Speech #500009853

President. I will go no further. I congratulate the country that we are about to have a fair. square. and manly issue upon an industrial policy which affects the life and property and interests of every citizen of this country without regard to State or section. a question between protected labor in our country. protected against undue foreign competition with the pauper labor of Europe. a question of diversified productions and diversified interests. a choice between a country strong. prosperous. and independent within itself and a country dependent upon agriculture alone. with a few blacksmith shops and carpenter shops scattered through the country. The policy that I aim to develop is one that will make us practically independent of all the nations of the world. that we may make in this country not only all that we need to eat. except the luxuries of tropical climes. and all we wish to wear. all the manufactures necessary to human life. that this great and powerful nation of 60.000.000 people. extending over a vast region. from ocean to ocean and from the Gulf to Canada. may be independent in themselves. so that if European nations will be at war with each other. here we may have a republic of freemen. making its own way in the world. able to keep itself. and. if necessary. to help the country north of us and the country south of us. [Manifestations of applause in the galleries.]