St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-18
The Campaign Auspiciously
Opened in the Third Ward by
a Rousing Meeting.
John W. Willis, the Silver Tongued
Orator from st. Paul, DiIates
upon the MuIligan Letters.
He Declares for Tariff for Protection Only,
and Speaks Argumenta-
lively.
An Enthusiastic Cleveland and Hendricks
Club Under Full Sail.

plymouth avenue headquarters last night,
Win a large attendance. President Daniel
Watt presided. John w. Willis, of St. Paul,
who was the Democratic candidate for
the Office of attorney general, was the orator
OF the evening. His address was illustrated
by numberless quotations, and was spiced by
many appropriate and humorous anecdotes
The speaker was frequently interrupted by
applause.
He opened his address with reading the
famous Mulligan letters, and then went on
to explain the relations of Mr.. Blaine with
the Little Rock railway, and also recited
blaine's conduct and political career,
which was branded as most infamous.
lie went on to explain how Blaine
who had promised ''not to become a
deadhead in the enterprise" really did
become dead head by sending his tele-
grams to MIR. Fisher marked sd. H. and
these kilograms related directly to the enter
prise. The kilograms in question were read.
Said the speaker: Insult your country if you
will by electing such man to the highest
office in your gift, but l cannot believe a
sufficient number of constituencies voters
can be found who will prostitute the nation
by electing James G.. Blaine to the presi-
dency of the United States" Mr. Willis
called attention to the present condition of
the country. He read accounts of the suffer
ings of the laboring men in Ohio and Penn
sylvania. The strikes in Pittsburg were re-
lated in eloquent words. The reason that
the strikers were not successful is simply
because the bottom has drop
ped out of business. From the strikes and
the struggles Of the laboring men to get q
daily sustainance the speaker spoke OF the
wheat production. The farmers of the north
west are this year compelled to place their
wheat in the market at much less than the
actual cost Of production. So the country
is becoming impoverished. The trouble is
the country is overburdened by taxation,
which aggregates 40 per cent The govern
ment has placed custom houses in every
port and only to collect q forty-fve per cent.
tariff on every article imported. The labor
ing men are compelled to pay this tax. The
theory of the tariff is said to be to pro-
tect home manufactures. That is, it col
lects forty-ive per cent. on foreign clothes,
so that the home manufacturer can get just
forty-hVe per cent. more than it is worth
They claim that the reason that these goods
can be manufactured In foreign countries
by pauper labor at such a small sum that the
home manufacturers cannot compete with
them. Now this again fails in its main es-
sential. England is the only European
country that has free trade in vogue, and It
10 IN III mi faIl 70, fba4 ii,
England is better paid than In
any of the European countries
All other European governments
impose tariff, as all their statesmen and
theorists claim, to protect them against the
high priced labor in England. What an in
consistency Now claim with reason that
the American manufacturer can successfully
compete with any foreign manufacturers, be
cause the American manufacturers employ
men of brains. In this country one man
does more and actually accomplishes moro
than four men can in European manufacto-
ries.
Statistics were read to substantiate the
claim that while labor wages has been ad-
vanced under the protective tariff the
cost of provisions and products have
advanced far in advance the
cost of provisions and pro-
ducts have advanced in the last ten years two
per cent. more than has the wages Of the
laboring man. And here is the curse of the
tariff system to the laboring men. There is
no tariff upon the importation Of laborers.
We read in the press daily accounts of the
places Of laboring men who cannot furnish
their wives aud babes with bread sufficient to
satisfy their hunger. We read that their
places are taken by foreign laborers at re-
duced wages. In one OF the Pennsylvania
mines $50 men were arrested for formulatirg
a strike and $50 Italians just imported took
their places. The farmer Is Obliged to sell
his wheat for As to 55 cents whereas he should
get 81 or S1.25 per bushel, and a pail
falls over our nation and financial ruin
stares US in the face. This is because Of the
high protective tariff when we should have a
tariff for revenue only. What has become
of our once vast shipping industry, which
gave employments to thousands Of our
| laborersl What has become OF the large
navy yards which gave employment TO thous-
ands Of ship buildersi 1t is thing OF the
past. We can no longer hesr the music OF
the hammer and the saw. 1t is dead, killed
By the system misnamed a tariff for the
production of American industries
Like the Irishman on his horse. the
| only reason that Ben. Butler, who
/ flashes up before you his diamonds and
| jewels, can give US for not fattening up on
| free trade, is that we are so weak we cannot
carry any more flesh on our bones It is
claimed that Blaine will give US a vigorous
| foreign policy. By reading his record l will
Ichn of ia fa -.
Gus as were his connection with the Mulligan
| letters honest. (Applause.) The little
/ island of ireland was in serious trouble.
/ The sympathy OF the civilized world was en-
/ listed in behalf OF the oppressed and patient
l Inhabitants OF that unfortunate island.
Scores OF American citizens were arrested
and cast in prison at the instance Of the
English government. Mr.. Lowell wrote
/ Mr.. Blaine in the case Of Mr. Mahoney, who
was arrested, and asked protection from this
country, that in bis opinion the American
| government could not interfere in case the
/ subject had violated the English laws Blaine
/ refused TO make demand for the relief of a
/ single American suspect in English prisons,
/ but his successor without hesitation msde
/ the demand, and the prison doors were
! thrown open forthwith and each and every
| suspect walked out free man. The Irish
cannot be deceived BY the appeal made BY
the Republican party. They are naturally and
truly Democrats. The Republican camp
| has been open to them for years out they
| have found themselves more comfortably
situated in the Democrats camp. minis
| ter visited dying parisioner aud said, ''you
are going TO happier aud better world.
/ Are you not wiling and anxious to gotr
| The dying man replied in doleful voice.
sob yes, sm ready TO 60, but had rather
| STAY where 1 an better acquainted That
is the case with our Irish citizens. They had
rather stay In the Democratic camp where