Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-09-05
SENATOR Al LIs0N'S SPEECH

SENATOR Al LlSON'S SPEECH
Senator Allison delivered very
able speech, at Waterloo, Iowa, last
Thursday, which VIC find reported in
full in the Dubuque Times.
We have only room to-day for the
following concluding part Of it:
HARD TIMES.
The democratic party have tried
and are still trying, to fasten upon
the republican party all responsibility
for the business depression through
its conduct of the finances and what
they are pleased to call the contrac-
ton policy. have shown that there
has been no great contraction of
the volume of the currency, particu-
larly the grcenback currency, about
which SO much complaint has been
made. have already shown that we
have $4,OO0,OOO more greenbacks than
we had during 1865, and the five pros
porous years that followed, and I am
suIC tildt Will Uc uuOuCy IL
TO conduct all the business that there
is to be done, money enough to carry
all our products to market. These
hard times must be traced 10 other
causes; undue speculation, excessive
imports, extravagant living and in
vestments in unremunerative projects
They are not confined to our country j;
they are more severely felt in England
and on the Continent. They exist in
countries where specie payment pre-
walls, as well as in ours where we
have an inconvertible currency.
We have been compelled for many
years to suffer great burdens arising
from the war. These burdens will
cling to the present generation OF
men, they all play their part in our
troubles. We have a heavy debt,
National State and municipal, upon
which interest must be paid by means
of taxation. Our recovery will be
slow, and by healthy process only
We must let go extravaganza, and
practice individual and National
economy; earn money and save some
thing of what we earn. If we are in
debt strive to reduce it. Then recu-
peration will begin, slowly at first
but successfully in the not very far
distant future. This year we are
blessed with good crops and fair pri-
ces. But one crop alone will not suf-
flee. A few years of successful pro-
duction will work out the cure, and
we must await the process with pa
tience. No cunning device of paper
promises will help us now but only
hinder in the end.
ECONOMY.
Last year we heard much of the ex-
travagance of the Government. That
cry as l said TO you is abandoned
The republican party has, year by
year, reduced the expenses and re-
duced the burdens of the public deb
since 1865. That policy of reduction
and economy is still being pursued by
the present Administration, as see
by Secretary Sherman's Mansfield
speech, and have no doubt will con.
tinue in the future as in the past.
i THE SOUTHERN QUESTION.
The action of the administration
in relation to South Carolina and
Louisiana has been severely criticized
by portion of the Republican press
and by many Republicans who were
sorely grieyed by such action. II
cannot be denied that there is grea
diversity of sentiment among Repub
licans on this subject. Our State con
vention, largely attended, and com
prising the representative men of the
party in our State, and though many
Republicans were dissatisfied with
the situation, rcfraIned from making
any declaration of opinion on this
subject, deeming it wise to tolerate
these differences and leave every Re
publican free to entertain and express
his Individual views. shall endeav
or not to open these political wounds
sought to be healed by the action Of
our State convention, but with briei
statement shall leave that question tt
be considered by each Republican fol
himself. 1 was present last winter al
Washington, and mingled in the ex'
elements of the heated and angry
contest for the presidency that fol.
lowed the election in November.
voted in favor of counting the Re-
publican electoral vote of Louisiana
for President Hayes. I examined al
faithfully as I could the Louisiana
case, 80 called, in that connection.
believed then and I believe now,
that Packard was fairly elected Gov
ernor; that the Legislature elected
was Republican. / concur in the
views recently expressed by Secreta-
ry Sherman as to the character of the
contest in Louisiana, as to the proof
of the intimidation and violence there
systematically prosecuted to wrest
from the Republicans their rightful
majority, which failed through the
action of the Returning Board.
agree with him that Packard, under
this sitting process, was entitled to be
Governor nor do / deny that
the final decision, with reference
to Governor was in the hands of the
Legislature. But l cannot concur
with him in his statement when he
says that it was the duty of President
Grant 10 use the power of the FEEDER
al Government and not the duty of
HE successor to do SO. Sec'y Sher-
man declares his belief in the cleo
ton of Packard and states that "had
Il 4,