Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-06
THE REFORM CLUB SPEECHES,

ocrats on Saturday evening difTered
from ordinary political speeches in ope
vital, respect--that what was said was
all true. This was the reason, apart
from tho inherent merits Of ths
speeches Themselves, which we're very
great, why they were received with
such spontaneous applause. Every one
who listened to them knew that thu
speakers were not bidding for office,
not providing clap.trap and buncombs
for popular consumption, nor doing
anything but stating in plain language
their real convictions about public
affairs. The force Of what was said was
increased by the fact that these conyic.
tions were both deep and Of long stand
ing, and that the men who announced
their determination TO stand by them
bad sustained within six months, with,
out flinching the most tremendous dc.
| feat recorded in the history OF Ameri.
| can parties. The cheers which greeted
what they said were cheers which
meant that the language OF truth,
resolution and courage was refreshing
| and inspirited to ears wearied with
party jargon and lies. Even Luther's
| old words, with which Mr.. Cleveland
| concluded his speech. Here we stand
We cannot do Otherwise did not seem
| forced or out of place. Not single
| man OF those who were present on Sat
| urday evening can ever recant or change
his mind. Where he stands to-day he
must stand as long as he lives, whethT
he 10 followed and cheered or revils6
and hissed.
When we examine what was said at
the dinner We find plenty of proof that
the real Democrats fully understand
the situation in which they are placed.
aud that they are prepared to take and
are now taking those steps by which
i alone they can recover the control Of
the following led away by Bryan, and
also attract to their support-for this ia
equally essential-the independent vote
which for II years supported Mr..
Cleveland, and which by the eStraordi.
nary events VI last summer was driven
into wholly unnatural alliance with
protection.
These steps are, In sum and sub.
stance, the creation of an active opposi-
tion to the party now in control, not
merely out of Congress, where "organi-
cation" however thorough, can only
have effect upon elections many
months away, but in the Senate itself,
where the battle is now going on, and
where alons can either sound cur
rency system make its way into law, or
the protective system be broken UP or
OF least exposed to pubic execration.
Hitherto, since the present Congress
convened, this difficulty of those Who
like ourselves. have desired to support
the ideas of the indianapolis conven.
tion, has been that there have been no
public men in Congress standing by
them. An opposition, to be effective,
| IL &C.
II must fight for them, compel their
debate. enlist popular support. No bet
ter opportunity could possibly bc
: afforded than by the present tariff. On
the showing of its own advocates it
is not needed; it is imperilling all
business, and arousing the most violent
opposition among the manufacturers
] and exporters. Yet in the House no.
, body appeared to lead the Democrats
but semi-Populist whose most i'm
portant political act, to judge by the
amount of space devoted to il in the
} press, was his refusal to wear dress
coat at the White House, and who
} openly advised his followers to let the
tariff 60 through, because 1t would
bring them into power again, We
doubt il, in the long history of the
, struggle for freedom Of trade such g
thing was ever heard before. II must
he remembered that those who attack
! protection can never acquiesce in q pros
tective tariff without deserving those
I whom they have promised to defenS
t from Injustice. That man undertake.
J ing to lead revenue reformers should
! welcome a protective tariff because it
D was go bad. would be laughable we're
. il not shocking. AS Mr.. Shepard said
. on Saturday, the most serious thing we
have to contend with 10 "the profound
I contempt with which official and
9 political life has come to regard public
sentiment,
Q There are signs, and this Reform
s Club dinner is one, that in the Senate
Z this paralysis will disappear, aud thai
. some men will show the country the
i difference between a mob and party.
9 Senator Caffery's speech, one OF this
{ best made at the dinner, was that of q
u man who thoroughly understood the
8 situation, and had no sympathy with a
Q ldo-nothing policy. What he said about
: the possibility of dividing the Republi.
! cans was both true and important
eI"There are some Republicans who dc
9 not believe in erecting the Chinese
y wall SO high as both to keep out for
: eign imports and to keep in domestic
y manufactures. These forces ought to,
: and may, unite with Gold Democrats
Tor the weal Of common country, whose
prosperity lies 80 close to their hearts. u
: This foreshadows, no doubt, the rlan oil
bringing forward genuine revenue
bill, and Offering it as a substitute fol
the Dingley measure. "You say you
!. want $50, 000. 900 or $50, 900, 600 revenue.
' and offer us a measure which will
4 upset half the established business Of
o the country. that you may pay your
: political debts. We offer you revenue
a measure with taxes laid on half a dozer
S ARTICLES. Everybody knows that il il
q feasible. What have you got to say?"
o Gan any one doubt that opposition oil
r fhis sort would win support both il
and outside Congress?
The Gunboat Wilmington.
Il q Washington, April 2S-The supboai