Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1884 — A MERITORIOUS CONGRESSMAN. [ARTICLE]

A MERITORIOUS CONGRESSMAN.

The New York and Washington papers s”e still discussing the speech of ■on. Thomas J. Wood, delivered in congress on Ami 28. The New York World and Tiibnn« admit its force and conclusions and regard the tables as specially valuable. 1 hey speak of it as the best speech made during this congress on the tariff issue, not excepting tbe apeech of Frank Hurd, while Mr. Hurd's speech was maie up of declarations upon assumed facts, ood’s speech was full concise argument based upon known facts open to everybody, The ashington Times calls it a great speech that should be read by every man in the country, whether he is a protectionist or not for the reason that it is full of information and clearness of statement, that is easily to understand by any one not versed m the subject. ‘•Mr. Wood,” says the New York Tribune, also a Republican paper, “is a new member from tbe Tenth Indiana district, and his late tariff speech ranks him with the ablett or the Indiana delegation in congress. It is rare that a new member receives more »han a passing notice in congress, but Mr. Wood has forced an exception to this rule.” We say, that it is no use to villify Mr. Wood or try to belittle his effort on tbe tariff question as is being done. The more his speech is read the more it will impress the readers as an effort of real merit and furnish a thesis of tariff argument tor scores of old men in public life, i be Tribune adds: In force of statement Wcod’s speech hasno equal in this congress, yet he reaons from a false doctrine too well. I' Wood could be made see the other and trus side of the question he would be a valuable man to the country.”—Ex. It has been the boast of the Republican pary that that organization contained all the -God and morality,” and a very large per cent, of the intelligence of the country. It is pioved by figures from the census report of 1830 that there are in the United States 1,871.217 persons over the age.of tweniy-one who cannot write and ot that number 1,294,182 are Republicans and 587,026 are Democrats, which shows that illiteracy in the Republican party is more than double what it is in the Democratic party. The history of the Republican party with Its jobbery, thieving and iraud record disproves the claim of being a God and morality party. It hesitates not to commit any crime to secure the offices and the spoils which places of honor and trust giv s it.—Ex.