiration.
They got upon chairs and the air was
filed with the f1utter of handkerchiefs
and vibrating with the tumult of
voices Men cheered till they were
exhausted with the effort, and rested
and cheered again.
1t was the tenth annual banquet
given by the club, and it was intended
there would be 1900 guests. More
than that number by 800 came and an
overflow banquet was necessary. The
guest of honor was Mr.. Mckinley. He
spoke to the toast, Abraham Lin
coin" The occasion was particularly
notable as the first public appearance
of Ohio's famous son in another State
since his return from the Governor
ship to the position of a private citi-
zen.
Among those at the speakers table
besides Mr.. Mckinley were the Repub-
hcan governors of Wisconsin and
Pennsylvania and the Republican SEN
ators from Nebraska, North Carolina
and Maryland. At every reference to
the name of Mckinley or the word
protection" outbursts of cheering
followed. The address of the ex-gov-
ernor was a Enthusiastically mag
nihcent piece of oratory. He said in
part:
THE question of the continuance or
abandonment of our protective system
has been the one great, Overshadow-
ing vital question in American politics
ever since Mr.. Cleveland opened the
contest in December. 1887, to which
the lamented James 6. Blaine made
swift reply from across the sea, and it
will continue the issue until a truly
American policy, for the good of
America, is firmly esta blished and per-
petuated. The fight will go on and
must go on until the American system
is everywhere recognized, until all
nations come to understand and re-
spect it distinctly, and all Ameri-
cans come to honor and love it as
dearly, as they do the American flag.
God grant that the day will soon
come when all partisan contention
over it is forever at an end!
THE Republican party only is COM
petent to carry this policy into effect.
Whenever there is anything to be done
for this country, it is the Republican
party we must look to to have it done.
We are not contending for any partic-
ular tariff law, or laws, or for any
special schedule, or rates, but for the
great principle-the American pro-
tective pollcy-the temporary over
throw of which has brought distress
and ruin to every part of our beloved
country.
1t may be asked what the next
Republican tariff law will provide. L
can not tell you. 1 can not tell you
what the rates will be, but they will
measure the difference between Amer
lean and European conditions, and
will be fully adequate to protect our
selves from the invasion of our mar
kets by oriental products to the injury
of American labor, and will in no case
be too low to protect and exalt Amer
jean labor, and promote and increase
American production