Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-09


tariff question, and so upon the FIRST
session of the Democratic Congress the
Walker bill was passed. which ma
terially reduced the existing tariff.
Daniel Webster spoke against that
bill for three days. In his speech he
said, Where there is work for the
hands of men there will be work for
their teeth; where there is employ
mert there will be bread. Constant
employment and well paid labor pro
duce in country like ours, prosperity
contentment and cheerfulness.
But notwithstanding the stalwart
stand of Webster and the opposition OF
Senators Niles of Connecticut and
Haywood of North Carolina, the bill
was finally passed.
At that time the Mexican War. the
discovery of gold in California and the
Crlmean War delayed ruin longer
than usual after such tariff reduction
but little later the crash came.
The Industries of the country were
pdralyZed, and multitudes of toilers
were in a state of starvation. Their
condition is graphically expressed IN
an address by the unemployed. which
was made to the mayor of New York
city, January 6, 1855. Listen to their
cry: I'VE do not come as begEarS. but
we ask what we deem right. We ask
not aims bat work. We do not want
little soup now and cast-off cloth
ing tomorrow; our condition is most
piteous; we want bread, we want
clothes and in order to have these, we
must have work.
Then came the great Civil War;. and
later. under Republican admin stra-
ton. came the enacting of higher pro-
tective laws, and from those days of
darkness through the period of recon
structiOn and on up to 1892, when the
Democratic party came into comp lete
control Of Congress. the condition. of
the people was gradually improving,
not continuously, for there are eC.dies
and retrocessionS in every Streamr but
you remember that in President Harri-
sons last message to Congress. at the
close of his administration in 1872. he
spoke of "the unprecedented prosper
ity of the country" declaring that
more men We're ut that time employed
at better wages and that more of the
products of the factory and farms
found a ready market than ever be-
fore in the history of this country.
There was no talk about over pro-
iuction at that time; nor were we oh
liged to hook our bonds in the man
kcts of the world: nor was our coun-
try scourged with industrial armies
sweeping like boards of deVouring
locusts across the land; but the peo-
pie We're not satisfied.
In the presidential campaign of 1892,
the Democratic orator said "Vote for
Mir. Cleveland. and your condition will
be improved They said to tn"
farmer, "vote for him, and there will
be no more dollar wheat" and the
prophecy came true.
During Mr.. Clevcland's first ad-
minstra ton, the Senate remained Re
publican, ard no legislation. though
earnestly urged ty Mr.. Cleveland was
enacted The House. being Demo-
cratic. passed the Mills bill, but the
Senate refused to concur, and there
fore saved the country from disaster
such as always has followed the en-
actmcnt of tariff law for revenue
only.
But no sooner did Democracy secure
control of Congress than they put into
opera ton the Wilson-Gorman bill and
which by the way was earnestly and
enthusiastically advocated by Mr.
Bryan? Free wool drove four million
sheep to the slaughter house in twelve
months; and this, coupled with the
closing of the factories. forced the
price of live stock so low that the
price of horses, cattle. sheep and pigs
fell oft on the average over five dol
lion men forced out of employment re-
duced the average of wheat from
about six bushels per capita in 1892, to
less than three and a half bushels in
1894
You all remember the conditions ex-
listing at that time.
Why, there was not a day but what
some bank hung out the sign at the
window. "Closed." not a day but what
some forge was silenced. or the fires
in some furnace were extinguiShed, or
some railroad went into the hands of
a receiver. or some sails of some ship
were furled in our harborS, or the
mortgage on some little farm was
fcrecloSed or some manned and dis
ablcd pensioner. wearing the inky cloak
of despair. with bowed head and fail
irg sight and faltering step was di
rected to the aims house or to the
county inirmary.
That was the existing condition
when Candidate Bryan came along
with his special patent right pre-
Scription of free silver at the legal
ratio of sixteen to one.
Perhaps you have forgotten that.
Does anyone in this presence remem-
Der eyer having heard anything
about Is to 1?
Why my friends in 1896 we heard
nothing else. The air was saturated
with it. and it WAS the only living is
sue of the day. 1t Stalked through
every street and shouted an every
corner and obtruded upon every con-
vention; even upon the sanctuary.
| remember hearing of Il funeral
service which occurred out in Ne
braska during that period. The casket
was there and the mourncrs We're there
and the neiShbor= and friends were
there. ami away back in the rear of tho
church sat a long. lean. lank, be
whiskered, wild-eyed individual, who
had inst dropped in from the street,
IL