The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-10-14


eral government"
----->0o-1~
Speech by Schuyler Colfax.
Hon. Schuyler Colfax, ex-vice president
of the United States, addressed large
meeting Of republicans at Mlshawaka, Ind,
on the I'd inst.
MIR. Colfax congratulated his constitu-
ents of Mishawaka on the
BENEFICENT AND AUsPICIOUs CHANGES
since he last addressed them. The nation
has been lifted from slough of despond
to highway of hope, and the clouds that
then darkened our horizon have been sue
ceeded by the bright sunshine of an in
MIGRATING prosperity.
No nation throughout the world is en-
ioying such good times as those that glad
den our land to-day. Our manufactures
OF all kinds are in active and successful
operation; labor is in demand and at high
er wages, the balance Of trade with foreign
nations is largely in our favor, and, there
fore, gold from abroad is daily coming to
| our shores; OUR greenback dollar has equal
purchasing power with the best coin dollar
in the world; and the interest paid by the
nation, the states, or corporations, or in
diyiduals. has been greatly reduced.
Can our opponents, by any tariff tinker
ing, make our manufactures more profita-
legislation of which they can inform you,
make labor more in demand and at high
er wages? Can they so doctor our finances
that they can, in the financial markets of
the world, make our national credit better,
or have the interest of our war debt re-
duced to lower point? Can they cause
more gold to flow into our land from other
nations? Can they make our greenback
dollar more valuable and in higher credit
than it is to-day? On the contrary, if any
earnest, bitter democrat was thinking of
investing in building, in manufactures, in
railroads, etc, and his party was triumph
ant would he not wait to see what they
would do before risking his money? And
millions of others would hesitate and wait
just as he would. That waiting and lack
of confidence would affect all disastrously.
Is it not better, therefore, to decide now.
without reference to partisan issues at all,
to "let we'll enough alone,' when change
can not better our condition? However
prophets of evil may preach to you a Cos
pei of discomfort, no one can deny that
our republic is to-day the most prosperous
OF nations, as well as the hope of the poor
throughout the world; for wherever, in any
land around the globe, poor man is found
want ing to better his condition. his hopes
and prayers and heart are turned toward
the United States. Is not that the high
est testimony to republican policy? What
can our opponents promise better than
able generalization. and testing the ques-
ton by political issues, the answer is equal
ly triumphant.
THE SOLID SOUTH,
with the northern democracy, elected in
1856, the last democratic national admin
istration our country has seen. In time
Of profound peace that administration of
MIR. Buchanan's increased our national
debt in four years 800 per cent, namely
from $2S,000.O00 in 1857 to $9O,O0O,O 900 in
1861. And, when it went out of power,
our national per cent. bonds could not be
SC Id at hig her than 50 cents on the dollar,
and that last democratic administration
had to pay as high as - per cent. interest
per year for loans for current expenses.
Look at that picture and then on this.
Since the rebellion of the solid south was
conquered, the debt their treason entailctl
on the nation has been reduced from 49,
756, 100000 in August 1865 to 81 ,9l9, GOO. GOO
in 1880, a reduction of over $500. 600 600:
| and our yearly interest charge has been
reduced, in round numbers, by our dimin-
ished debt and improved national credit.
the enormous amount of so per cent.
Instead of paying Z $40 interest per
year, as we did at the close of the war, our
per cent. bonds are at a large premium,
/ and all the balance of our debt can be
funded, if republican policy can be sus-
tanned by the people at the unprecedented
figure of 81 per cent. interest per year.
But our democratic friends object to this
contrast between republican administra-
tions and their last democratic administra-
ton in our republic; and they fill the air
with charges of Republican corruption
as the reason why republicans should be
driven from power, and all the branches OF
the government should be entrusted to
democratic hands.
Well, then, let us make the comparison
nearer to our times than their last demo.
cratic president.
GEN. GRANT,
whose administration is specially denounc.
ed by our opponents, was president fol-
eight years from March, 1869, to March,
1877. During these eight years, with a
republican administration and a republi-
can congress, our debt, entailed on this
country by the rebellion of the solid south,
was reduced from 50, 49,, 900, 900 to 81, O19,
0OO, 900, a reduction of $413, 100000. Dur.
ing these eight years, New York city was
under the control of Tammany hall (Which
with the solid south controlled the nomi.
nations of the last democratic national
convention, with democratic city admin.
lstration and democratic common council
and the debt of that single city was increas.
ed during the same eight years, from 1865
fn 1877 frovo 000 0OO - o. q O00 Onn
an increase of 1874 ,0O0,0OO!
And what is even worse, very large
proportion of this enormous increase is
universally acknowledged to have been
robberies. by the million upon million, by