Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-07-17
National Republican Ticket,
For Proisdcnt,
JAMES G. BLAINE, Of Maine.
For Vice President
JOHN A. LOGAN. Of Illinois.
A GOOD SPEECH,

BENJAMIN +. Butler was on the COM
mittss to prepare platform for the
Democratic party. This gentleman fail.
ed to influence the committee to act in
accordance with his views, but he pre-
scented = minority report which was de-
nominated by the clerk as General But
ler's platform" On this minority re-
port Butler made a speech which we
deem worthy of publication.
BUFFERS SPEECH.
Gentlemen of the convention, appear
before you with great diffidence, having
to differ from the very able committee
of which was an associate. Many and
most things in the platform / agree TO-.
You have hoard the various propositions
read which L have submitted and which
were not agreed to. shall speak to you
now in the time permitted to me OF but
one. Where there are the greatest and
most radical differences between the
two platforms, and it is all comprised
in a single sentence. Everything else
was agreed to. We both agreed that
there is no constitutional power in the
government TO raise dollars taxes be-
yOnd the necessary expenses OF an eco
nOmical and honest administration APP
plause1 We all agreed that these could
be raised for taxation from our customs
revenues after the manner of our faith
ers. We agreed that the materials used
i'm the arts and the necessaries of Life,
not produced in this country, must be
untaxed. Where we differed was in this
- hot in icip thnt
was a duty of the government so to ad-
inst the laws as to best promote Ameri-
can enterprise and foster and cherish
American labor. [Applausel Think of it
a moment! The Democratic party refus-
ing when they must raise taxes to raise
them in such manner as best to sustain
their own laboring classes. Applansel
Will that do? [Cries OF mo" MOI Are
YOU ready to go into contest with our
Opponents with such platform? leone
here as no mend;cant. no beggar. |
come here representing more than 800,
600 laboring men Choersl l have
brought their constitution before this
convention. / demand not that you
give them anything, but when you are
taking from the people that you take IL
oply where 1t will hurt least. Is that
an unreasonable demand? Do You think
YOU can get along without themp l do
not and therefore brought them here
as YOUR allies if you receive them. OBJ
iect to the tariff plank of your platform
adopted by your committee for it took
them 36 hours to frsmeit [aughterl and
il it took those able gentlemen that time
to frame it and get it in form there
must be some reason for !t, and If they
could find out what they meant i'm &c
hours, how am l. a labOring man, to find
out what it means? Applause and laugh
ter.
The tariff plank OF the platform
should be so that he who runs may read
loud applause] The difficulty was that
there was radical difference between
us-a difference OF principles. The very
able chairman of the committee, Col
Morrison, flor whom | have the very
highest respect because he bslivss thai
there should be no such thing as prOtec.
tion of American labor by revenue taxa.
ton. Indeed / think he believes that il
cannot be done, and | believe there
should be that protection, such fOstering
such cherishing. He could not yield his
convictions, could not yield mine and
therefore our associates upon the Com
mittees had to spend all their time tC
saw something which would mean one
thing one way and another thing another
way. [Applause.] and now read that plat
form, read that tariff plank, and then see
YOU can find exactly what it does mean
tLoud laughter and applausel 1t does
not mean protection. IL it did Col. Nor
rison is too honest man to bring it here
Tapplause and cries Of correct" and vel
it is twisted 90 that it is supposed thai
it might mean protection.
Democrats in the convention, yor
passed a tariff plank in 1876, tariff
for revenue only [Applause] Only fol
revenue and you had statesman on il
that could carry very poor platform on
his back and win. In 1880 yOu had tar
Tiff for revenue only and it broke the bacI
of the most gallant soldier in the c0uR
try [applause] and you lost, and nov
you have got tariff for public purposes
exclusively. What is the difference,
"Excluslvaly" means only and "only'
means exclusively Laughter and ap
plause] Think it over, am here about
no bey's play. The success Of this cam
paign. in my judgment, before God, dc
ponds upon the question this night to b'
settled here and now. If you would say
to the wOrkingmen Of New York, New
Jsrey, Connecticut, New Hampshire ant
Massachusetts, that you mean protect
tion to their interest, where you canno
say it for certain. God help you for
cannot. [applause] Your platform say
that you wont cut down taxation so tina
but what you can protect w0rkingmen
and you say they must not be cut dOwr
below that. Well, what are you goin,
to do il you do not cut them DOWN. Yol
say now and here in your platform tina
you will not discriminate in favor O.
the workingmen and women of thi
country, who are the true Democrac.
of tho country.