The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-04
SENATOR FAIRBANKS SPEECH.
1T Outlines Issues Which Republicans
Will Follow This Fall.


Below is the full text Of Senator Fair
bankss speech,
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Con-
vention-I wish to thank you for the very
great honor of your invitation to preside
over your deliberations. And i desire to con-
graduate you upon a united, aggressive and
patriotic party in the State of Indiana. In
spired by the sacred memories of our great
and Arthur dead; and by the exalted states
manship of our great leaders, Harrison and
Mckinley, living. and conscious of the
righteousness of our cause, we confidently
face the future. In this patriotic hour, we
Will not forget the name of Oliver p. Nor
ton, whose great spirit is now watching
over the Indiana boys at the front who are
upholding the honor of their country.
We miss the genial presence, the wise
counsel and magnetic voice of our venerable
leader. Richard w. Thompson. He has been
a valiant soldier in the cause of Republic
anism, and we cheerfuly join to-day in the
hope that there may be added to his long
and useful life many days of health and
happiness APP ee;ntr,men tho occasion demands
that We should give to the great cOnStitu-
ency which we represent some account of
our administration of national and state af-
fairs with which the people have intrusted
us. In the nature of the case, we can do no
more than touch upon the more salient feat
ures OF the great and numerous questions
which have engaged our attention. We have
been in power in State and Nation about
one year and a half. brief period, yet
filled with more important events than any
y,
cept perhaps only one. 1t has been, indeed,
history making epoch-an epoch which
will challenge the admiration and approval
of those who shall follow us. Mighty events
have pressed quick upon each other, and
more are soon to come.
When we were last assembled. two years
ago, distress and commercial paralysis
were on every hand; our people were en-
ervated and progress seemed dead.
But with the restoration of 18th the
an era of prosperity was ushered
in. All avenues of industry were reopened:
countless thousands of idle workmen found
remunerative fields of employment, and the
returns of the farmers increased until
plenty and happiness extend throughout the
| borders of the Republic. What caused this
sudden Observation-Disclosures radical and uni
versally recognized change? 1t was the
| natural and logical result of the restoration
of the Republican party to power and the
| establishment of Republican principles
| in public administration.
The Republican Pledges.
| The Republican party has been character
| lied from the beginning of its history by
| faithful redemption of pledges. It's cam
| paign promises are not mere idle vote
| catching pledges, but are made to be re-
| deemed when the party is intrusted with
| power One of the first duties resting upon
us at the beginning of the present admins
| tration was the repeal of the Wilson law,
| which had so disturbed and disorganized
| business, ana embarrassed the treasury,
and the enactment of a protective tariff
measure in it's stead. Quick to realize and
appreciate the necessities of the people,
| President Mckinley convened Congress in
| extraordinary session on March Is, the
| earliest date practicable after his inaugu-
ration, for the purpose of enacting a new
| revenue measure which should quicken our
enterprises, restore confidence to the people,
and supply the treasury with revenue ade-
quate TO meet its necessities. Congress adj
dressed itself to the great task with com
mendable devotion and energy, and on July
"a, 1897, the Wilson law was wiped from the
statute books of the United States and the
/ Dingley law enacted.
! 1t is impossible to refer to more than a
/ few of the details of the Dingley law. Like
| the Mckinley law, the measure speaks for
/ itself Its justification is complete in the
! Improvement of countless industries giving
/ employment to a vast number of wage
workers throughout the country. No bill
was ever framed with more regard for the
/ interests of the American farmer, or the
| American producer Ii is through and
| through an American measure.
The wool industry. which was being rap
4 idly destroyed under the Wilson law, was
/ given adequate protection and was rapidly
/ and greatly stimulated in the United States
and yielded large revenue to the treasury,
which was literally thrown away by the
/ Wilson law. There is no sound reason why
we should surrender sheep husbandry to the
sheep raisers of Australia, the Cape OF Good
Hope and other countries. The Republican
party does not propose to do II.
We sought TO stimulate sugar production
II Is the policy OF the Republican party TO