The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-17
BUTLER IN NEW YORK.


Square to listen to General Butler on
the Peoples Party.
New YoRK, Sept. 15.-Between $4,000 and
10000 people assembled at Union Square to-
night to hear General b. f. Butler speak. 1t
required the services of half a dozen police
men to make a psssagewsy for the General
to reach the stand. He was loudly cheered.
The crowd was composed largely of labor
ing men. Dr. Ferdinand Seeger
called the meeting to order and introduced
Louis +. Post, as Chairman of the evening.
Mr.. Post, in a brief address, introduced that
great American Governor, General B. +.
Butler"
The cheers that greeted the General as be
came to the front continued several minutes.
When quiet was gained, Butler said in part.
Friends and Fellow Citizens-Thsnking
you for your KIND greeting, l assume
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. This
is, indeed. ratification by great New York
of the inauguration of the peoples party,
the true Democracy. Unlike the lrbored,
tedious and involved platforms OF other po-
litical parties that of the peoples party is
short, incisive and comprehensive of
every principle for the conduct
and can be easily carried in the memory OF
each. 1t is this: Equality of right, equality
of burdens, equality OF powers, equality Of
privileges to all men. Under this law none
can deny that these were the fundamental
doctrines OF the fathers Of this Repub-
lie, adopted by jefferson, elaborated
by Madison and executed by Jackson
They were the doctrines of the Democracy
when that party was indeed party Of the
people, uncontrolled by corruptionists and
monopolists. l need net argue to yon that
in these latter days that inequality ofrights,
powers, burdens and privileges have been
imposed by Governmental action on the
lie functions are imposed, and to
whom public franchises are granted
should be the servants of the people
only. But how contrary the practice of
railroads. elevated and surface. AS soon as
Incorporated, by ingenious, and most often
fraudulent, contrlvances they erect tnen-
selves into a terrific and outrageous monop-
oily by means of which the people are rob
bed of their earnings. Their business him
dered and crushed, and many impoverished
for the sole benefit of the few. The people
have endeavored to protect themselves by
granting charters to competing railroad
lines, which promised TO procure them lower
prices for fare and freight; but it is ad axi-
omatic fact that railroad competition always
ends in railroad combination, and that com
bination is most frequently directed to
the destruction of other modes of
transportation, which they can not
control. The capacity of the Erie Canal
should have been enlarged years ago, and is
there a man who hears me that does not
know it would have been done had it not
been for tie persistent, united and selfish
opposition of the railroads. Let it not
be said this is State question
1t rises to much broader and
higher proportions. 1t is a national
one. The burden of the goods brought
York exceeds 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, is great national
free water way. III any internal improve
ments of rivers and barbors OF water
ways by the General Government can
be justified, why is not enlargement
of this canal by appropriations most
worthy object, excepting perhaps, the i'm
provement Of the great Father OF Waters
the Mississippi? With an alteration of Dem
ocratic and Republican Congressman from
the State of New York, which mas power
enough to control the nomination and
election OF President of the United States,
why has not some one Representative
moved this in Congress? The answer goes
back again-the railroads would be opposed
TO it. They do not oppose the improvement
Oh the MISSISSIPPI River, which IS therefore
made. Cheap transportation means cheap
food for the men in the East, and cheap food
means higher wages and more comfort.
Cheap transportation means an opening
for manufacturers, workmen and artisans in
the East to supply men and women in the
West who If they can obtain fair prices for
their provisions can buy those productions.
Ought there not be laws passed by Congress.
ueder their great Constitutional power, to
regulate interstate commerce by which
The food of the West and the comforts of the
East should be interchanged at the cheapest
rate. All special privileges and special bur
dens for the benefit of the few should be
taken for the lives and comfort of the many.
General Buffers speech evoked great ap.
plause, and the crowd wanted him to con-
tinue. AS he retired the Chairman intro.
duced Ex-senator Thomas +. Grady as the
little Napoleon of the Sixth, the silver
toDgued orator of Tammany Hall, but who
had come to 20 in for Butler. When General
Butler retired the meeting gradually dis
persed.
General Butler and Grady also spoke at
each OF the side stands, creating the same en-
thusiasm as at the main stand. General
Butler afterward held reception in the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. Mrs. Lille Devereux
Blake was among the listeners on the main
platform.