The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-10-28
A FOrGiAlG Speech From Mr.. Hewitt
Exploring the Last Sham Of the
Republican Canvass,
The UtteranCes of Garfield Him
self-Mr. Hewitt PrOuOunCes
His Chinese immigration
Letter a Genuine
Document,
New York World, 2lst.l

accompanied by their wives al who had com
TO listen to a discussion of the tariff question by
ex- congressman Abram s, Hewitt, who Is 10 rep
resent his OLD district in the next Congress, The
meeting was held under the direction OF the
Young Mems Democratic Club After an organ |
voluntary by a member Of the club, President |
Townsend Cox appeared on the platform accom-
panied by Mr., Hewitt,
MR.. HEwTTT's ADDRESS,
Mr. Hewitt when the applause which greeted |
him had &C eased, said:
Before proceeding to the subject which you and |
have met to discuss tonight would say a word
or two personal to mysel. am manufacturer
and have been such all my life, and those asso-
Ciated with me probably have IS varied and ex'
tensive an interest in manufactures as any firm IN
this country We have in our employ fully 4OUO
hands and can say that during all The dull times
through which this country has passed we have
never turned away our WOrkmen nor ceased Civ.
ing them employment l know what the tariff
affects who 1t affects ard why II affects, aud apart
from theory shall speak words Of experience
and knowledge. (Appause)
As the pending Presidential canvass approaches
its end, it is admitted by the Republican speakers
and managers that they have been compelled To
abandon the issues upon which the campaign
was inaugurated and to plant their claims for the
suffrages of the people upon new ground. The cry
Of rebel claims was disposed of by the frank and
conclusive letter Of General Hancock, and 1t vas
soon discovered that the bugbear OF the "Solid
South was found to be offensive to the solid
sense of the people. From their shipwIecked
platform they have endeavored to reach port on
two plauks, and they confess that their success in
Ohio and Indiana was largely due to this change
of base. Giving up all other issues they now as
ser first that the success of the Democratic party
will be fatal to the business Of the country, be
cause the tariff would be repealed that the wage
Of labor would be reduced and the field for ltS
employment removed in other words, that the
country would go back 10 the condition OF stag
nation and depression which existed between the
years 1872 and 1879 Second. They assert that the
success of the Democratic party means the domi
nation of the rebel element, which seeks to get
no by the ballot what 1t failed to get by the bull
et-the control OF the Government and use this
control for the purpose of destroying the Govern.
ment or Of building up the South at the expense
of the North. These appeals are addressed toll
norauce, passion and prejudice. They are char
acterisuc OF party which has no faith in the in.
telgence aud justice of the people. They would
not be worthy of attention If they were not sup
posed to have produced an effect in the Western
States and were not pressed in this State with an
energy and industry worthy Of better cause
HOW THE PARTIES STAND RANGED
It perfectly we'll understood that there are
free traders as well as high proectionists in both
parties. 1t is equally certain that while the great
majority of both parties desire no radical changes
IN the tariff, which would tend to derange ousi |
ness there is very general conviction, not con- |
fined to either party, that the existing tariff lie ful
Of incongruties and iniquities, and positive OBJ |
structions to business which need reform. 1t Is |
also equally true that all the attempts 10 reform
the tariff IN accordance with this popular demand
have come from the Democratic party and have |
been resisted by the Republican party In the
House of Representatives. This fact has been used
as the basis Of the charge that the Democratic |
policy is that of free trade, while the Republicans
are the friends of protection 1t is a sufficien |
answer to this claim to call atteution TO the fac |
that the leading advocates Of free trade IN this
city are the Evening Post and the New York !
World the one a leading Republican and the 9TH
er a leading Democratic journal. To prove, more
over, how little significance this question had In
choice VI candidates, the Republicans, who now
profess to De special advocates of protection, put
In nomination General Garfield VINO in 1868 had
presented the free trade argument with such
force that he was thereupon elected member Of
the Golden Club, while the Democrats elected as
their candidate General Hancock, who, by his
birth and residence in Pennsylvania and his mil.
itsry education In the fundamental dogma that
each country shall produce within Itself the
means and materials OF self-defense, was almost
necessarily believer In tee doctrine of protection
IT. then, the tariff we're the real issue in this con
tett, the two parties ought to exchange candi.
dates the Democrats taking Garfield and the Re.
publCans Han cock, as the logical expOnents OF
the new issue thus sought to be int jeCted into
the canvass.
comparison of the platforms OF the two par.
ties will serve to show that the issue between free
trade and protection was not intended to be made
by either convention. The Republican platform
declares that 1.-THE duties levied for the purpose OF
revenue should so discriminate as to favor AmeH
can labor" while the Democratic platform de
clares for tariff for revenue only" Now, how
far does the Democratic platform dtverge ON the
Republican plank2 Itdeclares for revenue only
rs does in effect the Republican platform. Be-
yond this 1t is sLent. It does not demand higher
duties or lower duties. II the present tariff is
revenue tarE, and the best possible revenue tar
i'd, as General Garfield insisted with great force In
his tariff speech Of 1873 then the present tariff
meets the demands Uf the Democratic platform
But II would be absurd to deny that this plank
was intended to give expression to the general
judgment OF the Democratic party that the exit
ing tariff is not model contrivsnce, that 1t ere
ates impediments to the growth and prosperity OF
business, that II narrows up the emp yment and
reduces the compensation Of labor; that, designed
to meet the exigences Of state OF war, 1t is not
adapted to an era Of peace; that 1t needs reform,
and that the interests and welfare Of American
labor are even more concerned In this refOrma.
tion than the capital which is invested In manu-.
eu teTpriseS The Democrats have
itrven to secure these alterations. In every
Ipeech which made in the House pointed out
the necessity for reform In the tariff Morrison re.
ported his bill in the Forty. fourth Congress and
Wood tried his hand in the Forty 6th Congress.
Whether these bills were wise or not is not now
he question. The Republicans would never give
them fair discussion. The subject was shelved
IS a dissgreeable skeleton to be got into closet
rs soon as possible Meanwhile business suffered,
and labor was left to starve because special inter
ests were too powerful for the intelligence and
patriotism Of Congress.
HOW THE wORKINe.MEN ARE NTEBEsTED,
The remedy for our trouble which Teforma.
Gion Of the tariff could have secured, has come in
q different form, not fIom the medium Of man
but from the DEGREES Of Providence. Large crops
In the United States and poOr crops in Europe
have enabled us to resume both specie payment
and the carrying on OF works OF internal improve
ment But the remedy, fortunate as 1t is, and
powerful as It has been for the restoration OF
is but temporary alleviation. With
the return Of good harvests abroad the markets
for our food products will be again restricted and
we shall be brought face to face with the old
trouble in an aggravated form, the capacity to
produce more of the stable products Of industry