The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-23

people to the side OF protection, are not
| only dealing In sophistry, but are TO ar
extent distorting the facts. rot to say at
| tempting to deceive the people. This II
| a serious charge, but We have only tc
call attention to speech pade in Balti-
! moro this week by no less a person than
Senator Fairbanks the Republican cans
didate for the vlce.presidency. We quote
one paragraph from that speech. Mr.,
Fairbanks said:
The defeat Of President Harrison In 1897
ard the destruction of the protective sys-
TEN visited upon Baltimore losses i,com-
parably greater than those which befell
her a year ago. Business activity was
checked. Merchants had less goods upon
their shelves than before or since. The
payrolls in your factories were reduced
and the wage rate was diminished. De-
struction went on. It was not accom-
plished in a day. 1t was not so sudden
and picturesque as the recent mighty con-
flagraton, but 1t was none the less real
and calamtous.
About the same time, In fact, we be-
lieve the same day that this speech was
made by the Republican presidential
candidate. Mr.. William II. Hornblower,
one OF the most distinguished lawyers in
the country, was called to preside over
the Democratic state Convention Of New
York, and upon assuming the chair made
a speech In the course Of which he said:
TO charge the panic of 1S93~to the Will
49,. ~ T. lee n MIL
suppression Of facts, butaSis a manifest
perversion Of the truth. 1t would seem
as If even kindergarten would rise IN
protest against an argument like this,
which yet is seriously advanced by states
men supporting the platform Of the IRE
publican party. That panic was caused
~ the administration Of President Hnr.
rlson, and resulted directly therefrom, and
but for the action Of President Cleve-
land IN calling a special session OF Con-
gress and procuring the repeal OF the
Sherman silver act the consequences
" Guild have been even more disastrous
than they actually were.
OF course Mr., Hornblower did not
know at that time that Senator Fair
banks had made q speech in Baltimore or
what liberties he was taking with his
torical fact. All the same, he made q
complete answer to the yce-pr sldential
candidates Baltimore speech. MI. Horn
blower further showed that there had
been financial panic and business sceprea-
sion under the protective system back In
the seventies. He said:
From 1873 to 1877 we were enjoying the
blessings Of Republican rule and Re-
publican tariff The disastrous panic OF
1873 and the heartbreaking years that fol-
lowed, when we were all getting ;.oOrer!
and poorer and there seemed to be no
hope for the future, were certainly a
singular example Of prosperity. AS to
the panicky conditions and hard times
OF 1893, which the Republicans so vigor-3
ously charged to Mr.. Clcveland's second
administration. the distinguished New
Y orker showed that they were due direct
IN to the extravaganza of the darTison ad-
sr:inlstraton which preceded Mr.. Cieve-
lands second term as President and he
summed itup as follows:
The reckless and wanton extravaganza
or Congress under that administration
the passage of the Sherman silver law
and the Mckinley tariff dissipated the
surplus and brought. as we all remen-5
ber or ought to remember the treasury
10 lIt rpcISc u bduhl oPSCS, 81 tliGhS "AASAl
Mr. Cleveland, as the result Of the
aroused Indignation of the American peo-
pie against the extrava gance and misrule
Of the Harrison administration, was again
recalled to office by an Overwhelming
vote of the people, 1t was to find the
nation trembling uponl the verge of a
financial precipice
It is sufficient to say that any student
;'e the recent history Of his countryknows
o., can very readily find out that mr..
Hornblower's statements are absolutely
correct and that the Republican cam
paign handbook and the Republican vice.
presidential candidate are In error, and
all this proves that the Republican party
sees a handwriting on the wall, and that
they are desperately afraid of the tariff
issue before the people. 1t is, therefore,
manifestly the duty Of Democratic ora
tors and campaigners to press this point
and make the fight OF this year OH the
tariff issue. 1t is the paramount issue.
. u +. h.