The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-16

not the great underlying principle
of the Democratic party. 1t is not the great
underlying principle of the Democratic
party. 1t is not principle. 1t is simply
policy. But there is principle that is DEM
ocratic, and that is the principle enunciated
by Thomas Jeffersion-that man is capable
OF self-government; that the poor man, in his
humble citizenship, is as grand man with
ballot IN his hand as is your Vanderbilt,
your Gould, rolling in his carriage or
travelling over the country in his palatial
coach That is Democracy. Free trade was
not democracy at any time. Free trade is
NOT Democracy to-day. In part of the
country they will tell you give US protection
to home industry, and Mr.. Hurlbert him
self says tariff for revenue brings incl
dentally protection. Why talk OF il, then2
Let your newspapers, l say, the Democratic
newspapers of this country, educate the
people up to the question: Let your public
writers educate the people up to it. But
when you come to our cities with these vast
monopolies which you have, and wien you
tell them that you are going to have a tariff
Tor revenue only, the ballot will be printed
ana put in your voters hands the
night before election, and he is commanded
to vote as his employer orders him to vote.
At the last election in this city, when Han
cock and Garfield were running Republican
ballots were put in the hands of every great
employer in this city the night before cleo
ton. Employees were told that their bread
depended upon the election OF Garfield, and
they voted with their bread. You cannot
convince them to the contrary. You may
win on new doctrine on principle OF that
sort when the country is oppressed and suf-
fering when the finances are IN bad condi-
ton. when labor is not winning proper re-
ward, but you cannot bring on q change of
that sort when a country is prosperous You
cannot pbnnua q nO1ipV nf Uov wi irt,
is fixed in the minds of the people when the
people have living wages and are working
every day for those wages. 1t is u good priIr-
ciple. We all believe in free trade, 1t is the
true principle of government. You have no
right to tax one man to help to make an
other richer; but is it necessary for us as
Democrats to put that sort of thing in our
platform to-day? We do not know what
Congress may do in the next two years Go
ask them there what they are doing today.
Are the Democrats in Washington all
of one mind on the question of TARIFF Here
is my friend. Mr. Springer. Ask him If every
Democrat on the floor of the House of Rep
resentatives is a man for tariff for revenue
only He will tell you no. A congressman
from Virginia wants TO tax some commodity
by tariff because his constituents demand it.
Democratic congressman from Louisiana
has voted for tariff upon sugar because his
constituents demand it. But we may break
down the monster that is now building up
the wealth of the few at the expense of the
many, and that is by reforming tho present
tariff reforming it so as to take off the bur
den of the people, and then you have a liv-
ing principle, living issue TO fight for, and
not thing of the dead past that we have
hauled up for years and paid no attention to
when we got to Washington. | believe in
living issues. l believe in the Democracy. I
do not want the Democracy of the dead past.
do not want TO tie myself to dead corpse
a., L.. l.
have trodden over and the sod is green over
its grave. l want to be tied to living issues,
and there are plenty of them that we may go
before the people and win Oh. .
l wish to say one word here for my friend
Mr.. Hurlbert. He alluded to the power of
the press, and he asked who made Chicago.
[Some one jocularly said, Garter Harrison."l
Who made Chicago the Sodom and Gomorah
throughout the length and breadth of the
United States? The Chicago press, that has
fattened in our midst and has slandered this
city for the purpose of putting down DEM
ocratic administration. Applause Like
that foul bird that fills its nest with litter
until it is so full that its eggs drop out, they
have befouled the nest Chicago, which is no
better and no worse than any other city in
America. You, my friend in New York came
here in fear and trembling lest you should be
sandbagged on the road.
Mr.. Hurlbert-Not bit of it.
He says he did not believe it, He knows
what press can do. [Round after round of
applause Thatis (blushingly), Republican
press. He knows what it can do to SANDER
a Democratic administration, and that it
will even SANDER abusively its own
city for the purpose of striking down one
who is in opposition to it. Sir, there is an
other public officer, or quasi public and
quasi public trust, and thas is the press of
the country. 1t is quasi public in its posi-
ton and quasi official. Let the Democratic
press say to the Republican press of this
country: You may criticise fairly, but you
cannot hurt anybody by slandering them
foully. Here in this city the Democratic adj
ministration has been elected three times in
spite OF pulpit SANDER and press lies, because
the people here see for themselves, and they
know that Democratic administration in
Chicago believes that public Office is pub
lie trust, and administers it for the good of
the people [applausel; because we believe in
Chicago, with the Democracy, that that is
the best government which governs least;
that that is the best government and safest
which leaves theindividual all of his rights,
all of his personal liberties which is safe for
the general public, ana which does notdo
violence to the interest of the individuals
around him.
General Gresham and His Successor.
Interview with General Fred. Knefer. I'D 81