The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-08
CALkINS-GRAY.

FoRT WAYNE, Oct with the conditions,
surroundings and arrangements all against him
to-day Major Calkins clearly had the best of the
joint political debate between him and Col.
Gray. There was very large attendance from
the adjoining counties, and every effort had been
made by the Democrats to make the meeting
Overwhelmingly partisan, but in This they were
only partially successful While the Democratic
clubs were marching about the streets, with
brass bands and noisy demonstrations, the Re
publicans to the number of about 800 gathered
directly in front of the stand, and from this
eligible position they gave their candidatea most
enthusiastic support. The crowd, which num-
bered probably $500, was about equally divided,
politically, and their treatment of both candi-
dates was courteous and decorous. Besides few
irrelevant Interruptions and boisterous outcries
there was but little disorder
The meeting was held in the court house yard,
each of the speakers being accompanied on the
stand by representative of mis- party, Major
Calkins by Colonel R. s. Robertson, and Colonel
Gray by Senator r. G. Bell In a general way
the debate can be described as being forcible,
pointed and rather dignifed In speaking,
Colonel Gray had the advantage of delivering
himself of carefully prepared arguments on the
various issues of the campaign. as well as on the
political record of his opponent and to these
Major Cakns had to answer with
out preparation; but he succeeded in
doing this admirably. and his incidental dis
cussion of the tariff to which his opponent un-
fortunately alluded was so concise and convinc-
ing as to arouse the only prolonged outburst of
cheering of the debate.
Gpa ;,tro ,oad IxrU Tob,,
Bass. In beginning he arraigned the Republic
an party for its alleged various msdoings. He
said that the platform adopted at their last ma
tional convention was in itself an admission that
the party had been guilty of gross maadminis-
tratiOn of government, for various resolu-
tions were proposed for the purpose of remedy
ing the evils which it had brought about. These
were, in brief the unjust and discriminating
tariff the party's opposition to the
reconciliation of silver, its refusal
to properly regulate corporate monopoiies, its
failure to enforce the eight-hour law its failure
to protect American adopted citizens in foreign
countries, its failure to protect American labor
and prohibit the importation of foreign labor
its making immense land grants to corporations
its failure to keep up the navy even with lavish
expenditures, and, above all, the fact that il
imposed burdensome taxes on the people so as
to carry a surplus revenue of $400 600 900 in the
Treasury, which was used for corrupt purposes
He assailed Major Calkins for his amendment to
the funding bill of 1872. which proposed that
the United States bonds should draw 3! per cent
interest instead of 3, as proposed by the
bill; for his vote against the
bill proposing to apply the surplus funds to
i -
1877 favoring an increase of the regular army;
for his vote against the proposition to take the
tax off matches. In discussing this latter sub
ject he said the Republicans had not dared to
offer amendments to the Morrison BILL but had
insisted on killing the whole bill, although it had
many good features. He said the Democratic
party was not il favor of free trade and never
had been.
MAJOR CALKISs's REPLY.
Major Calkns began his reply by reading an
extract from Colonel Grays Richmond speech
in 1864, in which he bitterly assailed
the Democrats. He said that this
campaign was one of principles and not men,
and that if he should indulge in such TRADE of
abuse as his opponent had, he would not be pa
ten tly listened to. His own votes in Congress,
which had been questioned, he explained to the
satisfaction of even the Democrats, and in con-
troverting Gray's statement that the Democratic
party had never favored free trade, he read Sc
lections from the speeches of its leaders in Con-
gress-S. S Cox, Hammond of Georgia Frank
Hurd, Springer of Illinois, Mills of Texas Black
burn of Kentucky, and Morrison of Iinois-who
said that if protection was to be the continuing
policy of the government it should and ought to
be intrusted to the care of its friends, the Re-
publican party. He read from the Democratic
PLATFORM which, in 1856, declared for progress
i've free trade; in 1860 said nothing about the
tariff; in 1861 declared for incidental protection;
in 1868, for tariff only for revenue; in 1876 for
revenue only; in 1880 and in 1884 for revenue
exclusively. The speaker graphically described
the conditions that must arise from free trade
showing that in England. under that system, it
took 10 per cent of workingmans daily wages
to pay for his food; in France, 81 per cent; in
Germany, 60 per cent; in Spain, 60 per cent?
and in America, where the workingman was pro-
tected, only 80 per cent Regarding the alleged
surplus revenue, he showed that it was kept in
the Treasury to meet various obligations
that were coming due - for the
payment of pension claims and for the mainte-
nance of the army and navy, and as security for
the gold and silver certificates. He showed that
during its twenty four years of administration
of the government the Republican party had
reduced taxes $i05 900. The position of the
party he represented on the tariff question, he
said was, first a tax luXures which the
rich imported: second, tax on all articles in tho
manufacture Of which England competed WITH