Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-25

uniust. unequal Republican tarig. which
grew out OF the exigeBcies and necessities
OF war. For years, past there has been a
surplus OF mere than one hundred millions
. IN The Treasury, and yet the party in
power perslstently refuse 10 reduce the
burdens OF taxation.
The people have been long suffering and
patient, but the mutterings OF popular dis
content are now heard all over this broad
iand Ike the rumblings Of distant thunder.
Inc people are demanding 10 know what
Tight Republican Administration has 10
put It's hands in their pockets aud take
money thtrefrom that IL not needed for the
leeitimate purposes of Government. That
question Is now being ponderei In the
DLsy mnrts OF commerce.. in the crowded
embellishments OF the manufacturer, in the
neId OF the husbandman, and in the work.
shop OF the mechanic. That question has
got TO lie answered, or American freemen
VIII Know the reason why. lApplluse.]
The supreme Court OF the United States
has said in the case of the Loan Association
against the city OF Topeka that "To lay
with ore hand the power OF the Govern. ..
ment on The property Of the citizen and
with toe other bestow il upon favored in
dlvlduals to aid private enterprises aud
bsild up private fortunes Is none the less
robbery because II IL done under the forms
OF law and is called taxation"
LET Us now examine briefly the platforms
adopted by the two parties at Chicago, and
compare the records OF their respective
tandidat,s:
IL Las been well said that the promises
made by the Republicans in their platform
are nothing more nor less than list Of their
past failures. In other words. they have
filed hill OF indictment against them
selves For example, they call upon Con-
gress to remove the burdens under which
American shipping has been so long de-
pressed, while everybody knows that the
Republican party in Congress imposed
those very burdens and has continued
them until our foreign trade is ear
ried almost exclusively in foreign bot
toms. and the American flag has been
practically driven fr ON the high seas.
They demand the restoration OF the Ameri-
can navy. Although II Isl fact that since the
termination OF the war the Republican par.
ty has spent ostensbly for the navy s3I5.-
100000 OF the peoples money, vet we have
no navy worthy Of the name or at all COM
mensurate with the dignity and character
OF the republic az one OF the foremost
Powers Of the globe. IL Is a Illuminating
fact that to-day we have not more than a
dozen ships fit to 90 10 sea. Our navy $50
called is not only inferior TO that OF Eng
land, France, Germany. Italy, Turkey,
Spain, but, according TO Admiral Porter
himself, even little Hayti would laugh at
us. [Laughter.l
The Republican platform demands the
| speedy forfeiture OF all land-grants TO cor
poratiOns. which have lapsed by reason OF
| nj Ia uit N ~
ton. and yet the records OF the present
Congress will show that while the Repub-
lican convention was engaged in the con-
struetioA Of that platform, Republican
members OF Congress iwere maneuvring
and flibustering to prevent the forfeiture
Of land-grsnis. The Republican platform
announces the proposition that the public
lands should be reserved rs far as possible
for small holdings by actual settlers, and
yet the Republican party in Congress has
| given away this heritage OF the people to
nonresident aliens and mammoth railroad
corporations.
| The Republican platform talks about the
elevation Of American labor and the pro-
lection OF the American workingman, while
everybody knows that the Republican party
has subjected the American mechanic to the
competition Of cenyict and imported con-
I tract labor.
Italians and Hungarians OF the lowest
| type. second only In their condition and
habits TO the Chinese, have been imported
| under contracts TO work SO long for so
much. They take the places OF the Ameri-
can workingmen in the IRON and coal
mines under contracts to work at sixty-f7e
cents per day. III the American work.
| ingman is so contented and happy
| under Republican rule, what mean the
murmurs OF discomfort that come borne 70
| us on almost every breeze? What mean the
| large professions seen constantly in the
streets OF your manufacturing towns and
eitiesl What mean these labor strikes, Oft
| time attended by riot and bloodsheds What
means the cry Of distress that comes across
| the hills aud plains from Hooking Valley,
| in Ohio. and Lehigh Valley, In Pennsylva-
mar These facts speak louder than words.
| They are more significant than all the fine
spun theories Of Republican editors and all
the bigh-sounding defamation OF Republi-
| can orators.
The Republican platform processes TO
| believe that everywhere the protection due
TO a citizen OF American birth must be Sc
cured to American citizens by adoption.
while with shame and confusion Of face it
must b. confessed that under Republican
rule, and that too while Mr.. Blaine was
| Secretary Of State, American citizens Of
| foreign birth have been arrested and i'm
! prisOncd in foreign lands, and compelled
| 10 languish for months in solitary co1fine-
meDt upon mere suspicion, and without
| any formal charge or accusation against
them whatever. When | read the case OF
| Daniel NcSweeney. an Irish-AmeTican citi-
zen, who went to revisit his native land and
! look once more upon the graves OF his kim
dred, felt like excaming: oh, for one
hour Of Marcy! on, for one hour OF
Cas.l oh, for one hour Of the God-like
Daniel Webster at the head OF the State
Department at Washington TO teach Earl
Granville what is the American estimate Of
the dignity and value OF American citi-
zenship [Appause.J The Republican
platform declares that the perpetuity OF our
institutions depends upon the maintenance
Of free ballot and an honest count,
and yet everybody must remember that
under Republican rule Federal marshals
have been guilty OF the most ,unwarranta-
BILE interference with the freedom OF cleo
tions. the people have been oyerawed and
intmidated by armed soldlery at the polls,
judges OF election, appointed by State
authority, have been arrested and impris
oned by the edIct OF Federal judges, and
but the other day. in Ohio. the voice OF the
people was stifled by bulldog regolyers and
The corrupting use Of money. The Repub-
hcan platform pledges the party to cor
rect the inequalities Of the present
tariff, and yet, notwithstanding the
tariff commission representing the manu-
facturcrs admitted the propriety OF making
a reduction OF more than 20 per cent,
Republican Congress gave reduction OF
less than per cent, and has refused TO
relieve the people OF crushing war taxes
and cut down the surplus in the treasury,
which has withdrawn money from cireula-
ton that was absolutely necessary to meet
the wants Of the people aud supply the de-
mands OF trade. The Republican platform
professes TO favor ciyiLseryice reform,
while everybody knows that in practice
the ciyIl-service reform OF the Republican |
party is nothing more nor less than sham. |
1t was but the other day that Commander |
Evsns. Lighthouse Inspector for the Nor !
folk district, an able, capable, and Hbful |
of1cer. was removed irsm his posN~H for |
the reason that he refused 10 be a tool in
the hands OF the politicians and to appoint |
subordinates at their dictation whom he
knew to be utterly worthless and inefi- |
sIent. 1t is a fact which has now passed |
into history, that under the Arthur ad-
ministration enc man has been permitted |
to control all the Federal patronage in Vir- |