The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-27
The Voice of
The People

and brilliant career OF Car Reed as
speaker OF the house
There was Rostrum Richardson, Four
acre shirtfront Bailey. Spouting Sock
less Feremiade Jerry Caliope Clark. Long
Loud Lentz and other free traders, each
one ready to pour forth barrels OF pure
eloquence against the slightest move to-
wards anything that would even tend to
furnish work for wage earners or favor
government by majority. And when
grand ana glorious Car Reed announced
MS opposition 10 that relic OF monarchy
minority rule, and his determination to
allow the majority to govern the house.
there arose a yell from the free traders
that for a while turned that national
body into a kind or pandemonium.
What! The majority rule? IL Is a
protectionist outrage! No. sirs! We. the
minority. are the people, and knowledge
shall perish with us" And all the pent-
up oratory. surplus wind and typhoons
OF CAB broke forth In whirlwinds OF
wrath until the free traders nearly
strangled with vituperative oratory
Richardson, well known as one OF the
most forcibe squirters OF language,
scared until his throat must have been
sore; Sockless Jerry a mighty finger
OF words, broke forth and continued I'm
almost constant eruption while Caliope
Clark, with an ocean of language I'm re-
serve went into spasms OF elocution until
his free trade admirers voted unani-
mously that 1t was n colossal joy TO
hear him reel off leagues of the Kings
English in fierce denunciation OF majority
rule. and in favor OF government by min
critics.
The conundrum has often been pro-
pounded: Why are free traders so deter
mined 10 have minority rule? What is
the reason that in free trade states the
minority always govern? Why do free
traders almost invariably oppose govern
ment by the majority? The plain answer
is within easy hailing distance and can be
called 10 the witness stand TO give testi-
mony while you walt. Listen. The ma
nd f the nG rae sfe Sresd winners
VIII not only demand protection. but de-
mand that no statute ttarif or other legal
enactmenD shall become a law il It will
tend TO deprive them OF employment nor
would they suffer any state law 10 be
passed that will abrldge the liberty or
speech. Free speech is not allowed In
Sotthr eurot!uu, ruled by q small and Sc
lect free trade clique, whose motto Is.
Free Trade is king and Shotgun Tillman
is its prophet" Shotgun Tiliman even
went so far as to assault McLaurtn In
the United states senate, because the lat
ter favored free speech, and battled nobly
for the rights of wage earners to liberty
and employment. That free trade assault
was made by Shotgun Ttllman as timely
warning that free speech would not be
allowed In tho Palmetto state. Why? Be
cause were free speech tolerated in South
Carolina Shotgun 1illman and his free
trade henchmen know fun well that wage
earners would vote for protection TO wage
earners and Bully TIL and his pals would
be publicly execrated and classed with
Robespierre and Marat Majority rule
and free speech allowed In a strong free
trade state when history records no such
example? Go 10. We credulous victims OF
such an absurd deluSion.
But" replies some free trader, free
speech will be allowed II the speaker will
refrain from using insulting language"
That's so every time. But the trouble is
that the moment wage earners are told
that they h ave the inalienable right 10
vote for protection and laws such as
stand upon the statute books of Massa-
chusetts and are enforced-that moment
the speaker insults shotgun Tillman and
his free trade. Goldfish sristocratlc pals,
and II the insulter escapes with his life
he may consider himself as lucky as the
man who was robbed OF his money and
clothes and rushed into his friends house
In a nude condition. saying: i've had a
tussle with a lot OF footpads." And how
did you make out?" inquired his friend.
We'll, I saved myself" replied the vic
tim.
But 10 return TO Gear Reed and his
rule. The free traders were
bound that they would leave no stone un-
turned, or rather that no language should
be spared, no talk unused 10 defeat any
rule by which the major.ty would govern.
And not only every faucet of defamation
was turned on, but every bunghole OF
rhetoric was Knocked In and TO use an
expressive phrase, they Just let her whiz.
and torrents OF pure and undefiled chat
ter and CAB. In defense OF the right OF the
minority to govern the house OF repre-
sentatives deluged the house
Caliope Clark plethora OF voice was
heard night and day, sockless Jerry, who
always allowed his mind thorough rest
while speaking. shouted his defiance OF
the majority Bailey waved the flags OF
defamation. declaring, substantially,
that nothing else can so effectually sound
the very depths OF wickedness equal TO
the iniquity OF damning Up or impeding
the flood OF free tTae congressional elo-
quence. while Long Loud Lenz en-
riched our Anglo Saxon tongue with new
adjectives that assist vituperatlon and
always engender heat. But amid all these
sunfiowers OF speech and countless acres
OF the pure guess work of unalloyed the
ory. Gar Reed sat unmovcd and un-
rufhed amid the crush OF free trade mat
ter and the wreck OF worlds of wind,
knowing full well that the feet OF them
that carried out the Ananlas OF slavery
were even then at the door t. carry
forth the Sapphlra OF minority rule
But TO make the matter plain to young
or readers they should understand that
while 1t was generally easy 60 obtain n
quorum OF members for the transaction
or business, free traders. among their
other absurd theories. -contended that II a
member was present and In his seat he
should be called absent. ~ he wished TO
have suvh a falsehOcd stated. and as the
free trade disciples OF Anania and sap
phira preferred the falsehood TO the fact,
they hotly denounced Czar Reed for stat
ing the truth. Why this seemingly strange
free trade following after the pair OF
celebrated ancient prevaricators? Well.
fortunately. the satisfactory answer Is
always at hand Free traders arc so
thoroughly welded 10 theory. and realize
so fully that facts are the greatest oh
stables 10 free trade. that Speaker Reeds
bare statement OF facts regarding &c
presenc" of members. set the free traders
wild with wrath. and as free traders nat
urally prefer minority sway. the bare
idea OF majority rule intensified their
hatred against truthful Czar Reed
Such are tho simple facts regarding the
free trade fight for faisehoOd and minor
ity rule. and Czar Reeds noble battle for
truth and majority swav. Reed was glo-
riously victorious trith trlumnhed. free
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