Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/220

 CRISP

IN CLOSING THE WILSON TARIFF BILL DEBATE^

(1894)

Bom in England in 1&45, died ta 1896; Lieutenant in the Confederate

Army in the Civil "War; served many years in Georgia as Solicitor

Qeneral and Judge; five times elected to Congress; SpeeiKer of the

House in the 52d and 53d Congresses.

I ASSUME that the cause of protection has no more able advocate than the gentleman from Maine. I assume that the argument for protec- tion can be put in no more alluring form than that to which we have listened to-day. So as- suming, I shall ask you calmly and dispassion- ately to examine with me that argument, to see upon what it is based, and then I shall invoke the unprejudiced judgment of this House as to whether the cause attempted to be sustained by the gentleman from Maine has been sustained or can be before any tribunal where the voice of reason is heard or the sense of justice is felt.

The gentleman from Maine, with a facility that is unequaled, when he encounters an argu- ment which he is unable to answer passes it by

' From his speech in the House of Representatives, February 1, 1894, IP reply to Thomas B. Reed in closing the debate on this bill. Mr. Crisp was then Speaker o*' the House and Mr. Reed ex-Speaker.

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