The Portland daily press., 1897-11-11
CONGRESSMAN DINGLEY OF MAINE
ONE OF THE SPEAKERS.
Congressmen Russell of Connecticut, Dol
liver of Iowa and Senator Lodge Among
the speakers-Over 1000 Seated at the
Tables.


from distant states. The most distin-
guished guests of the evening were Con-
gressman Nelson A. Dingley of Maine,
Congressman Charles A. Russell of Con-
necticut Congressman Dolliver and SEN
ator Henry Cabot Lodge, all Of whom
made speeches, arousing great enthusi-
asm.
AT o'clock the members of the club
and the guests sat down to dinner, which
was served in the main hall, which was
elaborately decorated.
EPresident Chas. Stott of Lowell, called
the meeting to order amid great enthu-
siasm. He then introduced Lieut.. Gov.
Crane who, in a brief speech, extended
the greetings of the commonwealth and
congratulated the club upon the good
work it had accomplished.
President Stott then expressed his re-
grets that Senator Aldrich, Senator Han
ma and Senator Hoar who were expected
to be present, were unavoidably detained.
Secretary Clark read message from
Senator Hanna, stating that he was kept
at home by the illness of his friend and
guest, Benjamin Butterworth, and on
motion of President Stott, the senator
was given three rousing cheers. Hon.
Nelson Ding1ey was then presented by
the president in a felicitious speech and
received an ovation.
Hon. Nelson Dingley during his ad-
dress, said:
Evidently I am not a stranger here.
I have been with the Home Market club
before. am reminded that the time 1
was with you, was in that period be-
tween 1890 and 1892, when your free trade
friend, was so industrially assailing the
Mckinley tariff, denouncing protection
as 'legalized robbery, and economic
suicide, and in glowing picture painting
the unexampled prosperity which
would burst upon the country with ver-
dict of the people for so called tariff re-
| form.
"Well, Mr. President, great many
people in this country are wiser than
they were five years ago. In the quaint
words of Josh Billings, they have learned
things. than to know SO many things
that amt so.
Some who study maxims rather than
markets deny that there has been any
retoration of confidence or any revival
of business. If facts before their eyes
disprove their theories, 1t is the worst
for the facts.
facts admit the Improvement, but insist
that it comes in spite of protection from
what they call natural causes"
Still other, like Bryan, contend that the
improvement is only temporary, because
of a short crop, and rise of wheat abroad
"a significant admission that supply and
demand, aud not silver make priceg), and
worse unless we have 16 to l free silver on
our own hook, which they style obi
meallism" perhaps because it means good
bye to gold in our metal money. l leave
our free trade friends to reconcile their
antagonistic explanations of the failure
of their theorieS-simply remarking that
common sense of the people concludes
that the repeated coincidence between he
protective policy and prosperity, and be-
tween the overthrow of that policy and
adversity ,esta blished the relation of cause
and effect, even though this cause be only
cOntributory to the tendency In modern
business to periodic alterations OF conf
dence and distrust; and such common
sense finds reason for this conclusion
the prosperity of country is gauged Dy
the extent to which It's people are en-
ployed at such wages, or pront, as insure
a higher standard of living.
The abnormal cheapening OF many
products which we have witnessed the
pasb Iour years has been In q laISe par1
not a cheapening of wealth by economic
processes, but by the degradation OF man
through lowering the standard OF living,
not only by reduction of earnings. but
also depriving multitudes OF workmen
OF the opportunity to use their labor.
Such cheapening process has killed en-
terprise, diminished the purchasing power
OF the masses and beggared hundreds OF
thousands.
In order to secure restoration OF
prosperity, it is essential that so much
OF the decline in prices as has been due
to degradation of man shall be nr6t on
set by an equivalent rise in order that
industries and business may recuperate
amid American genius be set free to re-
duce cost of production and prices by
levying on the forces of nature. And
all experience under the protective pollcy
shows that when this is done, any slight
temporary increase of prices is soon far
more than off SET, first by the employment
OF those out of work, and second oy an
increase OF wages, both of which opera,
tions we have already all about us and
which will multiply as the months go on.
L know that some of our free trade