The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-26
SPEAKS TO DRUMMERS.


Commercial Travellers From Illinois.
Canton. O., Sept. 26.-Leaving Peoria,
Ill, at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon,
special train bearing several hundred
commercial travellers from that section
reached Canton at O'Clock this morn
ing. The men were uniformed in light
colored linen busters and black silk
hats and each carried a large bunch OF
red, white and blue plumes. They went
direct to the Mckinley residence where
they were presentd by J. V. Graft, rep
resenting the Fourteenth Illinois dis
trict.
In responding, Major Mckinley said:
CONGRESSMAN Calf and My Fellow
Citizens: I am glad to greet at my
home the Travelling Mems Republican
club of the city of Peoria. cannot re-
frain from congratulating you at this
time upon the splendid victory which
you achieved two years ago in elect
ing your present congressman and
turning a strong Democratic majority
into an overwhelming Republican ma
jority. applause and cries I'VE will
do it agafn.') And I am glad to hear
from so many voices about me that it
is your purpose to do it again. I con-
graduate you upon the thriving city
and glorious state in which you live.
Illinois is now by the census the third
state in population in the American IN
ion. 1t has taken the place of Ohio,
but 1 always believed that you took
your census while Ohio was visiting
your great metropolis getting ready
for the worlds fair. Great laughter
and cries 'Hurrah for McKinIey.')
7 congratulate you most heartily
upon the rank Illinois has taken in
population and also the rank she has
taken in craftsmanship. 1t comes to
few states to have furnished to this I'M
ion the grand men you have furnished
Yates and OgIesby and that splendid
soldier, patriot and statesman, John A.
Logan (Applause) and that noblest OF
Democrats, Stephen A. Douglas, who
loved his country far more than he
loved his party, and gave the whole
weight of his mighty influence to Mr..
Lincoln in the crucial period in the his
tory of the republic. (Great applause.)
And no man can think of your great
state without recalling that you fur
nished to mankind and the ages, Abra-
ham Lincoln, the greatest statesman of
this country or any other in the worlds
history Tremendous cheering) and
Ulysses s. Grant, the first captain of the
republic. CRenewed cheering) When
Abraham Lincoln issued his immortal
proclamation of liberty, the whole world
knew that what Lincoln had decreed,
Grant would execute with the thunder
of his artillery Great applause and
cries of Good, Good.')
Il am glad to know that your pros
poets are so good for a splendid victory
in Illinois this year. tremendous
cheering and cries of we will give
Mckinley 10000 majority.
-Four years ago it was said that the
manufacturer was making too much
money. You remember it but that can
not be said now. (Cries of mo, no.O
And that the robber tariff which was
enriching him, must be torn up root
and branch, to the end that he should
be deprived of what some people were
pleased to call his i'll gotten profits.
1.-THE country seemed to share in the
suggestion and the trial was entered
upon with what result every manufac-
turer commercial man, travelling man,
or working man best knOWs.It has been
discovered to our hurt and sorrow that
you cannot injure the manufacturer
with out injuring the 1abOrer- CAP
pIause) It has been found too, that
you cannot injure the manufacture
without injuring the whole business OF
the country CCrieS of That's right
You may close the shops by adverse
tariffs because you imagine the manu-
facturer is making too much, but with
that done you close the door OF employ
ment in the face of the laborer whose
only capital is his labor. (Great cheer
ing) You cannot punish the one with
out Furnishing the other, and our policy
will not infiict the slightest injury upon
either. applause and cries of That's
right'') In such a case getting off to-
gether' does not do either any good.
Arraying labor against capital is a
public calamity and an irreparable in
jury to both. Glass appeals are dis
honest and dishonorable They are
calculated to separate both who should
be united; for our economic interests
are common and indisvisible. Rather'Aly
fellow citizens, teach the doctrine that
it is the duty and privilege of every
man to rise.
Gentlemen, and speak to my coun-
trymen everywhere, if you have not
yourselves been among the most fOrtu-
nate, pray you think of your boys and
girls and place no obstacles in their
pathway to the realization of every
lofty and honorable ambition which
they may have. (Applause.) I pray God
that the burdens of class may never
be imposed upon American manhood
(Applause) and American womanhoo6.
(Renewed applause.) Now my fellow
citizens, thanking you most heartily
for this call and for the gracious mes
sage delivered to me in your behalf by
your spokesman. it will give me pleas
ure to meet and greet each one of you
personally" Great cheering.)