Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-09-26
ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Of Hon. B. w. Jones, at the
Monroe Convention.
The following is the address of Hon.
B. w. Jones, at Monroe on tie 18th
inst, accepting the Democratic nomi-
nation for Congress:

/
inst, accepting the Democratic nomi-
nation for Congress:
Gentlemen of the Convention:
The democratic party of the third district has
now twice named me as its candidate for congress
You who are here to-day know something of the
history of these nominations. You know that
they were the free offerings of the people. You
know that they came to me without any solicita-
! ton on my part of any man or caucus or conven-
/ ton. You may ba sure that l fully appreciate
the high honor you confer upon me, and that in
accepting this nomination do not overlook the
responsibility which it implies.
! Two years ago we entered upon a campaign in
this district on those newer issues which have
happily displaced the sectional controversies of
former campaigns.
We insisted that taxation should be reduced;
that our enormous surplus revenue should no
| longer be collected to be squandered in extrava-
CANT appropriations but that it should be left in
the pockets of the people where it belonged.
We insisted that in affairs of government there
| is no middle ground between extravaganza and
economy.
We contended that the vast unearned grants of
the public lands should be restored by acts of
I
insisted that corruption in the public service
should be checked; that known criminals, even
though the friends of men high in place. should
| be brought to justice.
The result, not only in this district but in other
districts and in other states, clearly proved that
the masses of the people fully comprehended the
vital issues of that campaign. Those identical
issues are before us to-day. If my nomination
hiatt iS tO ha
no change of front. II you believe that posi-
! ton should be changed upon any of these n
portant questions, you should choose some other
man. | have no retreat to make from the
! ground taken two years ago.
| None of you can regret more than do that
the surplus revenues were not reduced during the
| last session Of congress.
1t was carefully estimated that the Morrison
| bill would have reduced the revenues S35 100000
per year. 1t would have reduced the burdens of
the common people by giving them more cheaply
the necessities of life, vastly more than that
amount.
That measure had the hearty support of four
| ifths of the democratic members of the house.
About one fifth of the democratic members were
gentlemen representing the powerful monied in
terests of the east. They joined with the repub-
licans to defeat the bill.
OF the whole number of republicans in the housH
only three gave their vote and influence for
this reduction of taxation. Whether this was the
best bill that could have been proposed was of
course a coatroverted point. 1t. at least, was an
honest attempt to reduce taxation, and those who
opposed it proposed no substitute. This bill
would have moderately reduced the taxation upon
most of those articles which make up the neces-
sites of life 1t would have placed lumber, salt
and coal upon the free list. The influence of CON
soldated capital succeeded in defeating the pro-
posed relief. But the issue is still before the Peo-
pie to decide whether they desire to pay into
the treasury year after year, from Sso,00o,0O0
to Sl00,000,000 more than is needed for an eco
nomical administration of affairs. 1 am only
confirmed in the belief that the people will rot
long tolerate these surplus revenues and the
heavy burdens OF taxation which they impose.
That they impose useless burdens upon the peo-
pie is not their only evil They are the fruitful
parent of corruption and extravaganza.
1t is natural that those who are hostile to any
reduction of taxation should favor large expendi-
lures.
The last session of congress was oDe long strug-
gle on the part of the democratic house to keep
the appropriations within moderate limits; and
mouSly increase them.
The senate sought to add to the fertilization
bill about Sso0oO to the consular bill about $780,
O00 to the naval bill about Sc, 100000; to the
postof1ice bill about 100000; to the legislative
bill abont st0o0,O00; to the sundry civil bill
about Sl,0o00oO to the river and harbor bill
about 81 100000.
The senate sought to add to the appropriation
llS ~ ia m
The senate also passed the Educational bill ap
propratng S71 100000 Without further detail l
have only time to say upon this subject that it
would be revelation to the people of this coun-
try if they fully understood the pertinacity with
which the republican leaders in congress sought
to maintain the surplus revenue, and the eXtrava-
gauce with which they were willing to spend il.
The house of representatives was true to its
pledges in seeking to give back to the people the
vast tracts of the public domain which had been
granted to corporations, and which they had
failed to earn Bills for that purpose were re-
ported without delay Some of them passed the
house as early as January. Others followed in
quick succession, restoring in the aggregate
about forty million acres of the peoples lands to
the peoples control. During the five months
which followed only one of these bills
bill was so changed and amended as to give to the
people not their lands, but the delays and the
certainties of a law suit
If the senate had responded to the action of the
house on these important measures there would
have been restored to public settlement an area
of land equal to seven such states as Massachu-
sets. But the senate did not .pond. For that
reason alone not one acre has been restored This
issue still lives and will demand attention in
gress.
Oar public lands are rapidly slipping away
from government control. Vast belts of these
lands are held by corporations and by Euro
pean syndicates at speculative prices, while those
who would gladly till the soil begin TO look in vain
for free homes in the west. On these questions
relating TO the public lands the democratic house
has spoken by its action in doubtful language
The republican senate stands committed to tina.
policy of indeciSion and DELAY which prevailed in
the 47th congress, and which is equivalent to
| denial ef the peoples rights.
The one policy means cheap but good homes for
the masses The other policy means the upbuild-
ing and the perpetuation American soil of a
landed aristocracy. One European company
owns four and oze-haE million acres of American
land That is more than is contained in this
tire congressional district. One English syndi-
cate owns three million acres. One English mar
quis owns one million eight hundred thousand
acres, More than twenty million acres Of Ameri-
can land are held by foreign capitalists n tracts
of more than five thousand acres each.
If we can reclaim to the government those
lands which have been justly forfeited; if
check this tendency toward imperial landed es-
| tatss we can stin have for your children such
inheritance of homes as belonged to you. If, on
| the other hand, are to surrender public do
main as prey to speculation and monopoly, we
| shall speed the day when the laboring men of
/ America will have but poor refuge from the hov
/ els of the great cities
| If we would guarantee to the laboring men of
/ America good wages for their toll should
guard with tireiess vigilance the rights of the
| whole people to the public lands
II the laborer of this country has been able to-
obtain fair remuneration for his toll, it has been
due largely to the fact that the broad rairies Of
| the west hare offered him living and home
whenever capital failes TO recognize his rights
| In the policy Of government touching its public
lands, something Is due to the farming class Ii
seems to be often overlooked L. ne Legislation of
| this country in behalf Of favored classes. that