The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-14
The Democratic Press.

In the course of his response to the toast
''The Democratic Press" William Henry
Hurlbert editor of the New York World, said
Now, what best promotes cheaper production
the wisdom of governments, or the free CON-
petition OF individual energy and enterprsef
The Republicans tell us that tariff commissions
and committees of ways and means must be left
TO devise plans for cheapening production in
America and bettering the condition of the
American people. Really2 How many of the
busy, active and prosperous citizen of Chicago
whom see before me tonight owe their success
TO tariff commissions and committees of ways
ana meanst Suppose the government at Wash
lngton were reduced tomorrow to its original
functions of raising just enough money to meet
the absolute necessary expenses of the public
administration. Would the manufacturers and
merchants and railway men and shippers and la
oorers OF Chicago think the end of the world had
comet Would they sit down and suck their
thumbs and wait till Congress should take up
again the business of protecting American indus
try, teaching Americans how to cheaper pro-
duetion and saving Americans from being ruined
by lhe pauper labor of EurOpel
Not until 1924 the idea of government
interference with the business of Manufacture
ing made principal instead of au incidental
purpose OF an American tariff With that came
The first period in our tariff history. In 1888
TINS so'called protective system OF 1924 broke
down dsmally. From 1888 to l842 came the
second period Of our tariff history, nine years
OF prearranged, gradual reduction in the tariff
rates, down TO the limit of an average of 20 per
cent. on home values. In 1912 the Wings, the
true founders of the Republican party, being in
power, forced up the average rate to about 80
per cent, and SO brought on that battle of 1874,
in which Clay was defeated by Polk and which
opened the way toa great Democratic financier
and statesman, Robert j. Walker, OF Mssissip-
pi for establishing that reformed revenue tariff
Of l846 which went without serious challenge
through three successive presidential elections
in 1848, 1852 and 1856, and under which the
commerce, the industry and the prospirty of the
country and of all sections of the country steadi
ly advanced until the storm OF the civil
broke upon us in 1861. Then it was that. under
the stress of ali absolute and exciting necessity
to raise money for fighting out terrible war,
cial relations with mankind was forced pom us.
Then it that protection, the old English
idea of the House of Hanover, got the better of
the American idea of free trade and fastened
upon the country the hold which only to-day the
country is rising to shake off. Must not the
Democratic press to-day emphasize these factsl
Must 1t not show that protection as now recog-
nized in this country never made Its Appearance
in our laws until after exhausting war IN
1924; that the system as then established broke
down OF its own weight within nine years, and
was abandoned by Its inventor Henry Clay, and
| tnat 1t never again 1ntruded itself upon Con-
| gress and upon our legislation until the out
break of another and more terrible war In 186li
AS Democratic journalist, and open OF course
to correction and conviction, L challenge any
successful denial of The statement that wherever
| an opportunity has existed in our history for
| clean, clear vote on protection as system, the
| Democratic party has uniformly stood firm on
| the proposition of constitutional law, which,
! down to the passage of the Bill of AbOmina3lOns
| in 1928, was vindicated by Daniel Wepster, that
proposition peing that if the power to levy pro-
| tective taxes is derived from the revenue power
b is OF necessity incidental, and that the incl
| dent cannot 90 beyond that to which 1t is Incl
| dental, duties levied not for revenue only but
| avowedly for protection cannot constiJutionally
| be levied by Congress.
Hon. James O. Broadhead, of Missouri, re-
| piled to the sentiment, Thomas Jefferson"
| in an eloquent eulogy.
Colonel w. f. Villas, of Wisconsin, dwet
at some length in glowing terms upoE The
Democracy, Past Present and Future"
Hon. Lyman Trumbul, of Illinois, replied
| to the toast THE Constitution" Judge
Trnmbull favored checking GENERALIZATION of
power and going back to the principles of
the fathers. He claimed that the Republi-
cans had overrden the Federal constitution
| by protecting certain favored classes,
G. I. Wheeler of New York, president of
| the Free-trade League, responded to the
toast "A Tariff for Revenue Only"
Autograph Letter from Mr.. Jefferson.
Following Senator Bayard's speech, Will
liam Henry Hurlbert, with few predatory
remarks, presented the club with the sub
Joined autograph letter from Thomas Jelier-
son, never before published:
PHILADELPHIA, March %, 1888
Dear Sir-The delegates are sending an express
to Virginia with Intelligence received this morn
| ing, but as do not know whether they win have
| leisure to drop line TO you, Will undertake to
communicate toyon the general tenor. YES
sci arrived here this morning, express from
| and Marquis Fayette, announcing that the pre-
l1minarieS of peace were settled between all the
belllgerent powers in January. Not having
their extracts from the articles before me, |
can't give you minute deIail of them,
| Their general tenor, however, as to territorial
changes produced by the war is that the thirteen
States are severed from Greut Britain, the
Floridas and AlnoreH ceded to Spain, Tobag0
and Mlguelon to France, and the French part of
the Newfoundland coast to Great Britain.
There may be some changes in the East Indies
which my Tecollection does not suggest. but
they are trifiing, If any. This vessel sent on
| than the one from Brest, which we may hourly
expect with the authenticated instruments.
Peace being made, there is further occasion
for peacemakers. L shall therefore leave this
| Ill a few days, but am not certain whether may
| not pay visit to General Washiu. ton AT head
! quarters before set my face suuthwartlly. 1
beg leave 10 present my respects to Mrs. PendIe-
ton, and to assure you of the incerity, | anu,
dear sir, your friend and servant,
r. JEFFERSON
| The letter addressed TO Hon. Edw ard Pendle-
ton to he left at the Bowling Green, .rolina.
| Signed, DAVIDSON
Suit Under the Civil Rights Bill.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April 13-Ciesar Car,
ringer, Robert Walden, Henry Warren and
! William Free, four colored citizens of An.
drew county, brought suit here to-day in the
| United States Circuit Court against Peter
| Christensen, of Savannah Andrew county,
tavern-keeper asking damages of $500 each.
The plaintiffs allege that Christianson re-
fused them accommodation in his house in
/ L