The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-20


set labor to work at fair wages. That TO do
this we must fire up the furnaces in our m ills
start the wheels of cur machinery, protect
proouctS OF the farm ana maintain our home
markets against unfair foreign competition.
When we do this we will have good times, and
with good times will come larger use LOT
money, and then confidence will be restored,
and all this " i'll result from protection.
Senator White is altogether the ablest among
the Popocratic speakers now travelling through
the State. He represents that party aud its
policy more than any other man. six months
ago he was a Democrat He was then for free
trade only. He voted for the Wilson bill and
Zee raw material. He is now for free silver
and free trade. He then adored Cleveland,
and he now opposes him. Up to the day of the
adjournment of the Senate in June of this
year, he sustained Mr.. Cleveland and his ad-
ministration, gold bonds, gold policy and ALL
He was on the Finance Committee of the
Senate and he did not even object to the issue
OF gold bonds, although he had an opportunity
to do so. He now Endorses the platform which
claims to oppose their issuance and Is in favor
OF paying them in silver. Up to the time of
the adjournment of Congress he was the main
support, the bulwark OF Cleveland's admins
tration. Cleveland was gold monometallist
and opposed TO silver in every form; he knew
1t when he supported him for President and
ever since then.
do not blame White. He was Democratic
Senator; that is reason enough for his action.
Indeed, Senator White has for years looked on
complacently and silently at the wreck of a Ma
tons industries. That was the inevitable result
OF his political principles. He never once raised
his voice in the peoples defense. He saw the
people growing poorer and poorer; he saw the
laborers out of employment; he saw the Ma
ton running into debt; property decrease in
value; the factories closed down; the products
of the farm and the farms themselves lowered
80 per cent in value and AZ per cent of Ameri-
can workers out OF employment; and his only
answer was his affirmative vote on the Wilson
bill and free trade.
Four years ago it was my privilege to speak
with Senator White on the tariff issue. He
then told you, and he told the people every
hnrn don tod ana,, 80 ~,
ciple of tariff reform and put raw material on
the free list, we would prosper. His whole
argument was made upon the theory that
protection was a fraud The Democratic
platform so declared, and he Endorsed that
declaration. He demanded free rev material,
free wool, free fruit, free grain and cheap for
eign goods. He told the laboring man that
America labor could take care of itself That
is what ne now says about American finances.
And he said in SO many words, american
laborers could do one-third more work than
any other people," and thus he argued If they
would only work harder they would be all
right; that we did not need protection. And
he said to the people, after admitting our
prosperity, that 1--WE had prospered in spite
of protection" At that time 1 told you if the
Senator's theories of government were carried
out ruin would fall upon our country; that
the value of labor would be lowered: that the
price of PROD ucts would be largely decreased;
that money would become scarce; that the
poor would be the chief sufferers, and, in
word, that protection would alone secure
American prosperity, and free trade would re-
suit IN American ruin.
What 1 said has proved true. My friend
White now admits that he was wrong in the
past because he now refuses to sustain the ad-
ministration he helped to elect. After failing
in his promise OF four years ago he hunts up
the silver question, with the addenda of repudi-
alton and the Chicago platform, although for
four years he has sustained gold Democratic
administration and never once complained.
He never mentions protection tree trade
now. He proposes to remedy present con-
ditions by coming free-either Chinese or
Amerlcan-silver He forgets the promises of
the past de 1ntlmates, without saying 1t,
that he was young and inexperienced then.
He is four years older and many years wiser
now He was then for Cleveland ana reform.
He is United States Senator and of right can
change his principles to suit his following. I
do not blame him Tor that. He wants another
term in the Senate. l think he is sincere. He
knows his political principles have been bad
and his party associations worse, and if he
does not likehis party why shouldn't he leave
il But it looks little suspicious for states
man TO cry, stop, thief!' to everybody else
while he is getting away with the plumber In
this instance the plumber is the offices. 1 do
not mean this as a criticism, but simply as
historical fact
The Senator has an idea to the main chance
and SO he combines with Mr.. Gator, the Pop
ulistc Candidate Tor the Senate, at the same
time that he changes his politics and saves
the finances of the country. Gator & White,
White & Cator-twin relics of old parties
This is the programme: Gator is to have all
the Democratic Assemblymen this year, White
the hold-oYel Senators next year and the peo-
pie few of the Superior Judges The marvel
is that the people get anything under this ar
rangement
The people can see how our friends are say
ing the country. 1 don't blame them for be-
ing ambitious, but what do blame them for
is that they should imperil the peace OF So
ciety, the industries OF the country and the
honor of the American name to g-atify their
political ambition. l like White and 1 do
think by reason of his extreme youth he has
been led into this unfortunate alliance.
Observe the situation: The following circu-
lar letter sent out to the good people of the
State explains itself. 1 quote from the Exam
liner of Sunday morning, September Is,
1896. The Examiner says the following is
sample copy OF these letters that Mr. Gator has
been sending out:
SAN FRANCISCO Sept. 9, 1895
Ny Dear Sir: There are Assemblymen and
Superior Judges to be elected in - County
The Democrats generally giving us the Assem-
bymen for the Superior Judges. and they are sat
isfied with my contest for Senator, in view of nv
long services for the cause of silver. Last night
Campaign Committee of California 1t would be
agreeable to that entire committee, as well as to
the Democrats generally, if you would make this
1 leave for Bakersfield tonight, and hope to
learn on my return that you have used your good
offices in this matter. Very sincerely,
THOMAS v. GATOR
We repeat, Mr.. Gator is the Populistic caudi-
date for the Senate this year; he wants the AS
semblymen. Senator White is to be the candi-
date for Senator two years from now; he wants
Inc lIolO-ONeE tue people are not In
it, This is most pleasing free-silver arrange
ment, but to the suffering producers it would
seem to be more for free Offices than for free
silver. 1t is an attractive combination for
the two candidates for the Senate. A thought
full man might well inquire, CHOW will this
benefit the people 2" Both gentlemen are
free-traders, both for free silver and both for
free offices. There is success in this arrange
ment TO them, but poverty and want to the
people.
The only thing now necessary for these
worthy gentlemen to do to make easy sailing
is to SO attract public attention by pointing
out how bad the wicked Republicans are that
no one viii notice their own shortcomings.
They at least are inconsistent.
The remainder of MIR. Estee's speech
embraced logical prosecution of Republi-
can arguments for protection and an
honest currency.