Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-12

are or have been known beyond the
confines of the State, have been firm
and consistent advocates of the prin-
ciples believed in by every representa-
tive of this body, from your honored
chairman to the humblest delegate
from the most obscure hamlet. This
pride is also heightened by the historic
fact that, with a single exception, con-
gressional returns have never failed to
show an Endorsement of those prin-
ciples by the people of this State, since
the days when the inquiry was first
repeated throughout the nation--"Have
you heard how Maine went?'
1t is proper, therefore, in this pres
ence, to discuss the principles ir which
we believe and to present as accurately
and fairly as possible the principles
and policies of our political opponents
The Republican party, from the day of
its birth to the present time, and /
doubt not to the day of its death, if
indeed it shall ever die. has been, and
is, the protector not only of the lives
and liberties and rights of man, but
the protector as well of his labor, his
industries and his commerce. Aside
from few great crises. the paramount
issue in most campaigns, from the
foundation of the government to the
present time has been tariff for rev.
enue and protection, versus a tariff for
revenue only; and the few exceptions
to the rule have been in years immedi-
ately following a trial of the latter. 1t
has always been found expedient to
seek new issues with which to bridge
the chasm between an experiment with
a tariff for revenue only and the date
of the forgetfulness of our people.
Without saying an unkind word of
those who do not agree with us, and
with as much good fellowship as I
could indulge toward a board of direc-
tors whose ill-advised though con-
scientious management of an institu-
ton had repeatedly embarrassed it,
and | stand here to declare, as an his
toric fact, that this country never be-
fore escaped a tariff for revenue only
with so little disaster as from March 4,
1898, until March A, 1897. If any doubt
that proposition it can be established
easily from the record: and the only
reason why the last calamity was not
more severe lies in the palliating fact
that the tariff schedule which was al
lowed to become law on the 2Sth day
OF August, 1894, contained very many
protective features; so many in fact,
that the then Chief Executive of the
nation, being a consistent believer in
the platform on which he was elected,
refused to sign it.
Proud as you all are of something
akin to proprietary interest in that
unwavering disciple of protection,
whose name is linked with the present
tariff law, think none of you will con-
tend that the Dingley schedule was,
even at the date of it's enactment per-
feet, or that changing conditions do
not render unwise some of the items
therein contained. No tariff schedule
was ever perfect. No man was ever
wholly satisfied with all the provisions
of any tariff law. They all have been
full of compromises, and no campaign
can be fought upon a tariff schedule.
The issue must be between the protec-
tive principle and the protective
principle.
Both parties propose to raise the
revenue for the maintenance of the
government in a large degree upon i'm
ports. The one insists that it is wiser
so to adjust these imports that the
American laborer, farmer and artisan