Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-06
ESTABLISHED 1910.
sEsAroK HAKKIA.s spEECp.

made evident in the frequent outbursts
his earnest entresty 10 be allowed TO go
10 the end without even that sort of plea
ant interruption. He devoted large po
r tion OF his time 10 national affairs, ss ia |
be expected Of one whose duties coufne hiI
TO their consideration, and he dwelt at lengt
upon the present iniquiious tariff Law
and the necessity for their reiorr
a. measure Of relief for th
oyerburdeDed working classes who have L
besr the great lead OF Federal as well a
State and municipal taxation. Oar tarii
system owes its existence to ignorance anC
cupidiiy. 1t is piece OF the most UNANIMOUSLY
conceived patchwork that ever disgraced az
enlightened people, framed principally to feeC
the plethoric pockets of manufacturers who
had all possible advantage OF Europe in the
cheapnesa Of our raw products and the
facilities Tor cheap transportation by river
lake and ocean, which nature has 20
bountifuly conferred upon u.s. Ii is an
outrage upon almost every interest in the
conntry. Ii is confusion worse con-
founded even TO those who make
ePoliiicsl economy a special study, a
bungling and conflicting mass of con-
trsdictioDs that would Disgrace the people
oIzCentral Africa. More than 10000 suits
inthe Federal courts for and against the
government attest the profound depths Of
the medd Iesome duplicity that has tiDkered
upon ii 10 make it what it l., and 10 prove
that since the Republicans have eutered
upon their long lease of power they have
pandered to the mouopolis,s and have built
up the few at he expense of the m any, and
fostered aud encouraged the eormorant greed
OF the grasping monopolsts at the expense
of The dearest rights of the working people
of the Union. The Oldest importers and the
best officers OF customs we have are not sure
of their knowledge of this tariff system an
hour, complex and opposing are its
provisions. Interfering with the prosperi
of the county; increasing unnecessarily
many of the necessities of the poor man,
medicines especially, it should tie swept
from the statute books to make place for a
simple, clear, plainly stated tariff system
that, while it Welded revenue for the gov
ernment, would not discriminate iuiuriously
or weigh oPpressively upon the poor, who
work for their dsily bread. Senator Harris
on this was fully clear and as torcible IS he
usually is upon any of the questions of the
day, and he made profound impression
vision Of the tariff and its reduction to a
merely revenue basis. He was no less clear
aud perhaps little more emphatic in what
be said about the State-debt question lie
derded the idea OF his pandering to any
Thing or anybody, and called attention
10 he inconsistencies Of the bond
holders in offering widely differing
settlements at intervals OF few months, and
80 confusing the public mind that many
citizens were led TO believe that they did not
themselves know that they we're creditors
of the State upon legal issues, conveying
The impression that some rebate was due
the people OF the State asa just reduc-
ton from disputed debt. As TO his
own record he pointed to it with pride. He
had sustained every measure originating
with the bondholders, and agreed with Ex-
Senator Bailey and Senator Jackson that
whatever settlement was passed upon by the
Legislature should be remitted TO the people
for their final verdict. He believes in the
people, has faith in their powers for self
government, and is not willing to place
their rights in the keeping OF any
set Of men, no matter what the pre-
text. Bailey and Jackson are no longer
with the people. They are the leaders Of
ique who, for the sake of ten cents,
are aiding and sbetting the party by
whose agencies for destruction the Southern
States were victimized by thieves, and the
nation Was disgrsced by the robberies of
rings, whose chiefs occupied the highest
places in ti.e councils of the republic.
They are aiding Aad abetting Hawkins,
who sold Federal law as a commodity as
cheap as his vileuess aud villainy, the SOL
ernuIy sworn attorney who made a huckster-
fiop of The courts and cheap-John counter
of the bescn. They are aiding and abettiDg
the man who increased the fears of hunted
and sorrow-l laden people and robbed them Of
the remnant of fortunes destroyed by the
civil. war to buy his silence and
shield them from suppOsitious ofenses.
Senator Harris made his consistency
clear on the State debt question. He never
originated measure of settlement; his is
not the responsibility for any OF the many
that have been put before the people of the
State for their acceptance. He subordinated
his views and personal ideas TO those OF the
people, as they found expression from time
to time in the Democratic State con-
ventions or the Legislature, and would will
ingly and cheerIully indorse any one OF them
acceptable to those who eventually have TO
pay the debt, principal and interest. No
man who Is not fool or knave will set his
judgment against the majority of party to
which he has Voluntarily pledged his cup
port, knowing that it is only by majorities
that any organization, whether OF the church,
the Stale or party, or even social body,
can be held together. There must bs
some rule for control, Otherwise every man
would be law unto himself, and the fools
would riot in their folly and the knaves
thrive from the confusion they fostered. The
Sote of a msjorify of the States dictates the
legislation Of the United Safes Senate and
the House, and so majority of the people
control in all the Iegislatnresof of the States 1t
is 10 secure msjorities that parties enter upon
political contests, and it is by majorities that
parties impress themselves upon the legisla-
tion and the history of the country. Ii this
we're not 80 chaos and confusion would en-
cue. Senator Harris knows the value Of ma
jorities and their power, and he yields TO
what he has fought or what may
be against his judgment, just as
men often yield in national conven-
tions to the vote which places the man they
opposed At the head of the party ticket. In
doing this he sets good example; an ex.
ample that will not be lost upon his fellow