Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1884 — A BRILLIANT SPEECH. [ARTICLE]

A BRILLIANT SPEECH.

Remarks of Congressman John A. Kas* son, Upon Accepting the Chairman* ship of the lowa Republican , Convention. You meet to-day, gentlemen of the convention, for the inauguration in lowa of the Republican campaign of 1884. Let your furrow be deep as yon put the Republican plow of lowa into the national soil, and let your lines be straight, as they always are. and I can promise you a rich and abundant crop this fall in the Republican harvest. Day after day at Washington they are forming the issues of the campaign, and these are now so far formed and presented tO the people that we can already anticipate what the verdict is to be. The people of the United States have learned to trust the Republican party with their most important business interests. They have witnessed the growth of unparalleled prosperity under Republican management. They still look to that party as earnestly as ever before. Nowhere else does the nation look with confidenoe, -—i —■ —:: ; -: —’’ , -:. •" --—~ We have some issues presented to us lying very near the hearts of the people. One of them is now under debate in Congress. There is, underlying the prosperity of this country, the great principle of fostering the interests of home industry as against the interests of foreign nations. We know throughout this country that the great activity and enterprise of the United States owe their wonderful development to our steady adhesion to the principle of protection. That principle gave the promise and secured the fruits of a prosperity unexampled. Here at home is the greatest competition in the manufacture of fabrics used by the people. Everywhere in the United States, under the fostering care of the system of protection to home industry inaugurated by Washington and continued ever since, except during certain intervals of free trade, the country and its wealth have advanced as no nation has done before. But now the fear of an abandonment of this principle is causing onr great industries to tremble for their future. A year ago the tariff was revised and reductions made-much larger than free traders allow. Industry and trade then hoped for a period of rest without further immediate agitation. No sooner had the Democratic House of Representatives assembled, than, in obedience to party dictation, they began to agitate both the capital and the Labor of the country with fears of further losses to the investments of the one and the wages of the other. At this moment the chief cause of depression in business in the United States arises from the alarm and insecurity attending the introduction of this bill now pending in Congress. f Yet the Democracy declare that this is only their first step in their assault upon the industries of the country. They are to follow it with successive blows toward the establishment of free trade. In a word, they are attempting to again inaugurate the policy so fatally adopted in 1883. Many men who are now before me remember well the consequences of that experience. In 1837 the evil culminated in a crisis, and every business interest in the country went tumbling into bankruptcy and ruin. Can you wonder that we now stand shoulder to shoulder against such a system, and thafZweL would arouse the people in the presence of this peril which threatens their prosperity? But the Democracy is not (inly reckless of the business interests of the country. They are equally reckless of the duties of patriotism. In their devotion to the most violent principles of parties and politics pur adversaries have forgotten the very principle itself of American patriotism. They have lost the habit of regarding the right and left arms of our national security and defense. They hardly regard them worthy of recognition. They have refused, year after year, the proper support due to the army and navy. What a change from the past! I see scarcely a man before me who cannot remember the time when no national celebration by either party was complete without a toast to the honor of the army and navy of the United States. Your Demoemtie nnd free trade clubs now meet year after year without a word of gratitude to the army and without a syllable of regard to the navy. We stand to-day powerless before the guns of the other nations of the world. We have not a ship that can resist the power of even Chili and Peru. We have rights to maintain and wrongs to redress with the Governments of South America as well as those of Europe. Both native and naturalized citizens of ours have been outraged. Our records show it. And yet the Democracy refuse the means demanded by the executive Government to maintain onr rights and redress our wrongs. There was a time in the history of this country when our statesmen were ready to speak in terms of praise of onr navy. That magnificent orator and statesman, Daniel Webster, said, not so many years ago as to be forgotten: “We have a commerce that leaves no sea unexplored, a navy that takes no law from superior forces.” The Republican party to-day demands tbe restoration of that condition for our country. The Republican party has also demanded legislation for the benefit of our agricultural interests, for defense against cattle diseases, and for the protection of our export trade in meat products At gainst the efforts of foreign governments for their exclusion: and for the establishment of a Bureau of Animal Industry, all for the benefit of Qur farming interests. We advocate it. The Democracy raises against us the cry of State rights and the doctrine of the resolutions of 1798, and by a large majority of their party attempt to thwart our efforts. But we continue the But, gentlemen, there is not time now for me to speak of all the measures before Congress and the country. There are other questions we have to consider to-day. Using a figure of speech, lowa is one of the fairest daughters of the Union. Are you surprised that there are several suitors for her hand this year? The boys are gathering abont her and looking upon her fair face. She is hard to suit; she likes them all prettywell. James seems to have caught her eye more than any of the others. But I notice that the fair and honest girl looks a little lingeringly into some of the other faces. She looks up to Chester, and says: “You are a noble fellow. I remember the difficulties under which yon came into the place which you now occupy, when all was discord and confusion. You have reunited the Republican party, closed the mouths of its opponents, sad given ns a pure and successful administration, and yon have made Republican success possible year. I have a prior attachment, eight years old.” I have a little weakness for the nnder dog in the lowa fight, and I can’t help telling yOu here, where it won’t do a bit of good, that Gen. Arthur has wonderfully met the demands of the Republican party and redeemed all of his promises. I will take the liberty to say this much to you, although lowa has an earlier attachment: Justice demands it. Then there is Mr. Edmunds, qf Vermont, whom I have known fpr many years. His ability and eminent judgment can safely be trusted. There is also that darling of many of lowa’s soldiers, John A. Logan, and if lowa can, lowa will give him a hearty vote. Then, if all these more prominent lights and geniuses get into conflict and cannot agree, I nee this lovefy Miss

lowa looking out of the northwest eoi..er ot her eye at the son of one Abraham Lincoln, whom her mother ioved all over. And so I think, while I will honestly declare the choice of lowa when I get back to Washingdon, that I may also E say that lowa Republicans love principles more than men, and will fight for the nominees of the Republican convention by a great majority.