The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-27
GOV. PORTER'S OHIO SPEECH
He Opens His Campaign for the
Buckeyes in Greenyil!e.
a Discussion of the Tariff Policy of the Re-
publican Pnrty-Interesting Statement
of the Indiana Campaign of 1880.

Hon Albert G. Porter made his first speech in
Ohio at Greenvile, where he spoke in company
with Hon. William Lawrence, his successor as
First Comptroller. The meeting was a large and
enthusiastic one The Governor spoke as fol-
COWS:
am glad to witness the good cheer and en-
ihusiasm that lind here. IL Is evident that
OHIO has returned to her confidence IN the Re
publican party. year ago the people were in
Ill humor with us. The party had failed to come
mp to its accustomed standard of achievement.
Congress had disappointed them. There was an
excess of revenues and Congress had made no
reduction of internal taxes or the tariff. The
Republicans had tried tn pass a dill for those
purposes, but in the opiuloD OF the people they
had not tried hard enough; they had not sat in
their places stubAornly ana resOlutelS, day and
night, until the work was done. They had al
lowed their adversaries to battle them. The peo-
pie. in ill mood TO them on this account were
stern toward them on other accounts. The riv-
and harbOr bill did not satisfy them. and
though a greater per cent of Democrats than OF
Republicans in the Senate and House had voted
for it, they would not accept tins fact in mitiRa-
fiOu. The appropriations for public buildings
had been TOO great to please them The general
volume of appropriations had been somewhat
larger than usual, and though the largest item
of increase had been for pensions, they were
still dissatisfied. They had got into Their heads
that there was a disposition in Congress not to
reduce the revenues but to swell expenses so as
TO ingulf them. The elections, therefore, went
against the Republicans, not from any purpose
10 place their adversaries permanently in
power, but to administer rebuke The lesson
was salu5ary. When Congress assembled the
following December, the Repabtea4s@ In each
house entered upon the work OF cutting on the
excess of our revenues, with determine
ton that could not be baff1ed.
Although it was the short session-lim-
red BY iaw-they forced through
measure that cut off internal taxes and customs
duties in the amount. as estimated, OF $77,OOO,-
900 annually The rest OF their work they did
diligently and well, and the result has been that
the people turn kindly face to them. No
party has ever been held TO more rigid account
ability for any neglect or departure from dnty'
none has ever been more cheerfully forgiven
upon return TO duty: IL mas seemed, 100, tnat
the best antidote for displeasure felt to it by the
people taste, ever so brief, by them, of the
rule of its adversary. The party with record of
high achievement is always held to strict &C.
eouniabiity. 1t is measured by the standard Of
its capabllity. When Grant successfully won
Henry. Donpison shiloh, Vicksbure and Chatta-
nOoga, his duty grew all the while the stronger to
win AppomattOx. Is has been 30 with the Rspub-
lIGan party as it has successfully risen In
achievements. 1t may seem TO some a pity that
beannot enjoy prosperity ana repose at tne
same tfI1e: but it cannot The nights that SHINE
behind it cannot guide 1t, but the light that II
casts before. Only while it moves forward Go
It's past glaries greatly help it. 1t is not on
siding to-day, but on the main track OF progress
Especially 10 this SO in Ohio where yOu are
right in platform, strong In purpose, and nave
leader cnnsplcuOnsly capable. 1t is when the
Spirits of the party are ID flood that the old
glOries come to inspire. Recall it when. in the
interest of labor, 1t announced that the Terrific
ries sI,u1ia be for the free industrial classes
only and reinforced its cause by the advocacy
Of a homestead law: when, war having come
rather than allow this just purpose to prevail and
vPHge we're kept separate, ana IT'S triumph was
won that while the gain was great to all
it was consnicuously great to its adversary;
how gigantic debt melted before its policy of
upright dealing until the burden Ia no longer
felt. and how. out of the nettle debt, by a far
seeing Il gislatiye policy, iJ plucked the flower
manufacturing prosperity: how, when the
surTeney WIS debased by being worth less than
coin, and there was cry for a food of more
currency, which would still further have sunk it,
the party set its face like flint against further
debusenirnf, by firm policy raised the currency
itch fnlc anh
SweIe,t Its volume bv thus releasing and restor
ing to circulation millions OF which had
been driven out of iF; how 1t so arranged by
Erraties that when our foreign-born fellow-citi-
zens eturned to visit their ole homes, they were
not liable as before to lmpressmens into the
armies of their native country, but stood iu-
vesfeh with the cOmpletest rights of American
cisizeuship. We recall, also, that it was
achieving these great ends, It had the same
adversary that 10 now has, steadily opposing all
This ad versary having been baffied in all its
OpDosition il a few years ago started cry of
corruption assuming that party which had
been long in power must necessarily become
contaminated. Having control OF one branch
OF Con gress, it appointed numerous commissions
for vestigaton, until the condition of things
reminded one OF what sidney smith once SAID OF
similar condition OF affairs in England, when
iGseemed as if call the world was in commission
snd the burden of proof WAS upon every man to
show thar he was not commissioner"
The result was singular. Whenever
gun was loaded the damage came by
the rebound The danger at the breech and
NOT at the muzzle The Investigations cOmpro-
missed so many Democrats that they were given
up in despair. The same cry is now raised, but
with cracked voice and NOT nearly the old
vieOr. The popularity of the Republican party
has been that it is acknowledging ana self
correcting party, and that 1T has always been
hospitable TO the exposure OF corruption in it's
own ranks. 1t has believed that the exposure
and not the suppression OF wrong-doing was best
for it, This belief and the practice that has fol-
lowed II, have strengthened its influence and eti-
Aency.
hal wi
Of vast sums of money has there been so little
loss by defalcations. 1t is Familiarity known that
while during Mr.. Buchanan's administration
the losses by defalcation OF public officers
In the collection and disbursement of the
81 900; during Pierce's administration, So Sc:
during Folks administration, 0S; during
Jaokson's, 81 80; during VanBuren's adminstra-
ton, $11 I'll it was during Mr.. Lneeln's admin
istraton rs cents only; during Grants admins
t-atIon. about 81 cents; during Hayess. about
one-thIrd of cent. But additional reason
for 80 small loss by defalcatIons during Re-
publican administrations has been the states
manlike provision of multiplied checks, which
in q case of diversion of moneys, make discovery
and exposure inevitable.
In the star-route cases. about which much has
been said. the ability and vigor of the prosecu-
lions were very great, and If there was guilt,
there be no doubt that the government
made every possible exertion to expose and pun-
ssh it. The vignr of tbs effort bore almost ap-
pearance of persecution. Members OF Congress
from the regions where the abuses prevailed
were greatly responsible for these abuses. There
was a constant pressure by them for a more fire.
quent and expeditions mail service. Contractors
availed themselves of knowledge of this fact
and bid, not really for the service advertised,
but for the kind of service they expected, with
political aid TO procure afterward.
During the period in which the Republican
party has held the administration Of the govern
ment the growth of the country in all Its great
industries has been unprecedented IL the history
of civilization. Especially has the growth of
manufactures been prodigiOus. 1t is estimated
by the best staticaus that the value of products
OF manufactures in the United States is from 80
1O 90 cent. OF the value OF all the products
nf agriculture. The West, from being almost
pureIy agricultural region, has assumed great
prominence as amanufaetming region Twenty
nine and half per cent of the products of the
manufactures of this country are now manufac-
Tured in the Western and Northwestern States
Considerably more than one-tifth of all persons
having OCCUPATIONS in the United States are en-.