The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-20

CONVENTION HALL. Philadelphia June
20.-Following is the speech of Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts as Permanent
Chairman of the Republican National Con-
vention:
"One of the greatest honors that can
fall to any American in public life is to
be called to preside over Republican Ma
tional Convention. How great that honor
is you know, but you cannot realize, nor
can l express. the gratitude which / feel
10 you for having conferred it upon me.
l can only say 10 you, in the simplest
phrase, that l thank you from the bot
tom of my heart 'Beggar that l am
am ever poor in thanks, and yet | thank
you
We need again TO nominate the next
President of the United States. Four years
have passed since We nominated the SOL
der and statesman who is now President
and who is soon to enter upon his second
term. Since the Civil War no Presiden-
tial term has been 50 crowded with great
events as that which is now drawing to
a close. They have been four memOra-
bic years. To Republicans they show a
record Of promises kept OF work done, OF
Unforeseen OUT stions met and answered. To
the Democrats they have been generous in
the exhibition OF unfulflled predictions, in
in futile opposition 10 the forces of the
times and the aspirations of the American
people. ! wish ! could add that they had
been equally instructive 10 our opponents,
but while il is true that the Democrats
like the Bourbons. learn nothing, it is only
too evident that the familiar comparison
cannot be completed for they forget
great deal which 1t would be well for
them TO remember.
In no Cavern
the country from the hands of President
Cleveland His party had abandoned him
and were joined to their Idols, Of which
he was no longer one. During the last
years Of his term we had presented TO us
the melancholy spectacle Of a President
trying to govern without a party. The
result was that his policies were in ruin.
legislation was at a standstill, and public
affairs were in a perilous and incOherent
condition. Party responsibility had van
ished. and with it all possibility of intel
iigent action. demanded by the country at
home and abroad. Ii was an interesting
but by no means singular display of Dem
Ocratic unfituess for the practical work
of government. To the political student
it instructive. TO the country it was
extremely painful 10 business disastrous.
I'VE replaced this political chaos with a
President in thorough accord with his par
gan again to move smoothly and effective
ly. Thus We kept al once our promise OF
better and more efficient administration.
In four months after the Inauguration Of
President Mckinley we had passed a Tariff
bill. For ten years the artificial agitation
In behalf of what was humOrously called
tariff reform, and of what was really free
trade, had kept business in a ferment, and
had brought a Treasury deficit, paralyZed
industries. depression, panic. and, finally,
continuous bad times TO a degree never be-
fore imagined. Would you know the result
OF our tariff legislation. look about you,
Would you measure its success. recollect
that Il is no longer an issue. that our op-
ponents, free traders as they are, do not
dare TO make II an issue that there is not
a State in the Union today which could be
carried for free trade against protection.
Never was policy mere fully justified by
its works Never was a promise made by
any party more absolutely fulfilled.
The Money Question.
Dominant among the issues OF four
years ago was that Of our monetary and f.
nancial system. The Republican party
promised to uphold our credit. to protect
our currency from revolution and to main
tain the gold standard. We have done so
We have done more. We have been better
than our promise. Failing to secure. after
Ecnest effort any encouragement for inter
national bimetallism, We have passed law
strengthening the gold standard and plant
ing II more firmly than ever in our finan- |
clal system, improving our banking laws /
outtressing our credit, and refundinR the /
public debt at per cent interest the low
est rate in the world 1t was a great work
well done The only argument the Demo-
erals can advance today in their own he
half on the money question is that Re-
publican Senate in the event of Democrats
success. would not permit the repeal of a
Republican law.
MS Is precious argument when look
ed at with coasiderate eyes. and ouite
worthy Of the intellects which pr-dIesd II
Apply 1t generally. Upon this theory. 10
cause We have defeated the soldiers NJ
Spain and sunk heT ships, We can with safe
~ dispense with the army and navy which
dld the work. Take another EXAMINE !
There has been a fire In a great citv: n
has been checked and extingushed: there
tore let us abolish the fire department and
cease to insure our homes. Distrust in
our currency, the dread of change the
deadly fear Of debased standard were !
raging four years ago, and business Law