Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-05
Gen. Bia09's Speech.

Gen. Bragg in opening spoke of the worn
out stock charges against the Democratic
party; that it is or was secession party
and disloyal. In answer to these charges
he spoke of Andrew jackson, a Democratic
president, as the first to put down seces-
sion; of the Democratic generals who were
most iilustrious of leaders of the great
armies of the Union,'and of the hundreds
of thousands of Democrats who voluntarily
filled the ranks of the armies. What. he
asked, would have been the result had the
two millions of Democratic voters been
other than devoted to the Union?
Next he spoke of the prejudices attach
ing toparty names, saying that there are
many Republicans who have for years ac-
knowledged the evils into which their party
administration have run, but who shrink
from the name of Democrat. Now. how
ever, he felt that there was a different or
better feeling among them. A change was
going on of which the signs were manifest
in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New
Hampshire and other states, and he
was glad to say there we're such
signs even in Minnesota. A
cause of this Progressing change be found
in the party corruptions, against which
honest Republicans are revolving. This
was one cause, but greater was in the
steady progress of the country under late
Republican administration, towards the
destruction of popular rights. One more
such cause was in the subserviency of Re-
publican administrations to the money
power-to the financial lords of the coun-
try. Another was in the extrava-
gance of late Republican administrations.
The revenues of the government now
amount to upwards of $4OO, 100000
a year, or about one-third as much as the
great national debt. And yet there is no
measure proposed by the party in power
for relief of the people. The surplus in
the United States treasury of over $780,
OOO,OOO, at the beginning of this fiscal
year will be S15O,OOO.00O at the beginning
OF the next fiscal year. Yet there is no
movement of the ruling party to reduce
the taxes of the people. No, the only treas
ury relief to come from that direc-
ton is in schemes for in
creasing the expenditures of the gov
eminent. 1t was one of your representa-
tlves who, wanting an increase Of postal
clerks pay so that they would work harder
for his reelection, said he hoped never to
hear the niggardly word economy again in
the halls of congress. And the people will
wait in vain to hear it there unless they
demand it and vote for it.
Speaking of the tariff, Gen. Bragg asked
what protection do you have by high du-
ties? It (the tariff is solely for the bene-
ut of the few who are engaged in particular
industries. 1t was once hoped that these
vampires might some day say enough; but
no, they still demand more. The tariff
commission, which has lately been rowing
about the country. is composed of men
from the protected classes, and they have
wound up, after hearing the complaints of
the country and the demands of the pro-
tected classes, by concluding that the best
thing to be done is to leave the tariff Just
about where it is. In this tariff you find
the rates of taxation higher upon the
coarse and common goods than upon the
finer articles. It taxes most the working
people. Itlevies heavy tax upon almost
every article of necessity. The tax upon
coarse salt is an instance of Yankee ingen-
uity. 1t is used in packing meats
1T the West. and pays "a to IS per cent.
tariff tax besides about IL per cent. geo.
graphical or transportation tax. There |
are largely mole operators and capital |