The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-09-25

He Addresses Vast Audience In Union
Square,
New York spcc'al.l

New York special
Between $4,000 and 10000 people assem-
bled in Union Square tonight to hear Gen.
d. +. Butler speak. Il required the ser.
vices Of half dozen policemen to make d
passageway for the General 10 reach the
stand. He was loudly cheered. The crowd
was composed largely Of laboring men. DIR.
Ferdinand Seeger called the meeting to
order, and introduced Louis f. Post as
Chairman Of the evening Post in n brief
address introduced that great American
Governor. Gen. B. +. Butler" The cheers
that greeted the General as he came to the
front continued several minutes. When
quiet was regained Gen. Butler said il, part
FRIENDS AND FEhLOw- CITIZENS.
Thanking YOU for yonr kind greetings, | as
sumo that your deep interest in the affairs
of the country and the political measures
which should be taken to relieve them has
brought so vast an audience together. rhis
is, indeed, II ratification by the great city of
New York of the Inauguration Of the Poo.
pies party'-the true democracy. Unlike
the labored, tedious, and inv olved platforms
of the other political parties, that Of the
Peoples party Is short, incisive, and COM
prchensive Of every principle for the con-
duct of the Government Of the republic,
and can be easily carried in the memory of
each. 1t is this: Equality of right, equal
ity of burdens, equality of powers. aud
equality of privileges to all men under the
law. None can deny that these were the
fundamental doctrines of the fathers of the
republic. adopted by jefferson, elaborated
by Madison, and executed by jackson.
They were the doctrines of the Democracy
when that party was indeed the party of the
people, uncontrolled by corruptionists and
monopolists. need not argue to you that
in these latter days inequality of rights, pow
ers. burdens, and privileges have been
imposed by governmental action upon the
people. Corporations upon which public
functions are imposed, and to whom pub
lie franchises are granted. should be sery-
ants of the people only. But how contrary
Ia the practice? Railroads-elevated and
surface-as soon as Incorporated by ingen-
ious, and most often fraudulent, contriy-
ances, erect themselves into terrific and
outrageous monopolies by means of which
the people are robbed of their earnings.
their business hindered and crushed and
the many impoverished for the sole benefit
Of the few. The people have endeavored
toprotect themselves by granting charters to
competing railroads which promised to pro-
cure them lower prices for fare and freight
But 1t is an automatic fact that railroad COM
petition always ends in q rairoad combina-
tion, and that combination most frequent
ly directed to the destruction of other
modes of transportation which they
cannot control. The capacity of tho
Erie Canal should have been enlarged years
ago. And is there man who hears me
that does not know it would have been
done had it not been for the persistent,
united. and selfish opposition Of the rail-
roads? Let it not be said that this is a
State question. 1t rises to much broader
and higher proportions. 1t is a national
one. The burden of goods brought upon
the Erie Canal to the city of New York ex-
ceeds the ocean traffic from the city of New
York, and here is done more than two
thirds OF the commercial business Of the
country. This, now, in the great national
free waterway. Ii internal improvem ants
of rivers and harbors by the General Coy
ernment can be justified, why Is not the
enlargement of this canal by appropriations
by Congress the most worthy object of
them all, excepting, perhaps, the improve
ment of the great father of waters, the Mis-
sissipp?
With an alienation of Democratic and
Republican congressman from the State Of
New York, which has power enough to con-
troll the nominations and elections of Pres
iaents of the United States, why has not
some representative Of New York moved this
in Congress? The answer goes back again
the railroads would be opposed to 1t. They
do not oppose improvements Of the Missis-
sippi River, which are therefore made.
Cheap transportation means cheap food for
the men of the East, and cheap food means
higher wages and more comfort. Cheap
transportation means an opening for the
manufacturers, workmen, and artisans
of the East to supply the men and
women of the West, who, il they
can obtain fair prices for their pro-
visions, can buy these productions. Ought
not there to be laws passed by Congress,
under its great constitutional power. to reg
nlate interstate commerce. by which the
food of the West and the comforts of the
East should be interchanged at the cheapes,
possible rate, and thst all special privileges
and special burdens for the benefit of the
few should be taken for the lives and CON-
fort Of the many?
Gen. Buffers speech evoked great ap-
plause, and the crowd wanted him to con
tinue. AS he retired the Ch iirman intro
dnced Ex-senator Thomas +. Grady, the
little Napoleon of the Sixth-the silver.
tongued orator IF Tammany Hall, ont oil
which he came to 90 i'll for Butler" When
Gen. Butler retired the meeting gradually
dispersed.