Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-22
TARIFF EaTHE ISSUE
Senator Galli1ger Talks on
Result IF Protection.
-
MOST PROSPEROUS YEAR
REPUBLICAN barry SHOULD
NOW STAND PAT"
Power Of the Country to Resist Panic
Vast Commerce and What
It Means.

Senator Gallinger today delivered forci-
Die address on the subject of the tariff.
There was large attendance on the floor
and IN the galleries of the Senate. The
speech will doubtless receive very wide
circulation during the coming campaign
Senators listened to 1t with great interest.
The coming national campaign, he said
In opening. will be devoid of some of the
interesting issues that have been warmly
discussed during recent years. The money
question has been relegated to the limbo
of forgotten things, the people having re-
pudiated the silver heresies of Mr.. Bryan
and his party, and accepted the gold stand
ard established by republican legislation.
'The cry of Imperialism which resound-
ed throughout the land four years ago, has
apr arently ceased. other campaign issues of
our democratic friends have been quietly
laid aside, and that party is planning to
make tariff revision prominent in the ma
tional election this year. 1t was not long
ago that distinguished democratic leader,
man long in public life, gave utterance to
these words
81 repeat 80 that all men may hear,
that l am a free trader and proudly take
my stand with Sir Robert Peel, Richard
Golden, John Bright and Henry George I
may be an humble member of that illus
trious company, but it is better to be
doorkeeper in the house of honest free
traders than to dwell in the tents of wicked
protectionists.'
To Destroy Protection.
THAT was an honest declaration. 1t
meant that that distinguished leader was
ready to utterly destroy the protective prin-
ciple, and open American markets to the
products of the cheap labor of Europe and
Asia, III free and unrestricted competition
with fba nf and
American factories.
Recently this same leader, realizing, no
doubt, that his former utterance would not
do for a campaign issue, modified his views
to the extent of declaring that We go forth
to battle with tariff reduction and genuine
reciprocity inscribed on our banners The
language is different, but the idea is the
same. as l shall endeavor to show. ina
voice is the voice Of Jacob but the hand is
the hand of Esau, the inevitable result of
either policy being to bring about the same
country during the operatio of the WILSON,
German tariff law Of 1S94-1S97."
Republican Tariff Legislation.
Mr. Gallinger said 1t was fitting at the
close of the republican party's first half
century that g. reference should be made to
the tariff legislation, Of that party, which
has stood from its birth for protection to
American labor and Industries.
He reviewed the tariff legislation Of the
republican party. 1T will be freely admit
ted, believe he said, by all on both
sides of this chamber, that the past seven
years have been the most prosperous IN the
history of our country; that during these
years our Industrial advance has been I'M
paralleled; that our markets both at home
and abroad have, been largely ana most
substantially increased; that our laporlng
classes have been, wondrously benenteu,
and that our wealth., both in the aggregate
and per capita, has been largely augmented:
all classes sharing In the advantages ana
enjoyments of this prosperity
Talk Of Repeating Law.
Yet some people talked of repeating the
present tariff law. In view of these facts
he believed the clear duty duty of the re-
publican party was ito stand pat" He OPP
posed the view that this country has reach
ed the climax of it's prosperity and is now
going backward in national strength
There will be no attempt to deny that
under, but not because OF, the tarlH now III
oneration. great industrial concerns COM
uonly known as trusts have been built up
during the<kast few years.
"It did not require Napoleon OF nnance
| to foresea that in time these great pubpies
must burst and that these values must ran
+, a more equitable level, and this very
| thing has happened during the past year
We have seen the prices OF lhoustflai
shares and with them the prices OF rall-
road shares fall day after day, week AFTER
| week and even month after month; yet
| when in our previous history has there
| heen such a falling of prices in wan street
| unaccompanied by any widespread lndos-
| trial disaster throughout the country!
| .sNever before have We gone through a
| neriod of such falling prices In stocks WITH
! ont a manic, without vastly increased COM
| nercial failures, without business depres-
| sons and without disastef requiring years
| to recover from.