The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1906-01-25

inA air we br,a the water we
drink; man has wic..c,i,s levied a tariff tax
on II. Even the pagan Romans knew better
than that. A standing order to the Ro-
man army was that they should never
levy tribute of salt on a conquered people.
I wish l had time 10 make speech on
Thomas Fl. Benton and the work he did
in putting salt on the free list For years
IN Tho Roman senate Cato, no matter
what was the subject of his speech
wound up with Carthage delenda est"
("Carthage must be destroyed'D. And,
no difference what the subject of debate
in the American senate, Colonel Benton
lugged in the subject OF protected salt.
He was one of the greatest Democrats
that ever lived, and the speeches which he
delivered in the United States senate upon
this subject will amply repay perusal,
even at this late day, for the learning
they contain and which at last put salt
on the free list. When he had accomplish
ed his purpose, so pleased was he that ne
said, In his pompous way, that he imag-
ined he heard the hocks and herds on
thousand hills believing out their love
and gratitude to him for it, No doubt
they would have done SO could they have
understood his splendid labor In their
behalf.
In conclusion. | want to ask you AL
question. If Thomas III. Benton deserves
the highest credit for putting salt upon
the free list, as Colonel Roosevelt said he
did would not deserve the highest credit
for putting salt back on the free list? L
have introduced bill in five or six con-
crosses to do 1t, and intend to introduce
II into every congress as long as l stay
here. so help me God, until l triumph as
did 'the Great Mssourian." whose high
cnr rpar constitutes the priceless
heritages of the imperial commonwealth
which he loved so well and served so
nobly. If Benton deserved the highest
credit for doing that, as President Roose-
| welt says he did, why would not Mr. Will
liams or Judge De Almond or any other
man in this house deserve the highest
credit for putting any other prime neces-
| sty of life upon the free list?
These gentlemen have lured me far
afleld by their numerous, ingenious and
| interesting questions. Let us return for
| moment to the consideration of the pres
| ent crisis in our tariff affairs.
Juggling With Invoices.
| What sort of a modus vivendi Is II that
| Secretary Root is endeavoring to induce
| Secretary Shaw to enter into with Ger
many? why, If the papers are to be be-
| lieved, 1t is to be nothing more than a
| systematic Juggling with invoices OF Ger
| man products imported into this country
| from Germany-a sleight of hand per-
| formance by which invoices from that
| country are to be fixed lower than they
| should be in order 10 placate Germany
| temporarily and tide the Republican party
| over the rocks during this session. In the
| meantime we are to be amused with this
| maximum and minimum playthng. Then,
| congress having done nothing-absolutely
nothing-to permanently improve the stu
alton and having adjourned. the Repub'
| licans will play another stupendous con-
| fidence game by going to the country with
| roseate promises of what they Will do by
| way of tariff revision at the short ses-
| sion--in which great game they will be all
/ things to all men, hoping thereby to carry
the congressional elections. This trick
may prove successful, but do not believe
| that it will. The people are not all fools.
Gentlemen, 1 have exceeded by very
much the time that expected TO occupy.
/ thank the house profoundly for its cour-
| tesy and it's kindness. This speech Is
somewhat disjointed, because 1t was not
| written out beforehand and because there
have been ceaseless Interruptions. 1 have
| tried to be fair about it. have denied no
| member chance to interrogate me.
hope that this days work will open up
/ a discussion that will be the cause and
beginning of a wider discussion in the
country, which will do one of two things
lit will either drive the Republicans of
the agricultural districts into electing
outspoken Republican tariff revisionists
here or else the next house will be a
| Democratic house. Truth is mighty and
| will prevail If l have contributed even
''the Widows mite" to the approaching
triumph of a righteous cause the three
hours which | have consumed have been
profitably spent. l have an abiding faith
that when the eyes of the taxpayers OF
the land are opened to the situation they
will no longer stand for the monstrosities
of the Dingley tariff bill.