The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-09-03

MONTANA, >
legislative mind and judgment ms
and will be Influenced, not only
: considerations of general policy, bl
also by the probable effect Of I'll
measure upon the business lnteres
i. i. of the country. 1t il in accOrdan,
with this sentiment that the dem
cratic party stands pledged j
. its platform, ito revise the tariff in
: spirit of fairness to all interests
; and that any change of law must
at every step regardful of the lab(
: and capital employed in the industri(
y of the country; and that cust0l
house taxes shall bear "heaviest O
. articles of luxury and lightest on a
ticles of necessity" and that eth
, necessary reduction in taxation ca
and must be effected without depri,
ing American labor of the ability
compete successfully with foreig
labor" Those principles of the pla1
form are plainly written and easil
understood. They present the COZ
sentative purpose of the democracy.
TOUCHING REVENUE REFORMS
When expressed in the laws, thei
beneficent influence will become az
tive and universal. Lower taxes vii
signify lighter burdens upol
the people; money returning
to the channels of trade; en-
terprise restored and stimulated
a renewed demand for the products O
industry, and a consequent Increases
demand for labor and universal pros
perity. If the $400yO0O,m now l0cket
up in treasury were restored to TIN
channels of trade and commerce, Wh(
can doubt that labor would find EN-
plOyment, and the manufacturer q
market for his fabrics?
The condition Of our ocean com.
MERGE is disgraceful. We are a ma
ton of producers, and u exchanges
with other nations are enormous. The
worlds two greatest oceans wash our
shores. We are one of the nations of
the earth, most highly endowed by
nature with a spirit of nautical enter
prise; but practically we have no
merchant marine. Enjoying, as we
do, all the natural conditions under
which, it might be supposed, would
arise the greatest commercial navy in
the world, we are dependent upon
foreign nations for our ocean COM
merce. Our own merchant navy has
disappeared, and the weakness of our
coast defences is conceded by every
American, and known in every
foreign court. 1t is a sub
ject of amaZement and modification
that with abundant resources this
nation should consent to occupy so
contemplate a position among the
maritime nations of the world.
There is more than one South
American government that has a
navy with which ours could
not cope. 1t has been said upon
the highest authority that Chill
has armOred ships that could sail into
the harb0r of San Francisco and put
that great city under contribution at
pleasure.
Who is responsible for this amazing
of things? What party
held the reins OF political power while
the navy was rolling down and the
coast Notifications were passing into
dilapidation? Senator Harrison did
not charge that the Democratic rarty
suffered this condition of things to
come about, or that it was the cause.
The owners of foreign vessels are
enriched by the profits that we should
have earned ourselves. The obituary
Of our merchant navy is written in
our tariff and shipping laws. Its
spirit of enterprise and daring that
once brought wealth to our shores,
and pride to u people, and that
congenial employment to
of our brave and hardy
IONS is now buried in the treasury (
under those $500, O0O, 600, of
which Mr.. Calkins vaunts. The
amentable condition in which our |
var, navy and coat defenses are |
Ound at the end of near twenty years
# Republican rule is we'll described
~ Senator Harrison in his able
'peech delivered in this city on the
.4th of August. He says: 1.-THE
military and naval author
ties of the country have again and
gain, In official reports to congress,
declared that we r without a navy
Ih1 Tat our sea coast defenses are
lot worth the name. We have no
.uns for ships, nor for our coast fo1ti-
(cations.
The utter helplessness and naked
less OF our country in the matter of
hips and coast defenses is self evil
lent. Who is responsible for 1t? He
ould not say that. What he charges
that at a late session of Congress
1T r the navy had practically ceased
o exist and the coast defenses had
worthless, the Democratic
congress defeated a bill providing
Or a small addition to the navy. /
understand the opposition was made
of lack of confidence in the
apartment as organized for the best
of new vessels and the
OmpletiOn of old or unfinished ones
pom the best pleas and not upon the
round That q navy was not required
the public security. Nothing in
8 history could justify the charge
nat the Democracy is opposed to q
'rong and efficient naval armament.
t looks with shame and humiliation p,
pom u present miserable navy
nd regards with anxiety our unpro-
'cted seaboard. 1t would have war
essels of sufficient number and 1
rength to withstand any naval y.
over on earth and to make our flag 1
'spected upon every sea and at +
very point in the world. It would 5
ave coast protection strong enough ,
turn back invasion. All this it ,
ould have, net for the purpose and +
inquest of war, but for the preser- s
alton of peace on terms consistent >
national honor. The time is COM !
g, L trust, when wal shall be no =
ore, and International arbitration :
all supersede the sword. 1t is .
ildness and insanity to make war 1
'er disputes that reason tempered /
ith justice may settle peaceably, but .
nation itself, just and peaceably I
sposed, can bet er preserve its peace p
ID honor and can better secure its h
wherever they may Le on F
e face of the earth, from wrong and :,
suit when its flag is a SYMBOL of !,
wer adequate to the vindication of !,
y right or the redress of any wrong. ii
w 0~t~ $780, -